I accept people for who they are and am tolerant to what they do. Being tolerant of others is only a means to being compassionate toward one and other, despite our differences. If someone hates you, the best thing you can do to belittle their hatred is ignore them; you accept their hatred for what it is and move on. Their hatred will swell and eventually consume them, or they will accept their misguided endeavor and change.

Being tolerant is to accept someone's difference in opinion, to not judge them by it, and to build upon what they already know, together as a team. For example, I do not believe in dogmas, however I am willing to converse with someone who does in order to learn why it is that they do. I am willing to disagree with a person rationally in order for us both to come to a constructive conclusion.

This is not to say that I lose my temper sometimes and become the opposite of what I've just said. Being human I can't help my impulse to react irrationally. I have done this many times, even recently.

The battle here is within each of us to decide how we accept one and other. The person who becomes irrational is ultimately the loser. The winner is the one who constructs a healthy and virtuous relationship with others.

Be the change you wish to see in the world.