Should I ''respect'' Bible and Koran believers? (page 3)

Hortensia

I certainly don't respect their beliefs. At the best, they are just superstition, at the worst they cause damage and death. Why respect that? I've met lots of nice people, decent people, with weird religious beliefs. I can like the person and dislike the beliefs. But I don't think religion should get special treatment -- to respect it, it has to be respectable. I think that true believers who demand that I respect their beliefs are arrogant and smug. If they are willing to admit that everyone has the right to believe or not to believe, then we get along better.

Watkins

Terry - exactly.

Giordano - I've made the same observation about 'real life' vs. discussions on forums. Belief systems rarely if ever come up in conversation with ordinary people. Unless someone makes it an issue, or takes issue.

Thomas Covenant - a lot of people don't necessarily agree with every single doctrine their religion teaches. For instance, I visited other religions before choosing jws(duh... i know) and one drawing factor was that jws don't teach hellfire. I never believed it, ever, so was always at odds with what the local Christian churches taught about it. Same with trinity - the other churches teach that it's a mandatory belief, but I never accepted it, can't wrap my mind around it, don't believe it. So there was another thing with which the wt drew me in.

I don't and never have, believed many literal Bible interpretations - so much is analogy, symbolism, illustration. That puts me in the 'odd-man-out' position with religion to begin with! As a jw, I just didn't mention it... So, I can very well imagine that not all Muslims, Christians, Mormons, Hindus, etc., believe in every teaching of their respective religions . 'Unity of mind' in any one religion is a fallacy.

Your statement reminds me of the mixed reactions I found when I exited the wt - the Christians in my extended family were extremely glad that I "got out of that cult". But then, they were more than happy to explain that now I could get back to 'normal' Christianity and reinvest myself with the proper doctrines, such as hellfire and trinity... "Sorry, folks - it ain't happenin'! I don't feel the desire or need to visit your church, but thanks, anyway. (: "

So, I'm still outside religion, and that's where I'll stay. I like it a LOT out here, and find it a comfortable place to exist.... believing what's in my own mind and heart... in peace. As jws we were told we had to "fight for the faith" rather than "be peaceable with all men"... Don Quixote taught me something, lol. Let's be at peace, Thomas, and let others find their own. ((: Who cares what they think, anyway?!

W

not bitter

Well you know my views on Muslims Thomas. Say no more

MadGiant

To be honest, I recognize believers constitutional right to worship. Their believes deserves no respect. As a matter of fact, religious people don't want you to respect religion. They want you to respect their specific system. They won't even bat an eyelash as long as you don't say something bad about their particular "flavor". All believe systems are manmade and don't deserve any respect.

Take care,

Ismael

Phizzy

I always try to respect the person, so I try not to be hurtful in what I say, but, their beliefs deserve no respect or protection.

Belief in the Bible or the Quran as any more than what both really are, which is writings by men, and writings that are of their time and no more, is belief in the unprovable.

In other words, it is delusion.

People's delusions deseve no respect whatsoever, the poor deluded ones themselves may deserve our sympathy and concern, .... sometimes.

Band on the Run

Perhaps you should meet some actual members of Islam. I have. They were not evil. In fact, their behavior was very polite to me. They were more cordial than I was. If you would read more or meet more people, you would find that most biases are wrong and that individuals shatter misconceptions.

Did you ever think that Al-Qaeda or the Taliban, a very small fraction of Moslems, were raised to view outsiders the same way you do? Christianity has not always been nice to Islam. It is a two way street.

Many Moslems died at the WTC and the Pentagon. I hear the call to prayer every day and am not worried.

unstopableravens

no, we are less than human and we are dirt. what kind of question is that should i respect a person who has different beliefs than me ? thats the same attitute the jw have for all of us who have differnt beliefs than them. just because you respect a person does not mean you agree with there beliefs.

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