You have some fair points.
I'm happy to discuss my faith and have a constructive argument with people (when in the mood). I don't have all the answers, and lot of it can be open to interpretation.
Should we automatically respect someone's belief? I think yes. But find out more, ask some questions. It's all about asking the right questions to open dialog and can be interesting to both sides.
"Why do you believe that?" is a lot better than "You're wrong to believe that because".
I think it comes down to sensitivity of someone's belief, whatever it is.
(SpangoTheWonderBadger is brewing beer, Thu 26 Mar 2009, 15:11, 1 reply)

As an atheist
I am prepared to have a constructive reasoned argument with you (although sadly not at the moment, I've got a lot to do!) I don't take the approach outlined in your original post by any means.

However, I don't respect your beliefs in the slightest. I respect your right to hold them, but I don't respect them or credit them with any worth. Apologies if that offends you, but that's the conclusion I've come to after thinking the subject through, doing a lot of reading and talking to a lot of people about it.

I don't believe the fallacy that everyone has the right for their system of belief to be respected. Where do you draw the line? What if you believe that you need to eat thirteen babies a day to purify your soul, or that the moon is made of cheese, the world's problems are the fault of the Jews, or that the government is spying on you which is why you have to wear a tinfoil hat? Do you expect me to respect these ideas purely because you hold them?
(username1, Thu 26 Mar 2009, 15:18, closed)

Fair point.
Seems to be a live and let live line of view, which I'm all for (I also have lots to do, this SAN wont design itself...).
(SpangoTheWonderBadger is brewing beer, Thu 26 Mar 2009, 15:26, closed)

Yep
My only beef is when it spills over into other people's lives and is used to exert power and promote prejudice.

As far as the actual views go, if you want to believe your kitchen worktop created the world and gives you advice every morning over a cup of tea, fair enough if that's what gets you through the day. As long as you're not going round murdering people for refusing to listen to the word of the worktop, all fine by me.

[Side note: and haha, I am drawing up the topology of my planned new fibre optic network backbone. Sounds like we have fairly similar jobs]
(username1, Thu 26 Mar 2009, 15:34, closed)

God is a Kitchen Worktop?
Well, that IS news, I off to tell the vicar! :)

(Yeah, I'm looking into using iSCSI and virtual storage plus other goodies. I dream of FC)
(SpangoTheWonderBadger is brewing beer, Thu 26 Mar 2009, 15:59, closed)

^ this (username1's point)
That's the reason beliefs shouldn't be respected.
I recently had an argument with someone who took it too far though.
"Well you're saying NO belief should be respected! Including that opinion!"
While this is true, there are some beliefs that are just standard, and you look stupid if you don't respect them. ie "You fuckwit you think that the sky is blue! What a moron!" - Extreme example, but it's what they meant.
Anyway.

Yes, the respect for someone to hold the belief is where the respect ends I'm afraid.
(tweebianmonkey Should be known as Widget, Thu 26 Mar 2009, 15:30, closed)