Why Can't We Respect Other Peoples Beliefs?

I'm an atheist and firm believer of respect for all religions. I really don't care what religion someone is a person should be judged by there character rather than anything else.

Today I had a incident at the store I work at. We were talking about global warming when a woman went up and said "a lot of scientists are atheists" and I'm like "I'm and atheist" and "she's like I feel sorry for you" and realizing that she may think were all some religious haters I told her "I have no problem with any religion" and walked off the better person. I'd imagine it worse if I was a Muslim or something else.

Whats your opinion on the matter?

sean wookie said:

I'm an atheist and firm believer of respect for all religions. I really don't care what religion someone is a person should be judged by there character rather than anything else.

Today I had a incident at the store I work at. We were talking about global warming when a woman went up and said "a lot of scientists are atheists" and I'm like "I'm and atheist" and "she's like I feel sorry for you" and realizing that she may think were all some religious haters I told her "I have no problem with any religion" and walked off the better person. I'd imagine it worse if I was a Muslim or something else.

Whats your opinion on the matter?

I agree with your comments here 100%.  I'm agnostic and I have equal respect for religious beliefs and atheistic beliefs.  If my guiding principle is to believe that we can't know if god exists, how can I claim to know if a religion (or non-religion) is wrong?  That would be hypocritical.

*rant deleted*

Davnes007 said:

Last edited on March 18, 2010 at 1:42 PM by Davnes007 (Reason: I know VINH will weigh in, sooner or later.)

What happened to that dude anyway?

Davnes007 said:

vote_for_palpatine said:

I know I would get frustrated if I knew the correct, final answers to Art and everyone kept arguing with me. No wonder he's gone.

lol.....he probably thinks he IS God !

How do you know he's not?

doubleofive said:

I haven't seen VINH since we flat out questioned his username.

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doubleofive said:

TV's Frink said:

doubleofive said:

I haven't seen VINH since we flat out questioned his username.

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Don't "?" me, you made the thread.  I'm just saying I haven't really noticed him much since.

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Ha ha, just kidding.  Actually I remember VINH posting a bunch of times after that, so I don't think that was the issue.

And thanks vfp.  Most of my anger now is directed at the lack of response.  If sean were to remove the pic and apologize, all would be forgiven.

I seen lots of different pics and stuff that has offended me on multiple forums.  I just try my best to ignore them.   Whenever I have tried to respond to the stuff,  it always backfires on me.   I guess just to know how to respond to stuff like that properly.   When I do respond I inadvertently come off as not having a sense of humor or as being narrow minded or pig headed.  So, I just ignore the stuff instead of risking a fight.  Of course, it would be understandable that someone who actually lost a kid or is close to someone that did, would not be able to "just ignore it".   If someone were to post or make a joke about a dog dying or something like that,  I'm I'd get very angry and would be unable to ignore it.  So, I'm not saying that Frink should just ignore it.   I'm sure Sean didn't really of offend people that have lost children.   

That said,  Sean, I think I do think you should give some sort of response.  Do it here, or in the video game thread,  or via a PM or even email if you prefer.   I don't think Frinks request is unreasonable.   

Davnes007 said:

I know someone's gotta say it...so I'll pull the pin on the grenade......

 

Religion causes more problems than it solves.

 

I await your brutal backlash

I don't know if that is true or not.  All I can say that I think a large part of the problems is that too many people have decided to hate because of their religious beliefs.   As member of my religion(Christian, United Methodist Church), we are not supposed to show hatred for our enemies or those of different beliefs and what not.   We are supposed to show love.   That is what I try to do.  That's why I can't stand Pat Roberson or those freaks that protest funerals.  They give my religion a bad name. We are not supposed to judge.  That's Gods job.    I think also part of the problem is people sometimes follow their beliefs without a does of common sense mixed in.    God or Nature or whatever gave us logic and reasoning for a reason,  we need to use it.  

Warbler said:

That said,  Sean, I think I do think you should give some sort of response.  Do it here, or in the video game thread,  or via a PM or even email if you prefer.   I don't think Frinks request is unreasonable.   

Thanks Warb.  I probably should have just PM'd sean but a few days had passed with no response to my other post, and then he posted this thread.  I apologize to everyone for the drama.

Again, if sean apologizes and removes the pic, all will be forgiven, and I will delete my rant above.

vote_for_palpatine said:

We are not supposed to judge.  That's Gods job.

According to scripture, God's job is to judge a soul as being worthy of entering the kingdom of heaven. We may not do that. As far as doing the other kind of judging, I do it all the time and proudly. So does everyone, including those who rebuke people for being judgmental.

the scripture says: judge not, lest ye be judged.  I wasn't trying to rebuke anyone.  I wasn't simply stating my religious beliefs.    And yes, I'm sure I judge too at times.    I guess not really saying don't judge, but I guess I'm saying it can go too far and then you are playing God. 

vote_for_palpatine said:

All I can say that I think a large part of the problems is that too many people have decided to hate because of their religious beliefs.

I think it's the other way around; I think people use/distort religious teaching to lend weight to their prejudices.

I agree, vfp,  many do  use/abuse/distort their religious teachings to fit their own prejudices.

DoubleoFive said

As a Christian, I appreciate your respect.  I have my beliefs and even went to Bible College, but I'm not going to run around screaming that everyone else is wrong.  I doubt many people have come to believe through picketing, yelling, and being holier-than-thou.  Its all about relationships, not preaching at people.

But you think it, right?

Lets pretend for a moment that I'm a Leprechaunist. I worship Leprechauns. Each morning I wake up and do my devotionals over Lucky Charms, exchange my paycheck to buy gold coins so I may one day have my own pot of gold, and I beleive that anyone who isn't a Leprechanist is going to be tortured for all eternity by the Leprechaun from "Leprechaun in the Hood." I am also raising my children to be devout Leprechaunists, and don't want them to play with non-Leprechaunists or engage in any secular actvities that distract them from chasing the rainbow.

Coud you really 'respect' that? And if I genuinely beleived in that, could I be expected to 'respect' your ridiculous beleifs in science, YHWH, Ganesh, or The Force?

Picture the following:

DEVOUT FUNDAMENTALIST CHRISTIAN: Hello, I'm a Christian.

GODLESS ATHEIST: Hello, I'm an Atheist.

DFC: Well, I deeply believe that the nature of all creation dictates that you're going to burn in hell for all eternity for denying Christ, but I wont mention it, because I respect your beliefs.

GA: That's great, because I think you're a deluded fool basing your life on bronze-age mythology and 18th century revivalism, and backwards people like you are harmful to progress, but I'll let it slide because I respect your beleifs.

DFC: If I didn't respect you so much I might mention that God allowed 9/11 and Katrina to happen because of people like you. But I'm not here to judge.

GA: It's a good thing I have so much respect, otherwise I'd bring up all the suffering that religion has caused in the whole of human history and now. But I'm no bigot.

HINDU: Hey guys! I think you're both wrong on every single level, and will be reincarnated as worms because of it, but I sure do respect you!

ALL: Go respect! (group high five. curtain)

Are we actually talking about respecting beliefs, or do we mean "let's just ignore it because it's too fundamentally difficult to interact if we don't."

EDIT: I quote DubOh5, but this post isn't meant as a direct coment on his.

Hey I'm sorry if it offended you. I will remove it. I jump without thinking sometimes. I havent had much time lately to read OT.com no idea of the offense til' now. I completely forgot I posted it. See when I posted it I thought it was kind of silly. I am deeply sorry of any grief I have caused you. I don't need to defend myself because I take complete blame.

P.S.

My antics should have stopped a while ago. They will cease now. My intention is not to troll.

Don't bother removing any of you posts. Not worth the effort.

I forget that not everyone likes the 4chan crap.

Can I ask you not to hate me? I would be thankful for that.