What is true tolerance? We see the word everywhere—in New Age teachings, UN statements, commands from the Vatican, and even in Christian ecumenical circles.

While the concept may conjure up warm emotions and seem crucial to successful life on Earth, what we see taught as "tolerance" today is really intolerance against those who refuse to conform.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)'s Declaration of the Principles of Tolerance says this:

Tolerance is the responsibility that upholds human rights, pluralism (including cultural pluralism), democracy and the rule of law. It involves the rejection of dogmatism and absolutism and affirms the standards set out in international human rights instruments...It also means that one's views are not be be imposed on others (emphasis added).

New Age teacher and world unity supporter Alice A. Bailey taught that "non-essential doctrines"—such as the seventh-day Sabbath—must be removed because they are a stumbling block for unity.ⁱ Is that true tolerance?

In a similar vein, note the conversation at a 1999 interfaith meeting:

As reported in the Associated Press, with the Dalai Lama sitting by his right side, this October [1999] in Rome the Pope presided at a special council of some 2000 religious leaders of various faiths, sects, and cults...The Pontiff told the assembled Buddhist monks, Zoroastrian priests, Catholic cardinals, Hindu gurus, American Indian shamen, Jewish rabbis, and ecumenical clergy that all must join in condemning the Christian fundamentalists who "abuse speech" and whose efforts at converting others "incite hatred and violence."ⁱⁱ

All present were in accord on two key points: (1) Pope John Paul II was endorsed by consensus as the planet’s chief spiritual guide and overseer; and (2) Religious fundamentalists who refuse to go along with the global ecumenical movement are to be silenced. They must be denounced as "dangerous extremists full of hate."ⁱⁱⁱ

Ironically, the supposed religious tolerance of today is in fact exclusive intolerance against those who disagree with the majority. All who refuse to conform to doctrinal norms are therefore labeled "dangerous extremists."

"The Heresy of Separateness"

The following quotes further show the world's misguided fight against separateness and fundamentalism. Alice Bailey says this:

...other steps will also be taken in this department of religions and of education, over which the Christ rules, and He will move to restore the ancient spiritual landmarks, to eliminate that which is nonessential, and to reorganize the entire religious field—again in preparation for the restoration of the Mysteries. These Mysteries, when restored, will unify all faiths.^iv

New Ager Natalie Banks says this:

Looking below the seething surface of outer events we become aware of the spreading move towards the elimination of the sectarian separativeness and an increasing distaste for reliance on hard and fast doctrine and dogma. At the same time there is an intensified search for a deeper understanding of the inner teachings and their application to the enormous problems of today (emphasis added).^v

The Sabbath is a dividing issue. It is the cleaver that cleaves people out of the worldly way of life and into harmony with God's precepts. Everyone needs to make a choice. Thus, the ecumenical movement is contrary to the spirit of obedience that the Bible calls us to. Scriptures tell us that we should not be unequally yoked—that we should not enter unity with those who do not stand for truth. However, we see that those who preach the Three Angels' Messages, are considered "fundamentalist" and "fanatical."

The Scientology book Brainwashing: A Synthesis of the Russian Textbook on Psychopolitics makes it sounds as though ecumenism and consensus is required as part of human nature:

Man is already a colonial aggregation of cells, and to consider him an individual would be an error...Sickness could be considered to be a disloyalty to the remaining organisms on the part of one organism...We can see with ease that the revolt is death, that the revolt of any part of the organism results in death.  Thus we see that there can be no compromise with rebellion.^vi

Thomas Ehrenzeller, affiliated with the Association to Unite the Democracies, says this:

A growing number of people...are sponsoring a backlash against the wave of religious fundamental fanaticism...The right course to take is that which will lead to a new world of unity and world law.^vii

Thus the expressed aims and efforts of the United Nations will be eventually brought to fruition and a new church of God, gathered out of all religions and spiritual groups, will unitedly bring to an end the great heresy of separateness. Love, unity, and the Risen Christ will be present, and He will demonstrate to us the perfect life (emphasis added).^viii

Separateness is not heresy . Rather, it is what God calls us to in 2 Corinthians 6:17:

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

The Call to Conform

As we draw nearer to the time of Christ's return, New Age teachings on false unity grow stronger and louder. Already, the call towards a new world order is becoming commonplace in spiritual and political circles.

New Age teacher Alice Bailey says this:

The day is dawning when all religions will be regarded as emanating from one great spiritual source; all will be seen as unitedly providing the one root out of which the universal world religion will inevitably emerge. Then there will be neither Christian nor heathen, neither Jew nor Gentile, but simply one great body of believers, gathered out of all the current religions. They will accept the same truths, not as theological concepts but as essential to spiritual living; They will stand together on the same platform of brotherhood and of human relations; they will recognize divine sonship and will seek unitedly to co-operate with the divine Plan...such a world religion is no idle dream but something which is definitely forming today.^ix

In this statement, Bailey mimics Paul's words to the Christians in Galatia:

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

However, unlike Bailey's unity which is based on compromising the truth and accepting the New Age Christ, Paul is advocating unity among Christians, drawn together by the truth found in Jesus Christ.

Robert Muller, author of the World Core Curriculum, writes this:

The world’s major religions must speed up dramatically their ecumenical movement and recognize the unity of their objectives in the diversity of their cults. Religions must actively cooperate to bring to unprecedented heights a better understanding of the mysteries of life and of our place in the universe. "My religion, right or wrong," and "My nation, right or wrong" must be abandoned forever in the planetary age.^x

What happens to those who stand against the tide, holding to their religious and national beliefs? Find out the shocking truth in the next article.