That's not entirely true. During the Golden Age this country also had an influx of immigrants (particularly from the Southern Netherlands, Germany and France.. but also for instance from England and Scandinavia) - and also Jews from mainly Spain and Portugal.
The numbers are a lot lower then todays mass immigration though and those immigrants simply mixed into the Dutch population and only some names remain. Dutch tolerance existed more out a notion of live and let live (that even kind of extended to Catholics. For instance: Catholicism was
banned by law by the States General but all over the country there were hidden churches and the sheriffs knew exactly where they were and as long as the Catholics paid there taxes like anyone else they were treated relatively equal before the law or they were at least tolerated). They could forget about holding public office though (and the same went for people of different believes then the official Reformed Church).
But apart from some minor issues that was relative tolerance and a freedom of religion, press and conscience which really sets us apart from Europe and the rest of the world for that matter.. where you could be roasted at the stake for being an heretic to the Church (like in Spain).
This is one of those famous hidden Catholic churches (
schuilkerk or officially
huiskerk) - the Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder (Our Dear Lord on the Attic) in Amsterdam.
I have walked past this particular one I didn't notice it was a church. But that was exactly the meaning of it. Catholicism was tolerated when it did not arouse "public contempt" as it was called- it had to remain hidden. So yes the attitude was one of "as long as it doesn't concern me.. I couldn't care less" but people generally knew damn well who was a Catholic though
But they didn't really treat them any differently. Still it was
not done to bring in Catholics into your household.. much less have them as guests.
And also this one in Diemen:
So what you got here in this country was a myriad of church communities and sets of believes and all were at least a bit tolerated. (which really sets us apart from the rest of Europe) Now on today: we have been far
too tolerant for our own good. Islam is not the
Église wallonne, are not the Anabaptists, are not German Lutherans but a group of fanatics hellbent on taking over the place and more and more Dutch are simply beginning to notice it and act accordingly.
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