One important difference between atheists and true believers is that the believer by definition is compelled to act at times in horrible ways in the name of their belief .
Let's take shunning as one example. Is this belief, which has torn families apart even destroyed lives, something the believer wants us to respect? Do we respect the Amish family that shuns their child forever? Or the Mormons? Or Scientologists? Or the JW's?
Christian Scientist's............how many of their children died for want of medical treatment? Their leadership made that a condition of their religious beliefs and parents failed to protect their children. Are we obligated to respect those parents for following a belief that caused the death of a family members.The WTBTS makes abstaining from blood a condition of their religion, violate that policy and you will be punished for life. They also banned vaccines and transplants. They finally change those polices but how many died?
Are Atheists limited to just condemning the leaders of these religions or are followers to take responsibility as well?
Who was at fault at Jonestown? Certainly Jim Jones and his crew but how do we feel about those parents who willingly gave poison to their own children? They were all victims to be sure but what about the responsibility of the parents of those children?
Why do people with strange, crazy,reckless, hurtful and harmful beliefs expect that atheists will give them a pass because we must respect those beliefs?
The tension in this debate really centers around the harm a religion can do and the responsibility a believer must take when it comes to those who are under their protection.
If some of us are a bit stern outspoken about religion it may be because we've seen people die because of beliefs that were nonsense.
Nobody should have to die because they want the fellowship of others who believe, no parent should loose a child because the leaders of their religion say it's so.
