The bigot in me.

In the comments section of news articles or blogs I often see people being accused of bigotry. Usually Christians are those that claim to be Christians get labeled this. I decided to go look up the word and see exactly what it means and if it is a word that is related to religion.  And to make sure before I accuse someone else of being a bigot that I am not one.

Bigoted

adjective

1. utterly intolerant of any creed, belief, or opinion that differs from one's own.

 

Ouch. I have been a bigot and not because of my belief in a higher power and afterlife. Well first off, it is apparent by all the definitions of bigot and bigoted that you can find that being a bigot isn't just for religious people. You can be bigoted about child raising, politics, and pretty much anything. Second, it is the bigot in me that often gets sucked into arguments and feeling indignant when people "don't see the obvious". Obvious to who? Those that share the same opinion as me? 

“The sad truth about bigotry is that most bigots either don't realize that they are bigots, or they convince themselves that their bigotry is perfectly justified.”

― Wayne Gerard Trotman

Or that last part.

I think people can be so afraid of being wishy washy that they think they need to be "utterly intolerant" of others who have a different set of beliefs or world view. Well at least that has been my fear in some areas. Or I just really do think my opinion on some subjects is superior. It can result in name calling and tearing each other down instead of building each other up. Not to mention...

“A man convinced against his will
Is of the same opinion still”  
― Dale Carnegie, How to Win Friends and Influence People 

So I find myself spending less energy defending my opinion and trying to convince people to think and believe like me. It doesn't mean I am not going share any opinions on any subject it just means I am doing so with the acknowledgement that I could be wrong. But how well I argue a point or convince someone else to think like me doesn't change how wrong or right I am. I only have my own experiences and perceptions to go on. This is another work in progress because I am an extremely opinionated person. The bigot in me hates it.

If a discussion resorts to name calling and the word "bigot" being thrown out then perhaps two bigots have locked horns. Or maybe one is just sharing his or her opinion in all honesty but the other person is intolerant to it. Because while I can't say everyone has a little bigot in them, I would say it is a big part of human nature.

A little less intolerant and a little more love will go a long way. Doesn't mean I have to compromise my own beliefs or opinions or turn a blind eye to injustices. Just means I need to take a step back and examine my own heart in every situation where I may want to let the bigot in me take over.