Australia is a diverse society where individuals are free to follow different religions and ways of life. In situations where a person encounters a belief or cultural practice that they find personally objectionable or fundamentally different from their own, what does the Australian value of mutual respect and tolerance specifically require?
- AIndividuals must actively validate and support the choices of others to ensure that all community members feel their beliefs are equally endorsed by the majority.
- Individuals must treat others with dignity and respect their right to hold different views, regardless of whether they personally agree with or approve of those views.Answer
- CIndividuals are only expected to show tolerance toward those whose beliefs have been formally identified by the government as compatible with mainstream Australian values.
Answer
The correct answer is that individuals must treat others with dignity and respect their right to hold different views, regardless of personal agreement.
The principle of mutual respect and tolerance is about how we treat people, not how we feel about their ideas. Even if we find a belief personally objectionable, we must respect the individual's right to hold that belief and treat them with dignity as a fellow member of the Australian community.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Mutual Respect and Tolerance vs. Personal Agreement
Hints
1
Think about whether you are required to like someone's religion in order to live peacefully next to them.
2
Does 'respect' mean you have to change your own mind, or just allow the other person to keep theirs?
3
The correct answer focuses on 'dignity' and the 'right' to hold views, even when those views cause disagreement.
Practice More
Review the section on 'Freedom of Speech' to see how the right to express disagreement is balanced with the responsibility to treat others with respect.
Estimated Time:1m 30s