When
we think of the evil that characterized the Nazi belief system,
certainly one of the most sinister aspects of it was the insistence
that everyone must conform and exactly agree to set opinions and
beliefs. That is, the Nazis's not only were totally confident in what
they believed, and what you should believe, they also were totally confident
in what you must believe. I have seen this attitude displayed
in my country in various ways – whether it be in politics,
religion, or almost anything else. I have seen the firebrand preacher
condemning his audience to the fire and brimstone of Hell unless they
assented to exact and idiosyncratic statements of doctrine. I have
seen political ideologues browbeating those insubordinate enough to
have their own opinions. I have seen issues stripped of all
complexity and one viewpoint crammed down the throats of others. As
with the Nazis, such unconstrained aggression is ultimately based on
hatred – even self-hatred displayed in perverse form. At the core
of civility is the understanding that respect for others is
inconsistent with certitude in knowing what others must believe.
Respect for others implies sufficient spaciousness for personal
integrity of opinion and belief.
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