The Indianapolis times., 1929-04-04
Intolerance
Real Menace
to Romance
BY MARTHA LEE

Every once in a while I get a let
ter sobbing over the fact that a
beautiful young romance has been
killed through an argument over
differences in religion.
This proves two things, con-
clusively. One, that in spite Of all
the ranting and raving about this
Goddess age, there are people who
AXE thor religion seriously enough
TO let it affect their everyday lives.
Second, that in spite of all the
heering, shouting and flag waving
bout how tolerant we are, there IS
still so much intolerance, so much
repression of free thinking concern
ing personal matters that that, too,
enters into our everyday lives.
The first is a good sign, because,
in spite of our emancipation, there
is a crying need in every soul for
some sort of religion, some faith,
some belief in God And to hear
the moralists talk, one would think
thar God was as prehistoric as the
dinosaur, that none Of the moderns
ever thought higher than the tops
of their hats.
Intolerance Is Bad
The second is a very bad sign.
1t goes to show that our progress
has far to travel before we truly
can be civilized. For is not one Of
the unshaken pillars Of civilization
a respect for the opinions of others?
Is not one of the essentials Of good
/ breeding and education a hand
off" policy that concerns things of
the soul Of another?
A girl who is seeing her romance
killed because of religious fanatic
ism writes:
Dear Martha Lee: I am very much in
love with young man several years my
senior. He is very fine boy. ambitious.
clean cut, morally above the average. and
from q fine family. But my mother will
not allow me to go with him, because he is
OF a different faith from mine.
l am % years old and have been work.
ing since I was 18. and am completely self
supporting. I always have obeyed my
mother to the letter. but here is one time
1 am beginning to be rebellious. This boy
is much nicer than any of the boys have
gone with from my own church.
Man She's Looking for
He Is just the man I have been looking
for, and I see no reason why I should be
deprived of his friendship and love just
because he does not go to the same church
I do. I have never been terribly re-
ligious, I have gone to church because
1t has been custom in our family since
can remember
do not particularly feel the need of
church. and for that reason the whole
affair is twice as ridiculous as it would be
otherwise. In fact if anything. it is
making me realize how intolerant So
called good people can be. Would you
advise me to leave home and live my own
life?
SALLY.
My dear child, of course you
should not leave home and lead
your own life. What would you
gain by that? If the boy is all that
you think he is, by all means in
sist that you are going to see him,
and not on street corners, but right
| at your own home.
Mothers Actions Foolish
If his method of worship differs,
can not see how that possibly can
be any of your mothers affair. Per-
haps his family thinks just as little
of your religion, but is having the
good grace to keep silent on it.
Why not talk to your mother
about the Christian virtue Of toler-
ance? 1t is really one of the most
God-like Of all the virtues.