The human being, by nature, has a propensity to be high-strung and refusing (on many occasions “hostile”) to those dissimilar to him in many ways . Different religions, races, faiths, mores, sacred precincts, in addition to civilizational and cultural differences that are part and parcel of this disparity. Throughout different eras, this discrepancy, not to mention differing self-interests, added fuel to flames of war and myriad conflicts, time and again, the conflicts the human history had been replete with.

However, it is very true to state that the history of humanity witnessed positive shift in the progress of man’s acceptance of these differences as natural if not hanging on to life on earth . In other words, the human being, throughout centuries, became less refusing, less seething at these dissimilarities, rather, he showed more acceptance to co-exist with them. With evolution of urban life, this change erupted and grew. Simply it was not human but rather barbarian, to blame someone for being different.

Islamic Civilization had been relatively superior to other olden civilizations as being tolerant of others. The discrepancy between “Muslims” and “Christians”, throughout Medieval Ages, is a dogmatic evidence. On the other hand, under the umbrella of Islamic sovereignty “Christians” and “Jews” ’s life was close to normal .

On the other hand, Muslims had been exposed – after the exodus of Arabs from Spain to persecution and uncouth torture. As they lived in “ghettos” as virulent diseases.

It’s worth mentioning that as the Jews and Christians of the Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Egypt lived under the banner of Ottoman sovereignty it was so easy it to do – at least- what the Christians had done to Muslims in Andalusia when the Muslim Sovereignty declined there!

As far the Modern Age, tolerance, that is, acceptance of the others’ dissimilarity in many aspects as : religion, race, traditions, sacred precincts and conventions was, and will always be , primarily a culture phenomenon. The more the society is saturated in education and culture the more people were tolerant of others, showing more acceptance of the fact that diversity among people is quite normal and should witness tranquil co-existence!

The Western Civilization, I believe, was marked by racial fanaticism, virtually, the western boom and prosperity of the west made people more tolerant. It suffices us to cite the grand transformation, in the last fifty years,  in the Europe stance on the Palestinian issue. Israel, nowadays no more aided nor backed up by Europe, as was the case in 1948 .. as the culture buildup and awareness made most of the Europeans approve of the legitimacy of the Palestinian Right, as they witnessed Israel Showing the double- standard. If it had not been for the culture awareness of these European countries they would have been wading in erroneous stances as they had been for the last fifty years.

This does not apply to the united states for conspicuous considerations, most importantly, the American citizen’s cognizance of the outside World is shallow to a ludicrous extent, not to speak of the fact that the American citizen is not all cultured !

Back to our region ! our degree of tolerance, we have to confess, has been spectacularly receding and shrinking within the last decades ! since roughly half a century, the general cultural climate as freighted with a lot of settled human values deep down in our hearts, by and large, and for the cultured stratum that the led people.

Dissimilarity is a mode of life, a landmark of human existence on earth. This culture climate made us farther from “ the intellectual formula” that grew eventually and made people rank between “we” and “they” . At the same time, we is on the right track whereas “They” on the wrong one. This formula can be described at the very leasy as :-

* “Inhumane” and “Hostile” and representing a complete cultural and intellectual contradiction of the modern scientific and cultural facts !

* “Non-peaceful” , that is, proceeding vitally in conformity with this formula does not leads to our co- existence on earth with others, it is a formula leading to “confrontation”, “Contrariety” and “collision” with others!

* A formula that does not attune to the profound spirit of peace and humanity mentioned in our deeply- entrenched religious doctrines, both Muslims and Christians.

Fifty years ago, tolerance prevailed, due to the cultural milieu. Nevertheless, the statues quo witnessed some manifestations of defeat, later on, forcing this cultural atmosphere to shake. In the morning of the fifth of June 1967 the collapse of an entire political current was manifest and during the following years landmarks of general defeat in managing our economy, followed by grand rift in our social status , When these Various manifestation were embodied, some people though that their suggestion were the best . when the status quo permitted them to carry on propaganda for these intellectual suggestions- totally estranged from the spirit of the Sge, civilization and Science- these suggestions had not a jot of intellectual tolerance !

It is highly significant to try the cultural reformation of this perilous defect that distorts our modern mentalities by professing a fact, highly momentous, that is, the essence of the problem, nowadays, we are less tolerant, and more fanatic about our faiths to the utmost. Never had we dealt with this defect, substantially or scientifically, hence this will widen the gap between us and the world (especially the world on the track of progress). In addition, there is a deeply-entrenched relationship between this defect –in our mental buildup, that is the recession of tolerance – and another blemish, the bizarre belief in the conspiracy theory. These two defects will lead us to grand isolation from outside world, especially the economically, culturally and strategically important parts of the world.

The majority’s belief in these two defects (the ultimate belief in Conspiracy theory annexed to the recession of tolerance) made mutual understanding and dialogue between us and the influential powers in the outside world totally missing.

So these two defects made our historical enemies in a situation much superior to ours.

Certainly, the recession of tolerance is a defect not only blemishing our mental buildup but affects our interior situation. In other words, in our interior dialogue we are possessed by this stupendous defect to a great extent, in addition, varying opinions in every front wrangle with a spirit at one with the recession of tolerance!

Undoubtedly, educational institutes, mass media and all cultural milieus are pulpits powerful enough to tackle scientifically and objectively with this venomous and lethal defect in the mentality of the great majority. Unfortunately, any success in this is extremely difficult as the yield of any effective reformative program – in the aforementioned pulpits- never give harvest in the near future. All reforms taking place in education, mass media and culture are long-term investments, yet the resultant is guaranteed, profitable and effective on the long run and it has no alternative!!