A plea for tolerance

Recent stories have criticized new Cubs' player Daniel Murphy saying that he and his comments about homosexuals are intolerant. I applaud Daniel for expressing personal beliefs in a civil, respectful, tolerant manner. I ask the same of all of us. It seems our use of social media, our muckraking political environment, and our decrease in civility toward each other both in-person and online are all leading us to a society where any person with a personal belief system is called a bigot or intolerant. I feel the criticism of Daniel has itself been intolerant.

Our Founding Fathers did not foresee all the ways we would disagree, but they saw the need for basic rights. We need to continue to foster those rights including freedom of speech and freedom of religion with civility and respect no matter how much we differ. We need these freedoms and civility greatly in our politicians but we need them even more in each individual and in each community (town, school, neighborhood, etc.) in which we participate.

I am a sinner who with God's daily help fights the consequences of my sins like selfishness, anger and pride. I believe that God sees homosexuality (along with anger, drunkenness, gossip, etc.) as not what he wants for people. He loves us all in spite of those aspects of us and he wants for more for us.

I respect people who are homosexuals and their right to have views on homosexuality that differ from mine. I can respect and love them while differing from them and their belief system. I hope they can respect my belief system and that we won't "just get along" but that instead we can actually "Love one another" (John 13:34) as I believe God calls us to do daily.

David S. Preston

Mundelein