Is it respect for other religions we want, or respect for the right to believe them?

Question

I think it is going too far for Christians and Muslims, for example, to ask we respect their religion when we do not believe it ourselves. But I agree that we must have respect for their right to believe what they will. This does not, however, imply a belief that they have the right to commit criminal acts in the name of their religion.

What's your take on all this?

Wow! I'm getting some great answers here! I think I'll extend the deadline and see what happens.

Too many great answers. Thank you all. Now vote!

Answer 1

Respect grows out of true love.
If we do not love each other, and forget that it is one of the most fundamental teachings, then we can hardly expect to respect other peoples way of thinking or beliefs.
.

Answer 2

Correct, you cannot respect something that you do not agree with. Not respect for their right to believe otherwise, but love for them regardless of what they believe. No one has the right to commit criminal acts in the name of religion or for any other reason. It is against the law of the land.

The fact is when in government serving the country, you cannot take the religion out of the person and religion is a great influence. No one leaves their religion at the door like their overcoat.

Respect means to feel or show honor or esteem for or to show consideration for. A better word may be we should show consideration of others.

It is very hard to make all things equal and without partiality. No one wrote it better than James in the book of James 3:13-18. It also explains the wisdom of the earthly which would be the false religions of man.

When you know to do good and you do not do it, then you have commited a sin. James 4:17 We know we must love the Muslims, and when a Christian does not do this, then the Christian is sinning against God. A Christian will hate the false religion, but not the person.

No better example is given than our young soldiers in Iraq who are being killed while trying to bring freedom to a people who have been in bondage. A people that do not know how to accept freedom or what to do with freedom. They are not familiar with making decisions for themselves. They do not realize that the government works for them now and they no longer are prisoners to the government.

A one world government will put many people in horror and fear because the changes required are great and religions of many when they unite become the religions of one. Christians must take a stand and decide if they will serve God or man. We cannot serve both.

Answer 3

I respect another person's right to believe that cows are blue and can fly to the moon, if that is their personal weirdness, as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else. That is the key, and lots of religions do hurt other, Christianity and Islam coming immediately to mind with their patriarchal and misogynistic policies.

Note, I would respect the flying blue cow person's right to believe it, but I would not be able to have a whole lot of respect for the intellect of any person who was so boneheaded as to actually believe in such nonsense, The same can be said for other religions, the main ones coming to mind once again.

That's not to say they might not be very nice people. Just not real big thinkers, or at least, not very courageous about acknowledging the preposterous of their beliefs about flying blue cows, or making the world in 6 days, or having a male god, etc.

Blessings,
Lady Morgana )0(

Answer 4

I respect free will choice. I love the study of world religions and enjoy looking for the common threads of ideas from all parts of the world. How can we not be fascinated by the marvel of creation, whether we see its beginning in seven days or seven million years! I have stopped, however, having "expectations" of others to act or feel the way I think they should in regards to creation ideas. Live and let live! No one wants their free will choices taken away. I feel it is way more important to be happy and good to others than to be "right" and fuss over differences of opinions on our origin. Unity without uniformity, loving diversity, exchanging ideas instead of defending beliefs. Are we so afraid of being wrong in our opinions that we need to defend with such ferocity? What exactly will help us with the idea of tolerance? Courage? Being unattached to having all the "right" answers? Is it so difficult to agree to disagree? I see the undoing of unreasoned fear a most worthy goal. I love this forum for it's diversity and I have not sassed anyone in regards to what they put here no matter how mean spirited it may seem to me. Expectations do indeed lead down the road to disaster.
Peace.....

Answer 5

I agree with you verbatim: "we must have respect for their right to believe what they will. This does not, however, imply a belief that they have the right to commit criminal acts in the name of their religion."

Answer 6

Wow!!! What a lovely question!!

No, we don't have to respect anyone else's Religion or their Religious practices. We DO have to respect the right for everyone to FOLLOW their own Religion, however. As long as by doing so, one does not infringe on MY right to follow MY Religion then everything is acceptable. Not only in the commission of criminal acts but in the commission of acts that DENY me the right to practice my Religion in any way.

Have you ever made a catalog order from Azure Green catalog? Athame's are a double edged dagger that is used in a Wiccan ritual. An Athame is for the most part, not sharp at all and can hardly be an effective weapon. Yet, in that catalog, Athame's can't be sent to residents of Massachusetts. Why? Massachusetts has a law restricting knives to be LESS than 2 inches long. The law is intended to eliminate WEAPONS, not items of Religious use, however, that law has the EFFECT of restricting Wiccans from owning an Athame because they are all Blades over 2 inches of length. No withc would ever think of trying to use an athame as a weapon and the law is equivalent to outlawing cups because they can be used to drink alcohol and be followed up with people driving under the influence. No prest would use his Chalice to go out and get drunk at the bar but such a law would restrict priests from owning a chalice. So, by law, ONE group's views of Morality have restricted another group's Religious practices. Not a criminal act but nevertheless an act that infringes on a particular set of Religious practices.

So, there are ALL sorts of levels of respect invloved here and NONE of them should interfere with anyone else's practice of their Religion. Even if, by practicing MY Religion it conflicts with someone Else's belief, as long as MY practices do NOT interfere with their being able to worshjip then everyone's right's needs to be respected.

BB,
Raji the Green Witch

Answer 7

You aren't required to respect any religion. You should, though, respect another person's right to practice that religion.

Answer 8

"Here is an idea or a notion that you're not allowed to say anything bad about; you're just not. Why not? — because you're not! If somebody votes for a party that you don't agree with, you're free to argue about it as much as you like; everybody will have an argument but nobody feels aggrieved by it. If somebody thinks taxes should go up or down you are free to have an argument about it, but on the other hand if somebody says 'I mustn't move a light switch on a Saturday', you say, 'Fine, I respect that'."

~ Douglas Adams

Answer 9

I agree that the key point is to respect others' faith in their own religion. By logical extension, I can respect their religion, too--to my understanding, every religion (except Satanism or its counterparts) has something of positive value to offer the world community. Problems arise when believers try to make everyone else believe exactly what they believe and trample the other person's free will.

Answer 10

I can't respect something I have contempt for. I can only respect peoples right to believe what they want.

Only 3 answers on my question http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070915062302AAL8hkN&r=w about John 6:44, altar calls and interlinear bibles? I was hoping for a lot more opinions than that. Come on christians; get those fingers working!