Should I ''respect'' Bible and Koran believers? (page 2)

BluesBrother

I respect a lot of people with ideas and beliefs different to me. Given a different life, different upbringing, who knows what I would have believed?

Giordano

There is a different reality on a forum like this then when your face to face with a person.

Here our backgrounds as Ex JW'S are discussed including what we used to believe and what we believe in now or lack of belief.

In everyday life it doesn't come up unless it's JW's or Mormons knocking on your door. Then I am polite with my 'no thank you'.

For over forty years I never engaged in any discussion about what I used to believe or what another person believed. It never came up which is interesting because I think that most people are really not interested in religion. It's part of our culture but beliefs don't seem to run deep.

Since joining this forum I am more open about my years spent as a very active witness. To date no one has told me about their life in a cult because they were raised within the normal Christian or Jewish tradition meaning their lives were not really impacted. Nothing was really demanded of them.

Respect for another person's beliefs? I don't think in those terms, I either respect the person or I don't.............. doesn't matter to me what and if they believe re religion unless it becomes an issue.

Gopher

The way that many Christians accept their religion is quite superficial - a lot like when you check the box on the bottom of a computer page where you say "I have read the terms of service and agree to it" when really you didn't read all the terms very carefully. A lot of Christians are checkmark believers.

The only believers I cannot respect are those who claim to know all the "terms of service" and start judging others by their "truth" and try to have others believe exactly as I do.

Justitia Themis

Believers in the Koran/Islam, that's all of them, not just so called extremists, believe that I, as an unbeliever, will be the fuel for the fires of hell. That's nice.

Actually, no, all Muslims do NOT believe as you have stated above. E.g., http://www.gulenmovement.us/fethullah-gulens-sufi-solution-to-tolerance-and-interfaith-dialogue.html

Since your premise is incorrect, everything--incuding your prejudices--that flows from it is flawed.

How do I overcome this?

Education...from non-prejudiced sources.

Terry

For all practical purposes the majority of our deepest beliefs are totally extraneous to our behavior.

You could walk into any crowded room and observe people's behavior for hours and be completely unable to determine

if they believe in god, Bigfoot, UFO's, magic, astrology, esp or the Easter bunny.

We have illusions of the importance of belief systems.

Which is not to say there aren't about 12 people out of every 100 we don't need to keep our eye on.

It isn't beliefs which make us dangerous. It is ignorance, irrationality and emotional instability, chemical imbalances and mistreat by others in people during formative years.

Beliefs are simply what unstable persons turn to for comfort, explanations, justification, diversion and a default setting brought on by the people they hang out with.

Virtuous people turn to virtuous alternatives in the same way despicable people turn to morbid obsessions.

Shit attracts flies. Nice people flush.

As far as respecting the beliefs of others, I think this is a boilerplate statement of political correctness. It stands for a general agreement

to not pick on people unnecessarily.

Let's face it, there are people around us who pick arguments. They are attracted to controversy.

You can see it on discussion groups. It is easy to sniff out in how loaded the language is they use.

Somebody spoiling for a fight will employ provocative adjectives unnecessarily.

So many of the Discussion Topics with flame wars inside have titles which wave a bright red signal that say, "Come fight with me!"

But, is it beliefs causing this?

I don't think so at all.

More than anything else it is INSECURITY and uncertainty which breed zealotry and name-calling.

The more insecure you are about your world view, the more likely you are to lash out.

As for people who burn the Bible, the Koran, the American Flag or politicians in effigy--I say IGNORE THEM and they have nobody to fight!

Allah doesn't make radicals dangerous anymore than Jesus makes anti-abortionists shoot people at clinics.

Troubled people will always find a peg to hang their inner turmoil on to fuel an argument and pretend their mindless animosity is for a GREATER CAUSE

than mere pettiness, nastiness and incredible ignorance.

ThomasCovenant

Justitia Themis,

My mistake sorry, I took Surat Ali Imram 3 verse 10

'' Indeed, those who disbelieve - never will their wealth or their children avail them against Allah at all. And it is they who are fuel for the Fire.''

to mean that I as an atheist would be the fuel for the fire.

Separation of Powers

It depends on what your definition of "respect" is. If you mean respect in the sense of "tolerate" than yes, we should all be tolerant. If you mean respect in the classic sense, aka admiration, than you might be harder pressed. I have always "admired" people with other beliefs, particularly if they were "true believers" with regard to what their belief system required. In this day and age, it is difficult for anyone to adhere to any set of standards. So, I guess I "respect" those type of believers. Otherwise, I just tolerate them.

SOP

BackseatDevil

Honestly, you should respect all human beings. What they believe only tells you HOW to respect them. You can't respect everyone the same... respect isn't a "one-size-fits-all" blanket. It is something that is tailor made.

That is your base level... your mimimum. From there, people have to EARN your respect. They only way they can do that is if you are not constantly pushing them away with assumption and prediction. Let people do their thing, and they may suprise you (some good, some bad). But people have to have room to breath who they are... from that... let them EARN greater respect... and those that do not, well, it's okay. No big loss.

Walk on.

Smile.

tec

Why did you put respect in quotations in your title?

If you want or expect them to respect you... (and here you are an atheist who is misspeaking about their beliefs)... then yes.

However, you do not have to agree with someone's beliefs... to respect and/or treat the person with respect. Some people think that disagreement is disrespect. That is not true. Mocking, name-calling, insulting, thinking someone else is inferior... yes, those things are not respect. But disagreement... even blunt disagreement... is not disrespect, in and of itself. Can even be a show OF respect. (which statement can be and is abused by some... ie: hey, I'm telling you you're an idiot because i respect you, i respect your ability to rise above your current level of idiocy. Lol)

How do I overcome this?

I think Justitia pretty much nailed it. I may just expand a bit.

Perhaps begin by realizing that you have bought into equally untrue beliefs (such as your generalizing statements)... and strive not to do so. Maybe even get to know a few of those you, on your down days, think are idiots? (even though you do not want to think this) Not just to debate or measure them by their beliefs... but just get to know them, themselves. For example, there is an anti-american sentiment that is held by Canadians (though I think that is shared by most of the world, and certainly on the internet), due to the actions and words of some, government or not. I took my boys to California last year, and we were all confronted with the opposite of the propaganda... finding and meeting and interacting with helpful, caring, and kind people. Biases are easy to build, and once we have them we look for things to reinforce them... unfortunately overlooking all the things that show them to be false, in the process.

Peace to you,

tammy

Should I ''respect'' Bible and Koran believers?