So, enough time has pass that I feel comfortable writing this.
With regard to the idea of respecting everyone's belief, I categorically deny that we should be doing that. If anyone is interested I am happy to discuss why.
With regard to how we treat others, this thread was a wonderful mmicrocosm to view how people view "fairness" and principles.
For example, we had several posters decide to have a "Bash Viv" event because, in their opinion, I treat people poorly. A lot of claims were made and an interesting thing happened. The people most vocal about treating others with respect and nicely did a few things:
- Lied about me
- Made vague and baseless accusations and said up front they weren't going to bother even trying to show their claims had any basis in fact
- Quote mined me out of context and cherry picked things I had written
- Two posters tried to suggest I have emotion or mental disorder to denigrate me
- I was called names
Don't worry, no one on the internet has the ability to alter my mood or affect my feelings. I did find it somewhat amusing but, what I found really interesting was how it unfolded.
It appears that those most claiming to want fair and nice treatment for all actually have no problem with any of the above behavior as long as it is being done to someone they don't like. In other words, it's not a principled stand or position, but rather an emotional response to perceived hurt and a willingness to lash out in turn as long as they feel safe doing it. It's the emotional and mental equivalent of spanking your kids to show them hitting is wrong.
It was quite an interesting thing to see, particularly since I called out their behavior and asked, specifically, if anyone would call it out. I don't want to go on and on about it, but I did want to say, the conclusion I reached after watching that fascinating event unfold is that these posters remind me of the preacher that rants against homosexuality and drugs. It's likely a safe bet he will soon be caught in the backseat of a male hookers car while smoking meth. Similarly, the most vocal complainers about treatment are more than willing to happily engage in the behavior they deccry, as long as they do it do the right person.