We are all individuals, we all have our own personal opinions on how we feel towards certain things that go on in the world.

A few like to state that everyone should respect a persons religious beliefs, but as much as this is right, they tend to forget that those that don’t have a religious lable, are also entitled to their own opinions and what they believe is right and wrong...these are also beliefs
Beliefs don’t just have to be religious, they can be anything, so if you are just expecting people to respect religious beliefs only, then you are not looking at the full picture and you don’t show that you care for others right to believe what they want

If someone reads something that seems harsh about a religious belief, then by right, they have a right to say so, as long as they are just honest and don’t make their views seem harsh also by insulting or flaming

Everyone holds their own personal belief and it is not just something religious, its anything and everything else.

IE – If a Christian read that some man slept with other women behind his wife's back and beat his kids black and blue, then the Christian posted up their own personal beliefs, stating how evil it was to beat the kids like that and how horrible it was to cheat like that on his partner, well that Christian is only sharing their OWN views, and has every right to do so. Anyone can come along and mouth off saying, the man has a right to do what he wants with his wife and kids, how dare you say its horrible, but that person doesn’t give a monkies for the Christians beliefs/views, and doesn’t feel he/she is entitled to them

Everyone is fully entitled to say how something makes them feel, you can do it without being a jerk about it

My point to all of this is this, everyone has beliefs of their own, and if you believe that people have rights, then you should understand that they have just as much right to post opinions on how something makes them feel.
You don’t need a religious label to hold a personal belief

Tell 'em, hun!

heh LOL

It is my opinion and belief that all beliefs and opinions are false including this one.

okaaayy then lol

I don't believe that religious beliefs have to be respected. I believe a man's right to hold them should be respected, but not the belief itself. And I believe we should all be free to voice an opinion regarding those beliefs, whatever they may be, in the same way that he is free to voice his opinion about ours.

Well said.

I think that is one aspect that is lacking on this forum.

NO, I am the only one who is right. On your knees to the mighty Darkwind. Now give me all your money.


Great post BM

Do you accept cheques?

I must say that while I agree, giving disrespect to a person's belief when it is deserved should only be done in the proper setting. For instance, here on UM, respecting another person's beliefs are in the rules. However, outside of UM, I would be more than happy to let someone know what I hate about their beliefs and why I think such beliefs are foolish. It all depends on the setting and if the setting calls for respect and tolerance than respect and tolerance should be. That is why I consider UM a place of learning, because instead of fighting and arguing (which is done quite a bit lately) the rules state that we are to discuss or IOW learn.

Freedom to voice is one thing freedom of allowing it to be voiced is another. We dont have to accept any of it, as with hearing , listening , etc.

I am sure Bin ladens beliefs are not included,am I correct ?

Honor thy Father and thy Mother. But suppose your father and mother happened to be murderers?
They wouldn't deserve your respect, and most religions don't either. Should we, then, respect religious faith? I believe not.
But should we respect religious people? Yes-as long as they are not antisocial an not aiming to impose their religious views on others.

However, even if we respect them as good people, we can't respect their beliefs.
Faith, which means firm belief in the absence of evidence, betrays human intelligence, undermines science-based knowledge, and compromises morality.
If there were objective evidence for its doctrines, it would no longer be faith- it would be knowledge.

Skepticism is of paramount importance, because it is the gateway to knowledge-but unless the skeptical ideas are freely argued over, they cannot be assessed, nor can the forthcoming knowledge spread through society.

Extremists, of whatever religion or sect, put faith first and freedom nowhere.

Anyway, how can the pope sincerely respect Islam when it teaches that believers in the "blasphemous" Christian Trinity are destined to spend eternity in hell? And vice-versa

For example muslims, we are told, are sensitive and are really hurt when their religion is joked about. Don't they credit their supposed creator god with any sense of humor? Didn't he actually invent laughter? And is he too weak to withstand a joke without some humorless cleric rushing to his defense?
Or is their own faith so weak that they fear its contamination? Let them remember the old playground retort: "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me."

Claiming to be ultrasensitive and really hurt by mere words or pictures is, of course, a way of gaining privilege. Everyone else has to speak softly so as not to hurt you.

Just an opinion on that one. You asked you got it.

While i might not agree-those are the rules I have to follow. It's a very fine line. Isn't it ?

I again ask a question I asked before should the NAZI party doctrine be respected, What about Human sacrifice, what about bestiality, child pornography the list goes on certain things are not protected by freedom of speach for example thinking that 4 billion people are going to hell because they dont believe in JEsus, Burning people at the stake, Enslaving millions, starting wars. Most religions do not desrve or respect or should have freedom to spread their idealogy.

I follow the rules set before me, regardless of whether or not I agree. Unless of course I am 100% sure I can change the rules, in this case I am not. For instance, I myself am a Communistic Theocrat. I believe in Communistic Theocracies. However, I am in America, and in America we are a democratic republic police state, and as such I will do what I can to keep America, America.

I was reading an interesting tidbit a few days back:

SHOULD WE RESPECT RELIGION?

On 25 May 2006 Barbara Smoker took part in the Oxford University Union Debate on the motion that "Free speech should be moderated by respect for religion". Needless to say, she spoke for the opposition.

Article linky here.

The following is an actual question given on a
University of Washington
chemistry mid-term. The answer by one student
was so "profound" that the
professor shared it with colleagues, via the
Internet, which is, of
course, why we now have the pleasure of enjoying
it as well. *

* *

*Bonus Question: Is Hell exothermic
(gives off heat) or endothermic
(absorbs heat)? *

* *

*Most of the students wrote proofs of their
beliefs using Boyle's Law
(gas cools when it expands and heats when it is
compressed) or some
variant. *

* *

*One student, however, wrote the following: *

* *

*First, we need to know how the mass of Hell is
changing in time. So we
need to know the rate at which souls are moving
into Hell and the rate
at which they are leaving. *

* *

*I think that we can safely assume that once a
soul gets to Hell, it
will not leave. Therefore, no souls are leaving.
*

* *

*As for how many souls are entering Hell, let's
look at the different
Religions that exist in the world today. Most of
these religions state
that if you are not a member of their religion,
you will go to Hell.
Since there is more than one of these religions
and since people do not
belong to more than one religion, we can project
that all souls go to
Hell. *

* *

*With birth and death rates as they are, we can
expect the number of
souls in Hell to increase exponentially. Now, we
look at the rate of
change of the volume in Hell because Boyle's Law
states that in order
for the temperature and pressure in Hell to stay
the same, the volume of
Hell has to expand proportionately as souls are
added. *

* *

*This gives two possibilities: *

* *

*1. If Hell is expanding at a slower rate than
the rate at which souls
enter Hell, then the temperature and pressure in
Hell will increase
until all Hell breaks loose. *

* *

*2. If Hell is expanding at a rate faster than
the rate at which souls
enter Hell, then the temperature and pressure
will drop until Hell
freezes over. *

* *

*So which is it? *

* *

*If we accept the postulate given to me by
Teresa,
(Cheerleader Captain and Class Valedictorian)
during my Freshman year
that, "it will be a cold day in Hell before I
sleep with you", and take
into account the fact that I slept with her last
night and again this
morning, then number 2 must be true, and thus I
am sure that Hell is
exothermic and has already frozen over. *

* *

*The corollary of this theory is that since Hell
has frozen over, it
follows that it is not accepting any more souls
and is therefore,
extinct...leaving only Heaven, and thereby
proving the existence of a
divine being which explains why, Teresa kept
shouting "Oh my God!!!" *

* *

*THIS STUDENT RECEIVED THE ONLY "A"*

thought i would post this as i read it on another forum a while back and found it amusing and interesting:

any ways i believe in the freedom of speech but speech so to speak can be silenced and a thing i dont agree with is when relgious groups go door to door trying to palm there religion off on you wich happens often i have a right to believe what i choose to

I lmao at silent/ones' post welcome and funny post! They only got an A no A+ figures prof. can be so unfair.

Thats... So.... Awesome!

Silent/One- Thanks for the great post! LOVED IT!!

Oxy brought up a good point:



Interesting. Thank you. I do not respect any religion that causes pain to others, specifically, what Oxy said: That is just cruel.

I know what I know. I respect other's views and what their view's are but, once again, I now what I know.

I encourage and am sometimes really astounded by certain post's. I love learning new ways to look at thing's; it's inspiring.

I'm not one to take part in heated debates (which I know, in essence, is the reason this site continues to grow); I chose what topic's I prefer to engage in and at times throw my 2 cents in the pot.

We are all here for different reasons and I do respect my fellow member. Jody

Thanks for sharing that, S/O!


I don't see much of that happening these days for some reason. Maybe I'm just in an isolated area. So, a Christian, in your eyes, doesn't deserve respect simply because he/she is guilty by association of slavery, murder, etc? Don't judge an individual by anything other than his/her own actions and life. Hell, maybe we should all take a page from the "good book" and not judge to begin with.

I am a social democrat. I believe in freedom to prosper (within ethical means) and at the same time protecting the weak, mentally ill,handicapped,the poor.
I think all people should have access to health care and education.
And that all people care for themselves that are mentally and physically able.
I would put a high tax on unhealthy products such as alcohol,cigarettes ,sugar etc. And a very low tax on healthy items such as fresh produce,ecologically grown foods etc. I would help these farmers that grow ecologically and in beneficial ways.
And drug addicts need rehab not jail. They need ongoing psychological counseling and anti-depressives because it is caused by a chemical imbalance. If they can conquer this with faith then that is great.
But here I'm getting off subject. Oh well -one thing leads to another.
I believe in freedom of religion if it is not anti-social or harmful in some way.or imposing.
I'd rather have people high on Jesus than drugs if they need something like this.
I believe in freedom from religion and that is why I would want a secular state.
By freedom from religion I mean laws to protect atheists. So that religion stays within personal realms.
At home in church etc. You know most of us share the same moral values except at a few points we may think differently.

As for how many souls are entering Hell, let's
look at the different
Religions that exist in the world today. Most of
these religions state
that if you are not a member of their religion,
you will go to Hell.
Since there is more than one of these religions
and since people do not
belong to more than one religion, we can project
that all souls go to
Hell. *

VERY GOOD INDEED...Like it silent/pne lol

There is no 'perfect' formula that does not allow room for conflict. It is just the nature of things, interaction will bring about levels of conflict--- whether they be defined as good or bad. Every action has a reaction. As some have said here, there is a fine line... where the majority will have a particular understanding or standard of behavior. If that standard is breached, conflicts will arise. Some say these are good, some say they are bad... it really depends on your perspective, and how the individual is used to solving issues. I know people, mostly some family members, who can't resolve an issue without resorting to some type of confrontation or intense arguing. I don't work this way, but for them that is how they function. Something inside of them says that this is how you really get something settled. Unfortunately, when I'm around them, I find myself doing as they do, because part of me knows this is the only way my point will be heard. But, the other part of me is just reacting to their style of dialect, so I throw some anger in there too. Sometimes the best thing to do is just walk away, not always, but sometimes. Because when your emotions go past that threshold, destructive things will happen--- emotionally and physically.

"IE – If a Christian read that some man slept with other women behind his wife's back and beat his kids black and blue, then the Christian posted up their own personal beliefs, stating how evil it was to beat the kids like that and how horrible it was to cheat like that on his partner, well that Christian is only sharing their OWN views, and has every right to do so. Anyone can come along and mouth off saying, the man has a right to do what he wants with his wife and kids, how dare you say its horrible, but that person doesn’t give a monkies for the Christians beliefs/views, and doesn’t feel he/she is entitled to them..."

There are moral absolutes that have nothing to do with religions. Beating one's wife and kids is universally wrong. Beating anybody is universally wrong. The Bible says you should sell your son into slavery if he disrespects you and that adulterers should be stoned to death. "Honor killings" by a few Muslims still happen. Female circumcision, intended to destroy a girl's ability to enjoy sex, still happens in some places.
These things are universally wrong no matter what one's religion or culture says about them.

As for disputing religious beliefs, the Religious Right in the US have been using religion as a weapon of mass domination for years. All gloves are off. Religion no longer deserves to be carefully stepped around. When religion is private, great. I won't say a word against anybody holding whatever religion then choose unless they try to convince me of madness such as humans riding dinosaurs. Then I will speak out against the folly but not against the fool. When religion is used to dominate other people, I will speak long and loud against it.

Sane Muslims are failing the world by not screaming at the tops of their lungs against terrorist atrocities committed in the name of Allah. Sane Christians are failing the world by not screaming at the tops of their lungs against the mad excesses of the Religious Right. Speaking out against religion is the right thing to do when religion is being twisted for an agenda that has nothing to do with its original teachings.

I know this...............and this is part of the reason WHY I made this thread, to point out that beliefs are not just religious....its a persons OWN ideas on what and how they see things as morally wrong period!!

Yes, but often the persons OWN ideas are actually not his OWN. His morals were dictated from a book or an orginisation or both. after a while he claims them as his own.
And besides a god should "practice what he preaches" otherwise he is a HYPOCRITE.
And some of theses people just don't see the connection.
And what happens eventually ? Some start to impose these hypocritical ,absurd ideas unto others.

Not exactly....when one is raised in an atheist home, and is brought up to lead a good life, it depends on this persons nature at heart that matters...and how he/she will look apon things that are seen as right or wrong, that is were a lot of it stems from

Its whats in your nature as a human being

No book required

True !

That's very true. And many people who aren't even religious voice opinions which were formed during their upbringing, by parents who got the ideas from their religious parents or grandparents, and they're passed on from generation to generation without anyone ever questioning them. Eventually it's forgotten that religion even played a part in the whole thing.

Well said.

Thank you lol