Before me, said the Lord, “there is no difference between Jew and Gentile; he that accomplishes good, will I reward accordingly”.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
Intolerance is the “Do Not Touch” sign on something that cannot bear touching. We do not mind having our hair ruffled, but we will not tolerate any familiarity with the toupee which covers our baldness.
—Eric Hoffer (1902–83) American Philosopher, Author
The highest result of education is tolerance. Long ago men fought and died for their faith; but it took ages to teach them the other kind of courage,—the courage to recognize the faiths of their brethren and their rights of conscience. Tolerance is the first principal of community; it is the spirit which conserves the best that all men think.
—Helen Keller (1880–1968) American Author
When travelling with someone, take large doses of patience and tolerance with your morning coffee
—Helen Hayes (1900–93) American Actress, Philanthropist
As no roads are so rough as those that have just been mended, so no sinners are so intolerant as those that have just turned saints.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
The virtuous of all nations participate in eternal bliss.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
Those wearing tolerance for a label call other views intolerable.
—Phyllis McGinley (1905–78) American Children’s Writer, Poet, Children’s Books Author
Let us not speak of tolerance. This negative word implies grudging concessions by smug consciences. Rather, let us speak of mutual understanding and mutual respect.
—Dominique Pire (1910–69) Belgian Clergyman, Educator
Your neighbor’s vision is as true for him as your own vision is true for you.
—Miguel de Unamuno (1864–1936) Spanish Educator, Philosopher, Author
Light came to me when I realized that I did not have to consider any racial group as a whole. God made them duck by duck and that was the only way I could see them.
—Zora Neale Hurston (1891–1960) American Novelist
A thick skin is a gift from God.
—Konrad Adenauer (1876–1967) German Statesman
When tolerance is not afforded to those so well-deserved, it speaks ill of the one who feels he cannot afford to give it.
—Unknown
I have seen great intolerance shown in support of tolerance.
—Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772–1834) English Poet, Literary Critic, Philosopher
Sometimes, I feel discriminated against, but it does not make me angry. It merely astonishes me. How can any deny themselves the pleasure of my company? It’s beyond me.
—Zora Neale Hurston (1891–1960) American Novelist
It is thus tolerance that is the source of peace, and intolerance that is the source of disorder and squabbling.
—Pierre Bayle (1647–1706) French Philosopher, Critic
Intolerance betrays want of faith in one’s cause.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
Mankind are greater gainers by suffering each other to live as seems good to themselves than by compelling each to live as seems good to the rest.
—John Stuart Mill (1806–73) English Philosopher, Economist
Do you want a sign that you’re asleep? Here it is: you’re suffering. Suffering is a sign that you’re out of touch with the truth. Suffering is given to you that you might open your eyes to the truth, that you might understand that there’s falsehood somewhere, just as physical pain is given to you so you will understand that there is disease or illness somewhere. Suffering occurs when you clash with reality. When your illusions clash with reality, when your falsehoods clash with truth, then you have suffering. Otherwise there is no suffering.
—Anthony de Mello (1931–87) Indian-born American Theologian
What is tolerance?—it is the consequence of humanity. We are all formed of frailty and error; let us pardon reciprocally each other’s folly—that is the first law of nature.
—Voltaire (1694–1778) French Philosopher, Author
If you cannot mould yourself entirely as you would wish, how can you expect other people to be entirely to your liking?
—Thomas a Kempis (1379–1471) German Religious Priest, Writer
Tolerance is the virtue of the man without convictions.
—G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) English Journalist, Novelist, Essayist, Poet
Intolerance respecting other people’s religion is toleration itself in comparison with intolerance respecting other people’s art.
—Wallace Stevens (1879–1955) American Poet
Tolerance is the positive and cordial effort to understand another’s beliefs, practices, and habits without necessarily sharing or accepting them.
—Joshua L. Liebman (1907–48) American Rabbi, Author
Minds are like parachutes—they only function when open.
—Thomas Dewar, 1st Baron Dewar (1864–1930) Scottish Whisky Distiller
Whereas each man claims his freedom as a matter of right, the freedom he accords to other men is a matter of toleration.
—Walter Lippmann (1889–1974) American Journalist, Political Commentator
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be able to sit together at the table of brotherhood that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
—Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–68) American Civil Rights Leader, Clergyman
You’ve got to be taught to be afraid
Of people whose eyes are oddly made,
Of people whose skin is a different shade.
You’ve got to be carefully taught.
—Oscar Hammerstein II (1895–1960) American Lyricist, Librettist
Toleration is good for all, or it is good for none.
—Edmund Burke (1729–97) British Philosopher, Statesman
What is objectionable, what is dangerous, about extremists is not that they are extreme, but that they are intolerant. The evil is not what they say about their cause, but what they say about their opponents.
—Robert F. Kennedy (1925–68) American Politician, Lawyer
Give to every other human being every right that you claim for yourself.
—Robert G. Ingersoll (1833–99) American Lawyer, Orator, Agnostic
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