It has been said by many that America is great because of its diversity. Just as many have said, however, that America is great in spite of its diversity. Typically associated with diversity is tolerance of the various cultures and religions associated with such diversity. That brings us to another threat to America’s freedom, i.e. political correctness.
Political correctness has about as many meanings and perceived meanings as there are people in the population. The general consensus is, however, that political correctness places emotions ahead of objectivity. The general opinion is that free speech has its limits if it might offend someone else. A great example of political correctness is when President Bush in a recent state of the union address proclaimed that Islam is a religion of peace. Such statements actually refute Islamic literature.
The Bible is certainly not silent on the subject of political correctness. The Bible is in fact very explicit concerning tolerance and building coalitions or entering treaties with other entities if God’s word and instructions are compromised. When the Israelites returned from Egypt and were about to enter the land of Canaan God gave specific instructions concerning the people that were presently occupying the land.
When the LORD your God brings you into the land which you go to posses, and has cast out many nations before you…you shall make no covenant (treaty) with them nor show mercy to them. Nor shall you make marriages with them. You shall not give your daughter to their son, nor take their daughter for your son. For they will turn your sons away from following Me, to serve other gods…But thus you shall deal with them: you shall destroy their altars, and break down their sacred pillars, and cut down their wooden images, and burn their carved images with fire. For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. Deuteronomy 7:1-6
Though this passage is very succinct, let’s stress the high points. Firstly, God instructed the Israelites not to make any treaties with the people in the land of Canaan which was to be the home for the nation of Israel. God then instructed the Israelites not to let their children intermarry. The reason for these instructions was to insure that the Israelites would not be influenced by false religions or idolatry. The Israelites were further instructed to destroy anything that pertained to the false gods of any of the people that were presently living in the land of Canaan. There is not much in this passage that suggests tolerance of other religions, let alone acceptance of those religions.
Consider another example. After the fall of Judah and upon returning to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple after spending 70 year captivity in Babylon (present Iraq) in approximately 538 BC some non Jewish residents of the land, who didn’t want the Jews to regain status again in Israel, made an insincere offer to help with the project.
…they said to them (the Jews who undertook the rebuilding project) “Let us build with you, for we seek your God as you do…” but the leaders of Israel said to them, “You may do nothing wit us to build a house for our God; but we alone will build to the LORD God of Israel…” Ezra 4:2-3
Again there is no tolerance in this passage. The non Jews were told in no uncertain terms that they had absolutely nothing in common with the Jews and their assistance was not welcome or needed.
For those who would say that these Old Testament passages are irrelevant today, we refer to I Corinthians chapter 10 where some Jewish history is recounted and followed with this statement:
Now all these things happened to them (Old Testament Jews) as examples, and they were written for our admonition… I Corinthians 10:11
Therefore, the Bible does not teach tolerance and acceptance of ideologies contrary to what God has established. Inasmuch as this great nation was founded on Christian principles it is believed by many that we should not feel obligated to accommodate, assimilate, or even tolerate ideologies contrary to those principles; especially ideologies held by those who seek to destroy us.
Some secular progressives, however, have become so politically correct that much legislation has been enacted for the protection of individual “rights” of free expression that is contrary to Biblical teachings. Political correctness is not a virtue.
Bible believer, on the other hand, believe that the One whose laws are being violated will be the final Judge of such matters.