do we need to respect other people's beliefs, or do we just need to?

Question

respect their RIGHT to believe as they wish?

this question came to me while answering a recent question about respect being automatic or earned.

if you automatically give respect to someone's beliefs, that means you respect that they think it's ok to molest children, or use drugs, or run around naked, or sacrafice animals or whatever it is that they believe. this is crazy and how cults get away with crazy things.

i don't think you need to respect anyone's beliefs, just their right to have them. this way they can't claim to be doing something in the name of religion and try to get a away with it. take for example all the people who commit horrible crimes and say "the devil made me do it"

what do you think?

micheal - i said the right to have beliefs, but not respect the beliefs themselves.

someone's beliefs don't need to be respected by anyone other than the person who holds them

jill - it's 2 separate things - 1) respecting a right
2) respecting a belief

ex: you can respect someone's right to free speech, but not respect the words coming out of their mouths

AJ - unfortunately "evilness" is a matter of opinion

Answer 1

It’s a really marvelous subject. I agree with you, there is no necessity to respect harmful believes but the most important thing is, how we show our disagreement

Answer 2

You wrote:
"i don't think you need to respect anyone's beliefs, just their right to have them."

I would say you have the right to not respect anyone's beliefs. Its not a matter of needing to or not. That is your free choice in a free world. However, the other person has the right to believe whatever they want. When belief turns into criminal actions then it does not matter if it is written in some holy book by some nut hundreds of years after Christ. Wrong is wrong, just like jihad or "holy war" or frying babies in a microwave.

Yes, respect is earned, especially the older you get and the older the ones from whom you want respect get. "Respect me because I said so" may work on a three year old but when that child gets just a little older and wiser then you have to earn their respect as well as they have to do the same.

Too many parents make the mistake of demanding something they are not willing to give themselves.

Answer 3

There is a big difference in respecting a person's right to a belief and respecting a person's BEHAVIOR! I think you are right about respecting their "right" rather than their belief. I just know that I can respect anyone's right because this is America but behavior is a whole different thing. Acting out a belief can be illegal, harmful, cruel or insane. Those behaviors I can't respect as a right.

Answer 4

"Why can't you respect my belief?" I respect your right to believe whatever you want but I do not have to respect what you believe in, but as long as you keep it a personal matter I don't have an issue - sadly a great number of your fellow believers constantly try to impose their dogma and rhetoric on others by lobbying governments and hindering scientific progress, which is what I take issue with.

Answer 5

Very well said. I think we should be tolerant of other people's religions, but this does not mean we should tolerate everything every religion does or teaches. We should not respect a teaching that says to kill innocent people, or cause harm to innocent beings. I do not even think we have to respect someone's right to believe that they should kill someone who is innocent. I don't think they have the right to believe that.

But there are other beliefs that I don't personally respect, but which I do respect people's right to believe it. For example, I do not believe that only people of one particular religion make it to heaven or salvation. But many religions of course teach that theirs is the only way. I think that is a false belief, and I don't think I have to respect it, because I think it causes a lot of strife and is intellectually incorrect. But I do respect people who believe that. I understand that they were either raised to believe it or that it's just the way they understand their scriptures and religion. They are not directly hurting anyone to believe it, so I respect their right to hold that belief. Furthermore, they could technically be right. It's technically possible that God would reveal a religion in only one holy book, and expect people to figure it out. I can understand why some people feel that the revelation their religion has received is the only way. So I disagree but I respect their right to believe that.

I think it can be a fine line trying to figure out which beliefs we should respect, which ones we should not respect, and which ones we should only respect people to have the right to hold them.

Answer 6

I think you are absolutely correct. Everyone has the RIGHT to believe what they choose and a RIGHT to their opinion. That does NOT mean their beliefs or opinions are necessarily correct, or even ok. Obviously there are issues that are 100% NOT OK or correct... Molestation of minors, drug use, theft, murder, etc. There are people who think these types of things are ok and should be accepted - WRONG. I have no respect for those types of things or the people who have these behaviors in their lives. Do they have the right to THINK it's ok, yes. But I also have the right to hold NO respect for them whatsoever.

Answer 7

I tend to respect other peoples beliefs - with the exception of when they try to shove them down my throat, or when they obviously don't actually believe what they are saying, and are either just trolling, or if they are just using a belief system to further an agenda (like the current batch of 'conservative christians' - who are strangely neither conservative or christian).

Obviously if someones beliefs go against something I believe strongly in (protecting children, not starting wars based on lies) then I will call them out on it. I never hestitate.

Answer 8

Well, I have read this many times...and I think what you are saying is just the same thing phrased differently...because in respecting others right to believe what they want or respecting their beliefs to me is the same thing. In fact believing in "rights" is saying more to me its ok to sacrafice a chicken or whatever...

I personally believe that everyone's version of "reality" is different and it's the perception of what brings them closer to God/dess is what matters and not whether we give them the "right" to believe it or not...I hope that made sense.

Answer 9

We need to respect their right to believe whatever they want. However, there are moral absolutes that will be wrong no matter what religion you are. Molesting children is wrong, using drugs is wrong...these will never be right.

You can believe whatever the heck you want and I'll respect it as long as you aren't harming another person. When you start doing that, you're forcing your belief on others and that's wrong.

Answer 10

Regardless of what others think, people are going to believe in whatever they choose to believe. I respect and honor people having their beliefs. However, differences in viewpoints will still be there, and we must know how to properly handle these differences without going to blows with each other. Looking for similarities and/or common ground in belief systems/faith traditions is best and most proper.

Wrongdoing must never be upheld, regardless of faith tradition.

Answer 11

I have never really thought about it before, but what you said does make some sense. I guess its the right to have those beliefs that we should respect. Good point.