The Paradox of Tolerance

In the latest episode of Cabernet and Pray, I explored an idea that might initially sound like it doesn’t belong in Christianity: the paradox of tolerance. 

Here’s the question I posed: At what point does our hospitality toward one person become hostility toward everyone else?

I opened with a story: imagine hosting a wine night where each guest brings a bottle that means something to them (an Oregon Pinot, a German Riesling, an Italian Barolo). But then someone shows up empty-handed, declaring not only that they don’t drink wine, but that no one else should either. They start dumping bottles down the drain and smashing glasses. What do you do?

That scenario mirrors the tension churches face when they welcome people who actively harm others under the guise of unity. It’s what philosopher Karl Popper warned about in 1945: that a tolerant society must be willing to stand against the intolerant or else lose tolerance altogether.

So the question then becomes: is it Christlike to exclude someone who wants to harm others?

To answer that, we looked at Jesus. Not the sanitized Sunday school version, but the slightly pissed off Jesus of Matthew 23. I read the entire chapter as it’s an unfiltered example of Jesus drawing a firm line against anyone who uses their power to crush others. Jesus didn’t respond with gentle tolerance. He called them blind guides, hypocrites, snakes, and sons of vipers. He publicly opposed them for hurting people in God’s name.

Inclusion isn’t Christlike when it protects those who hurt others.

The episode explores how the modern church often shies away from following Jesus in this. Too often, we rush to restore abusers, side with the majority over vulnerable minorities, or prop up systems that exclude. Standing with the marginalized will always mean standing against those who make them marginalized.

The paradox of tolerance demands that we draw lines not in spite of our faith, but because of it.

And if Jesus did it, maybe we should too.

You can watch the video above or click here for the audio version.