John Locke on Toleration

From the BBC Radio 4 series about life's big questions - A History of Ideas.

Is it possible to persuade people to change their beliefs by force? John Locke thought not. People might say they believe in your god to save themselves from torture or being burnt at the stake, but you won’t change their actual beliefs that way.

Narrated by Aidan Turner. Scripted by Nigel Warburton.

This project is from the BBC in partnership with The Open University, the animations were created by Cognitive.

[brauliosalcedo]

These videos are so good! It really made my day when I noticed you guys had just posted them. Please keep them coming :)

[mohamedwalidbelahdji]

We should spread love between us despite our differences, shall we ?

[Firmus]

Torturing a single individual may not change their beliefs, but raising children in a regime could.

[PopCross]

These are absolutely beautiful! Who is the animator/illustrator(s)?

[GagGreene]

17th Century cancel culture was something else.

[wendyscott]

Ah well, hypocrisy is rampant among the religious and always has been. It was, after all, the thing Jesus seemed to rail against the most. But at least Locke made some good points with his writings if not his own attitudes entirely. And hearing about all this is even better with Aidan Turner doing the explaining. :) Love his voice!

[AntonioCostaAmaral]

toleration =/= trust, how difficult is it to understand that?

[rifanbudi]

Islam promotes tolerance,
Quran (koran) Surah Al-Mumtahina, Verse 8:
لَّا يَنْهَاكُمُ اللَّهُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَلَمْ يُخْرِجُوكُم مِّن دِيَارِكُمْ أَن تَبَرُّوهُمْ وَتُقْسِطُوا إِلَيْهِمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِينَ

Allah does not forbid you respecting those who have not made war against you on account of (your) religion, and have not driven you forth from your homes, that you show them kindness and deal with them justly; surely Allah loves the doers of justice.

[HoldFast-rg]

The self professed tolerant are some of the most itolerant of all

[arjunchatterjee]

Toleration is based on samdarshita or viewing every culture with the same eyes.... These are the basic core tenets of religion of shaivism and vaishnavism... Locke does wrong to oppose the State and authority thereof to use force to defend the laws and liberties of the realm... Maybe being in favour with the government and authorities of the times is a better mark of the wisdom of philosophers and philosophy... The profession of philosophy cannot end in a manner that opposes the government and nitpicks amongst religious doctrines to justify wrongs of a criminal nature... The State has every power to use force when at a mature and ripe age a person decides to go on a heinous path...

[TheGeneralGrievous]

One thing I noticed - Spaniards never forced native Americans to Catholic faith on bigger scale. Even if there were certain cases it was against the will of Spanish Crown and the Church. They were, for some time forced to labour, killed during wars or by bringing diseases unintentionally. Spaniards also put a stop to ritual murders which wybuch taking lives of 20 000 per annum during Aztec's reign. God bless You! ✝️

[Donteatacowman]

Oh! Oh! Oh! "Using force to change beliefs is irrational"?! [mean girls meme] No one can be forced to believe in God and it's immoral to punish them for it? So you agree that the Christian system of heaven and Hell is immoral? So the concept of God as the only source of morality is flawed, making Christianity impossible to be true?

I'm sort of kidding but did my dude not realize that he just wrecked his whole religion?!