Christians are often branded “intolerant” because they insist that Jesus is the only way to salvation. Certainly, some Christians are intolerant but many more are unfairly labeled as such. Consider the meaning of the words “tolerant” and “intolerant.” Tolerance means “respectful disagreement” and intolerance means “disrespectful disagreement.” Notice that you can’t be tolerant unless you disagree. If you agree with something, then you’re neither tolerant nor intolerant but in a different category altogether. Only if you disagree with something can you qualify as tolerant. And it really all depends on how you disagree. So if a Christian disagrees with someone on a matter such as salvation, then they are being tolerant as long as that disagreement is done in a respectful manner.
Ironically, if a skeptic disagrees with the aforementioned Christian and then falsely accuses him or her of being “intolerant,” then the skeptic is actually the one being intolerant. That's because hurling a false accusation at someone is a way of disagreeing in a disrespectful manner. And disrespectful disagreement is exactly what intolerance is all about.
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