I Do Not Want to Be Tolerated or Included

It is not a new table created by those currently out of the norm, it is a cleansing of the old one.

It is a renewal in which both sides come together and create a new reality, in which the rebuilding is not done from the standard of those in power. It is done according to the Kingdom framework, in which the "least of these" are uplifted to be placed at equal standing in the recreation process.

It is not those in power who are leading. It is not the "small-ones among us" who are leading. It is Christ who guides. In His way, we are all equally gifted to bring something to the table. That is the miracle of Christ. It is an actual divine process that takes place when this happens.

For those currently in power, there will be a loss in power, but a gain in grace to love completely. For those currently out of power it will be a gain in power, and a loss in righteous indignation. All will gain the right to be seen as sons and daughters of the Living God through the practice of repentance and grace towards the goal of justice.

I want to be included, but not tolerated.

It is not a new table created by those currently out of the norm, it is a cleansing of the old one.

It is a renewal in which both sides come together and create a new reality, in which the rebuilding is not done from the standard of those in power. It is done according to the Kingdom framework, in which the "least of these" are uplifted to be placed at equal standing in the recreation process.

It is not those in power who are leading. It is not the "small-ones among us" who are leading. It is Christ who guides. In His way, we are all equally gifted to bring something to the table. That is the miracle of Christ. It is an actual divine process that takes place when this happens.

For those currently in power, there will be a loss in power, but a gain in grace to love completely. For those currently out of power it will be a gain in power, and a loss in righteous indignation. All will gain the right to be seen as sons and daughters of the Living God through the practice of repentance and grace towards the goal of justice.

While in Japan one of my host served me (the gaijin=alien) with their Japanese friends and announced that I had respect or toleration for Japanese food. I objected to the contrary. I don't just tolerate new and interesting foods! I am sincerely curious about them and discovered that I really like them.

We need to raise our children to be curious about those friends they perceive as new or unique in their community and develop in them a desire to appreciate what everyone is contributing to the table. New faces at the table of life should be considered as opportunities for interactive discovery.

If I could have my way I would dine from the smorgasbord of the world. Let us have an international feast with one another and put everything on the table. There are no boring entrees. Let us be curious enough to taste everything that everyone contributes to the table and appreciate its nutritious potential.
And finally lets raise cups of Joy and Celebrate everyone who came to the table.

I don't think anyone would really want to be just tolerated or included. It's arrogant and condescending. I don't really want to keep company with people at that level. If you can't respect, like or enjoy me, then don't bother. It's like being invited to a relative's house just because it's expected.

Like others who have commented, variety is to be savored. If I spent all my time with people like me, I would find that a little tedious.

Some people are just too scared to be around anyone that doesn't fit their notions of acceptability. They are to be pitiied, and then avoided if possible.

For many years I owned a retail business in the suburbs. I was surprised to discover how many of the suburban customers were so bigoted. Even more surprising was the willingness to admit it -- as though that was the norm, the rule, everyone would feel that way. These people had moved out to the suburbs during the 60's and 70's -- we called it white flight. They took thier crummy attitudes with them. They were still unhappy, not realizing they were their own worst enemy;. As the suburbs became more integrated, many wished to move again, either farther out or back into town, not realizing that thier unhappiness had nothing to do with who their neighbors were. They were not even trying to be inclusive or tolerant, but it was the same unquestioning attitude of superiority. Pitiful. Ironically the homes they had fled in town 40 years ago had increased so much in value that these people could no longer afford to buy them. Sometimes the world is just.

When I think of inclusion I don't think of tagging along, but of creating something together. For example- inclusive language acknowledges everyone being addressed.
Is the issue with someone's power to include or exclude? We have the power to include ourselves or exclude ourselves, too.
I get the tolerance thing, though. MsCynthia- I'm so with you on the food. WHat a great picture.

Understandably, we are living in a world that is nutritionally out of balance because we are avoiding the nutritious food on the table or not sharing the abundance on the table.

To tolerate something is an indication that we are afraid of it. Fear is a product of our ignorance and inexperience. We often do not know what to be afraid of. We need to break down the real from imagined threats so that we do not avoid experiences that might be good for us.

We have been avoiding some of the best entrees that God has placed on the table for us because we are afraid of the unknown and have not been willing to explore it. We need to cultivate curiosity in all of Gods creation just as He is intensely interested in each of us.

We need to convert 'tolerating what might be good for us' into discovering and embracing a fuller, richer and more interesting life.

As one who is and has been tolerated and included (or not) it seems like it's a spectrum to me..toleration and inclusion are moving toward embrace, understanding, and wholeness. The problem with toleration and inclusion, on this spectrum model, is that the dominant culture types think they've moved far enough along it when they get to those points and they "have miles to go before they sleep" often without even knowing it.

When I think of inclusion I don't think of tagging along, but of creating something together. For example- inclusive language acknowledges everyone being addressed.
Is the issue with someone's power to include or exclude? We have the power to include ourselves or exclude ourselves, too.
I get the tolerance thing, though. MsCynthia- I'm so with you on the food. WHat a great picture.

I get it.

One of the best lines in one of my favorite movies, "Cry Freedom," delivered by a black South African to a white newspaper editor, goes as follows: "The best you want for us is to be allowed to sit at the same table using your silver and your china and, if we learn to use it like you do, you will kindly let us stay. We want to wipe the whole table clean. It's an African table, and we will sit at it in our own right."

"Tolerance and inclusion while at first glance they appear to be favorable concepts in a deeper level they are a "softer" expressions of violence and ostracism."

In what context could this be considered an act of violence?

It is the language of color-blindness, model-minority, and what have you. Implicitly, the structure still stands. This "hamartiosphere".

I agree that inclusion is a good word and that it is better to love than tolerate.