Richard Dawkins Why it can be hard to treat religious people with respect.

[@joshkresnik6402]

I can respect a man who disagrees with someone on a basic topic at hand while wholeheartedly extending basic human respect for them. My boss is a full on conservative Republican, he listens to Fox while we’re working, he knows I’m a liberal however we talk about simple things like back issues, enjoying certain types of food, movies we both enjoy, things like that we get along greatly and I have a lot of respect for him he’s a great boss and there’s a shared theme going on at work that keeps everyone going it’s a thoroughly positive atmosphere that’s the way it should be especially in American society

[@xEveNxThExOdds]

"If dinosaurs and people lived at the same time..." His reaction was great.

[@laydieelle7069]

When theists talk about respect, they're talking about respecting THEM. They wouldn't know how to respect anyone else.

[@maharajahdann]

Respect what exactly? The sheer idiocy? The fanaticism? Or the bigotry?

[@rubberritchie]

Great stuff!

[@MatthewBendyna]

Yes, there are decent and wise views in the new testament. However, the same is true for most religions. If you want values and morals, you can simply use your own head as the writers of the bible did by thinking of how you would want to be treated. ( However, I wouldn't recommend adding the part about slaughter because of your beliefs vs. their's). If others want to believe in religion, that's there problem and one can't really control that. They will not listen to reason.

[@ThatCasulGuy]

@TheOnefootinthegrave Ah, no. Her raising the issue of suicide bombers going to hell, ie all suiciders go to hell, put her sisters situation as well within appropriate, dont presume to know if I was being insensitive by conjecturing how the actual conversation played out from the limited info I gave. Remaining silent on a point to save someones feelings is for people who want to be steamrolled by emotional blackmail.

[@MatthewBendyna]

Yeah, my family is religious. I have to pretend while I'm at home so that I don't get disowned.

[@ThatCasulGuy]

I know i find it hard to respect religious people. Couple of friends are religious, well, the girlfriends of two of my friends, listening to the irrational crap they spout is beyond words. One being Catholic had a sibling commit suicide, when I brought up that her sibling must now be burning in hell she said she doesnt believe that part of the bible is true...I laughed so hard she became offended.

[@ReturningAndRest]

I would separate faith and religiousness here. This particular example shows the extent to which people will go to circumvent RELIGIOUS rules, in a completely hypocritical way! The point of the bible passage quoted was to say that there ought to be rest, not some kind of crazy workaround. Faith is about believing in God and in something He has said, religion is about appeasing man-made systems of behavior.

[@jackheaney]

What are people's views on moderate religious persons who simply choose to believe in their chosen God and keep themselves to themselves? I only loathe religion when people try to impose it on me or our society...as for normal religous people, I couldn't care less what they may or may not believe. Secondly, is it wrong to believe that somewhere within the New Testament, there are actually decent and wise views on how to live ones life? In some ways Christians ruin it by taking it literally.

[@Rhaegar1]

yeah my best friend is really religious ..... sucks......

[@TheOnefootinthegrave]

@Stardrinkerx Dude, she became offended because you brought up an incredibly personal and painful part of her life to prove a point. It doesn't matter what argument it was to justify, it wasn't appropriate. Trust me if you knew someone who had committed suicide you would understand that.

[@vincegilbert6236]

Such hate from those who claim progression. If these comments or Dawkins vid is your idea of progress....I pass.

[@laydieelle7069]

He wasn't talking hate. He was talking lack of respect. One can not, in good conscience, respect someone who worships a barbaric god.

[@ThatCasulGuy]

Presumption is fine within a reasonable bounds, but you were conjecturing rubbish. My feelings arent hurt by what you said, and wouldnt be because your criticism if valid wouldnt effect me in that way as I dont cling to beliefs based on feeling; and being invalid doesnt hurt me either as you are wrong. My behaviour wasnt inappropriate as I was not laughing at her pain, only the hypocrisy of the position, and she understood that.

[@TheOnefootinthegrave]

Okay fine, if you want to justify your behaviour like that then do so. Frankly if you can't deal with someone 'presuming' e.g. possibly criticizing you, then you shouldn't be posting that scenario on the internet in the first place. Plus should I have 'remained silent' on my point to save your feelings? Even with this new information that you have provided, it is still clear you behaved inappropriately. Her ignorance is simply an excuse for your callousness, two wrongs don't make a right.

[@vincegilbert6236]

Sad you so lost you need Dawkins and those like him to think for you

[@mrspock-ni5dg]

+Vince Gilbert Yes, I HATE doing my own thinking. Ha Ha Ha... Ya' know? Sometimes, people quote others, because they think that the people they are quoting will have more of an impact on the listener, than saying it themselves. Not that that is a good thing either. As it feeds into the fallacy of professionalism. But sometimes you have to speak on a level that will be better suited to the listener than yourself. And of course that's what I think. Or I couldn't be quoting it to make a point. But you've already proven me right, about why Dawkins words seem to have more of an impact than my own. Since you assume anyone who agrees with someone else must not be thinking for themselves. There are times when I agree with Dawkins and times that I don't. His views on rape victims are horrible. Or at least they were, when I heard what he had to say on the subject. And Hitchens makes no sense about people having conscences(sp?), because he doesn't explain how or why one should believe there is an internal compass that will hold under pressure. But I am still an atheist. And I like Hitchens' remark about thinking for someone, when they say they will pray for you. But intelligent people deserve to be heard, whether you want to agree with them or not is your choice. But they deserve your consideration.