Religious Tolerance and Intolerance

Yesterday I spent three hours in an office of the California Coastal Commission. (Yes, I will accept condolences.) Prominently displayed at a workstation near the entry foyer of their office was a Native American dream catcher, a piece of religious symbolism.

It seemed to be fully accepted by all, but it made me a little uncomfortable. I'm comfortable with the symbols of my faith -- cross, fish, bibles -- but I have to admit that the symbols of other religions make me feel a little uncomfortable, as if my faith would be unwelcomed, my core beliefs and core knowledge ridiculed.

I did not consider hiring a lawyer or filing a complaint because of this discomfort, and few Christians would. We know we are aliens in this life and tend to see our discomfort as a call to reach the unreached -- not sue them.

It's not the same with the anti-Christianites. (Bear with me on that word; I feel that if the dictionary has anti-Semitism and anti-Semite it should have anti-Christianism and anti-Christianite as well.) Take this story (hattip Blogger News Net):

Professor Phil Mitchell, who has a doctorate in American social history ... says he recently was informed his contract would not be renewed after this year because "his teaching was not up to the department standards," according to Denver Post columnist David Harsanyi.

Mitchell, winner in 1998 of the prestigious SOAR Award for teacher of the year, told the columnist he has wondered how long he would last.

"I've had enough. I am clearly being closed out for political or religious reasons," Mitchell says. "I am one of the top-rated professors in the history of the department."

A colleague, William Wei, described by Harsanyi as "hardly a conservative," said, "Phil is a great person, a good teacher and highly regarded by his students."

Harsanyi said Mitchell, who has taught at the Hallett Diversity Program for 24 straight semesters, upset the head of the department by presenting a diverse opinion.

After quoting respected black intellectual Thomas Sowell in a discussion about affirmative action, Mitchell was berated as a racist.

That would have come as a surprise to my black children," said Mitchell, who has nine children, two of them adopted African-Americans.

Then, says Harsanyi, the professor used a book on liberal Protestantism in the late 19th century.

Harsanyi writes: "So repulsed by the word 'god' was one student, she complained, and the department chair fired him without a meeting."

Where does Professor Mitchell teach? The University of Colorado, employer of Ward-of-the-State Churchill, who they will not fire despite his truly offensive speech. We can't blame this on academic intellectual foolishness; this is where wrong beliefs, rampant relativism and a twisted view of tolerance have left us. God help us.