The Importance of Tolerance

Pi’s encounter with “the three wisemen” on the esplanade reveals the everlasting conflict that exists between the different religions today. In class, we discussed how Pi feels that he can connect even with the atheists. The tolerance that Pi possesses for all the different religious beliefs is something to be admired. Even though there are differences, he is able to find the common thread that connects them together. In his defense after being verbally attacked by the three religious leaders, Pi simply says that he just wants to love God. It’s ironic how with all the wisdom that these men possess, it took a teenage boy to show them what it really means to believe in God. These men are leaders in their faith and are exemplars to the followers of the faith. Therefore, if they hold such negative views on other religions, it is not surprising that the believers will do the same. This is where we are going wrong. We claim that we love God and follow in His path, but the anger, misunderstanding, and hate that we have for believers of a faith different from our own reveals that we are not practicing what we preach.