http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/3/14/103415/628 We've had this discussion before.  There were the pharmacists who <a href="http://www.plastic.com/article.html;sid=05/12/09/08434218">refused to fill prescriptions for birth control </a>.  There were the Muslim cab drivers at the Minneapolis airport who <a href="http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2006/10/travel_minneapolis_cabs.html">refused to transport anyone carrying alcohol</a>.  In both instances, the general opinion has been, if moral codes or religious beliefs make it impossible for en-us Fri, 16 Mar 2007 08:01:54 EST Mon, 23 Apr 2007 03:49:00 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/3/14/103415/628#13 <a href="http://courses.forum.ncsu.edu/cgi-bin/netforum/eng541/a/3--39">39</a><br> <a href="http://courses.forum.ncsu.edu/cgi-bin/netforum/eng541/a/3--40">40</a><br> <a href="http://courses.forum.ncsu.edu/cgi-bin/netforum/eng541/a/3--41">41</a><br> <a href Mon, 23 Apr 2007 03:49:00 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/3/14/103415/628#12 Be tolerant of anything and everything.  Maybe tolerant isn't a clear word.  I don't mean to allow people to do harm to yourself or others.  I do mean that you should approach each interaction with compassion and understanding.  If some Fri, 23 Mar 2007 13:14:13 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/3/14/103415/628#11 On a similar theme, some people might be interested in <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6311097.stm">this</a> - some key elements are different - this is about the UK Government making it illegal for organisations (in this case adoption agen Thu, 22 Mar 2007 13:01:32 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/3/14/103415/628#10 <i>Business ahead of Allah-- radical now, but perhaps worth working for as a commonplace thirty or fifty years from now. Anyone want to jump on this train with me?</i><p> Sure. I would. So would a great many people, Christian, Jew, Muslim and Atheist alike Tue, 20 Mar 2007 13:18:50 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/3/14/103415/628#9 Neither Christianity nor Judaism have only "vague, general, commands" about tolerance.  They have specific examples about being tolerant of people of other religions (Samaritan), people who behave sinfully (harlot), intolerant, etc.  I can't spea Mon, 19 Mar 2007 13:53:00 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/3/14/103415/628#8 The problem is that such a vague, general, command as being tolerant can't possibly mean "be tolerant of anything and everything".  There have to be some limits.  And once you accept that, there's little reason for a much more specific command to Mon, 19 Mar 2007 08:55:32 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/3/14/103415/628#7 This story is thick with irony.  Christians and Muslims don't see eye to eye, but yet they are bed fellows in a dispute over religious beliefs.  Only in America! Sun, 18 Mar 2007 20:10:39 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/3/14/103415/628#6 There's a story on <a href="http://www.salon.com/mwt/broadsheet/?last_story=/mwt/broadsheet/2007/03/16/contraceptives/">Salon's Broadsheet</a> blog column about a relevant ruling on birth control: <blockquote><i>Here's an interesting question: Is it sexua Sat, 17 Mar 2007 11:59:03 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/3/14/103415/628#5 Is it a bad Christian who remembers that tolerance is important, the concept of "let the one without sin cast the first stone," and that outward shows of piety are not the important part of religion?  I would consider such a Christian to be a good one Sat, 17 Mar 2007 01:21:47 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/3/14/103415/628#4    (And not the one that Oprah's pushing. First off, apologies to Bob, as this post won't have much to say about his writeup. These thoughts have been building up for a while, though, and finally bubbled up this week into a desire to post.)<p> &n Fri, 16 Mar 2007 14:59:31 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/3/14/103415/628#3 <i>most importantly they don't seem to seek the benefits of what modern society has to offer while rejecting the parts that they disagree with.</i><p> Well, kind of. The Amish don't seek the benefits of modern society, but they do accept some of them. They Fri, 16 Mar 2007 11:15:22 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/3/14/103415/628#2 Really this isn't so much a religious issue as its a cultural problem. Somali's have emigrated in sufficient numbers to now be affecting the culture of the Minneapolis area. Just like how you Vietnamese restaurants are a lot more prevalent in the DC area p Fri, 16 Mar 2007 10:29:01 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/3/14/103415/628#1 (Or: I know it's light beer, but COME ON!)<p> This one time when I was living in an extremely conservative religious area of the country I went to the store with a co-worker. She bought a case of beer, and (no joke) the cashier left her station after scann Fri, 16 Mar 2007 09:31:36 EST string http://www.treesandthings.com/search/