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Book Review
Be Intolerant
Ryan Dobson
© 2003 James Dobson Inc.
Published by Multnomah Publishers, Sisters OR
Review by Jo van Leerdam
Be Intolerant is not a book about being rude or inconsiderate toward others. It urges young Christians to not tolerate sin or false doctrine, and to make a stand for the truth of God’s Word. That’s a big challenge, but Be Intolerant offers practical, scripturally sound advice as to how we can respond to that call in a way that honours the Lord.
Tolerance is a popular catch–cry of our society. However the meaning of the term has changed from ‘making allowances for others’ to ‘totally embracing others and their differences’. Ryan Dobson develops the argument that what people call tolerance today is, in fact, moral relativism, which plagues our society and blinds people to right and wrong. The idea that what is right or wrong is up to each individual to decide is nothing new. It existed in the time of the Judges (and no doubt, before that) where everyone did what was right in his own eyes (Judges 17:6).
This affects the modern worldview in that many people no longer believe there is any such thing as absolute truth. Consequently immorality, lawlessness, selfishness and godlessness are rife. The concept of moral relativism is broken apart and presented for what it is – a lie of Satan, which distracts people from being convicted of their sin and seeking salvation in Jesus Christ.
The challenge is this: we must choose either Christ or relativism. You cannot have both. It just doesn’t work. Dobson goes on to establish a case for Biblical Christianity and explains why giving account for the faith that we hold is so vital. The arguments presented here are simple enough to be understood and employed by young people who experience questions, opposition or attack because of their faith in Jesus.
This book does not condone retaliation or clever put-downs. There is no place for pride or arrogance. Instead we must learn to stand firm for what God’s word says is right and to give loving admonition to friends and peers who are going the wrong way. Because we are Christ’s ambassadors, people must be able to see the love of Christ in how we present His gospel to them through our words and in our attitudes and actions.
Be Intolerant drives home the importance of growing in faith and relationship with God. Our minds are to be transformed by God’s word and Spirit through a personal faith in Christ. It is through the work of the Holy Spirit that we learn to be an influence on the world instead of being influenced by it. Dobson emphasizes the importance to one’s individual faith of having Christian friends and active involvement in a church where there is strong Biblical teaching, fellowship and encouragement.
That the teaching is reliant on Scripture is distinctly evident. Many relevant passages are quoted, and frequent references to prophets such as Isaiah and Ezekiel are no surprise - Dobson is doing the same job for this generation that the prophets did for theirs: making social comment, issuing a call to repentance, and declaring the absolute truth of God’s Word.
This is a slim book that is very easy to read. The clarity and logic of
the writing is impressive. The language is aimed at teens and young
adults with a style that is direct and provocative. Clearly, Ryan Dobson
wants every young person who reads this book to be decisive about their
response, and to get ‘off the fence’ about tolerating sin. I fully
recommend Be Intolerant for the youth in your church and family. It’s
definitely a book I will be passing on to my youth group.
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