This is how I see it. While I respect that a person's beliefs are sincerely held, I don't have to respect what they believe. To do otherwise would require me to say that it was wrong to fight WW2 as the Nazis believed that Jews were less than human.
Just because a person is a human being I have to respect them, but to say I have to respect what they believe seems outrageous.
I'm sure Jeffery Dahmer, Ted Bundy, John Kuhey, Hitler, and Andrea Yates would love it if we as a society respected what they believe.
I heard a news blurb the other day about Richard Dawkins book being banned in Turkey, no great loss to him as it had only sold 6000 copies there. This inspired some research and I found that this ban is based on the law that says his book is insulting to Islam. Also, found that it is against the law to "insult Turkishness".
Keep these things in mind when next asked to consider laws against "hate speech" and "hate crimes". They really are the same thing.
BTW I don't like Dawkins.
2007-12-01 11:14:07 · 9 answers · asked by HAND 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Batgirl, you are right I shouldn't ridicule you or call you an idiot, however I will reserve the right to call your beliefs idiotic. This is different than calling you an idiot.
2007-12-01 11:37:01 · update #1
you are on the right page.. i believe i do not have to respect what you believe in, but i do respect your right to believe in what you believe...
2007-12-01 12:36:42 · answer #1 · answered by churchonthewayseniors 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I agree. That comes pretty close to my position.
My respect for people *as humans* demands that I pay a certain measure of attention to their beliefs, but in no way means I should never express disagreement with them.
And expressing disagreement with their beliefs does not imply that I think they are contemptible or idiotic as individuals.
And I do offer the inverse right to criticise my beliefs. I am not what I believe (I've held different views in the past, and had to change, as better evidence was encountered)
So I don't take it personally, unless the context makes it absolutely clear that it was so intended.
Dawkins is an odd case. I think he has some valid and strong arguments, and an absolutely awful and distasteful way of presenting them.
2007-12-01 11:35:19 · answer #2 · answered by Pedestal 42 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Not according to scripture.
Tts 1:10 ¶ For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:
Tts 1:11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.
Tts 1:12 One of themselves, [even] a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians [are] alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.
Tts 1:13 This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;
Tts 1:14 Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth
2007-12-02 13:13:17 · answer #3 · answered by don_steele54 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's one thing TO respect a person, and it's another thing to HAVE for someone. I point this out, as some people think that respecting someone and having respect for someone is the same exact thing.
Respecting someone is just simply being polite with someone and not getting out of line with anyone, and if someone does something against you, you conduct yourself in a way that makes you the bigger person of the situation instead of going down to their level. so, no, you don't have to share someone's belief in order to respect them.
HAVE respect for someone is that you have admiration for the person, you like how they carry themselves, or you admire how they express their thoughts, you admire their beliefs and the things theey do. In that respect (no pun intended), it is necessary to share someone's belief to some extent to have respect for them.
I'll give an example: I have the greatest respect for actor John Schneider. He is rich, but he's a humanitarian and does not hesitate to help others. He even gave up half of proceeds to his movie one time to help those affected in a tornado in Alabama. He does not get the recognition he deserves. He gets as little recognition as Brittany Spears getting TONS of recognition, even though Brittany has not experienced positive recognition as of late.
An example of to respect: I once went to a sermon where the preacher badly rubbed me the wrong way! I wanted to go off on him, but I managed not to. To respect him, I did not shout off in the middle of worship time, and when it came time to leave, I left in peace. If I wanted to say something, the right way to go about it is speak to him in private and peacefully explain what I did not agree about. I respected him, but I did not HAVE respect for him.
See where I'm going?
2007-12-02 13:16:42 · answer #4 · answered by Яɑɩɳɓɵw 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Short answer - no. I think you spelled it out well. I may have my disagreements with some of the United States policies, but the fact is I can stand on the corner with my beliefs on a sign.
2007-12-01 11:23:18 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
You can show respect for me without respecting my beliefs. That means you do not call me an idiot. You do not tell me I am uneducated or that I deserve to be ridiculed.
Do you agree with that?
2007-12-01 11:19:41 · answer #6 · answered by batgirl2good 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
To answer your question Yes,you can respect another person without believing what they believe. I choose not to comment on the rest of your posting.
2007-12-02 15:08:14 · answer #7 · answered by Pamela V 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I respect peoples right to hold their own beliefs, views and opinions, and i also respect their right to air them..
That being said: I don't feel obligated to entertain idiocy, superstition, or extreme (violent or otherwise) views
I am in no way obligated to listen to them nor provide a soapbox for them to air their views
2007-12-01 11:26:43 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Of Course:
Enter: "Beliefs".
For All Records & "peuposes":
"When ...Haven't/Dunno A Person'Name" ?
Or:
"When...Haven't/Dunno A Book or Its Name" ?
Or:
"Coincidental" ?
Or/And:
"Providentially Immaterial".
2007-12-01 11:36:00 · answer #9 · answered by Frederique C 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋