Religious Pluralism
Religious pluralism is an attitude or policy regarding the diversity of religious belief systems co-existing in society. It is a loosely defined term to express acceptance when concerning various types of religions. Australia is a very religiously pluralistic country(Princeton, 2014). Having over 120 different religions with over 250 followers(NSW Government, 2013), Australia can be considered one of the most religiously pluralistic countries in the world.
Religious Tolerance
Religious tolerance has 2 meanings depending on how a person views the topic.
1. Religious and social conservatives often interpret the phrase as relating to a persons beliefs about other people's different religious beliefs. Meaning that, to be tolerant, one must accept all religions as equally valid and true.
Whereas
2. Among other individuals and groups, "religious tolerance" is related to a persons actions towards/in response to other people's different religious beliefs and practices. It means that one, though might not agree with someone else's religious beliefs, must avoid oppressing or discriminating the other persons religious beliefs.
It is the second meaning that most people relate or think about first when concerning religious tolerance.
(Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance, 2014)
For Buddhists in Australia, most people are religiously tolerant of their beliefs, though there are some who will oppress and discriminate them from time to time.
1. Religious and social conservatives often interpret the phrase as relating to a persons beliefs about other people's different religious beliefs. Meaning that, to be tolerant, one must accept all religions as equally valid and true.
Whereas
2. Among other individuals and groups, "religious tolerance" is related to a persons actions towards/in response to other people's different religious beliefs and practices. It means that one, though might not agree with someone else's religious beliefs, must avoid oppressing or discriminating the other persons religious beliefs.
It is the second meaning that most people relate or think about first when concerning religious tolerance.
(Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance, 2014)
For Buddhists in Australia, most people are religiously tolerant of their beliefs, though there are some who will oppress and discriminate them from time to time.
Religious Intolerance
Religious intolerance is not respecting the fundamental human right of other people being able to hold religious beliefs that are different from your own (Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance, 2014).
Some acts of religious intolerance include:
(Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance, 2014)
An example of when religious intolerance affected the world greatly was when Hitler committed genocide against the Jews.
In Australia an example of religious intolerance is the Stolen Generations and how we treated the Aboriginals in that point of history.
Though most of Australians are religiously tolerant, there are still some who are religiously intolerant towards people who have different religious views as them.
Some acts of religious intolerance include:
- Spreading misinformation about a group's beliefs or practices even though the inaccuracy of that information could have been easily checked and corrected
- Spreading hatred about an entire group; e.g stating or implying all members of a group are evil, behave immorally, commit criminal acts etc.
- Ridiculing and belittling an entire faith group for their sincerely held beliefs and practices
- Attempting to force religious beliefs and practices on others against their will
- Restricting human rights of member of an identifiable religious group
- Devaluing other faiths as worthless or evil
- Inhibiting the freedom of a person to change their religion
(Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance, 2014)
An example of when religious intolerance affected the world greatly was when Hitler committed genocide against the Jews.
In Australia an example of religious intolerance is the Stolen Generations and how we treated the Aboriginals in that point of history.
Though most of Australians are religiously tolerant, there are still some who are religiously intolerant towards people who have different religious views as them.