'Respecting' others' beliefs

[Zatarra]

'Respect other people's beliefs'. The phrase gets knocked about a lot. To be honest, I'm not really sure what it means. Does it suggest a way of ACTING, to be used interchangeably with 'live and let live'? Does it suggest an ATTITUDE, ie. how we should view others' beliefs.
Or are the words 'respect' and 'tolerance' merely euphemisms for concealment of contempt?

[Tom62]

I think that it differs from person to person, like whether you are a strong atheist or agnost or whether you were disrespected for your non-believes in the past and present or not. I respect people in what they do, not in what they believe in. Therefore I truly believe that there are highly respected christians in this world, but the same counts for atheists, moslims, etc. On  the other hand I have very low tolerence level and no respect at all towards religious fanatics and fundamentalists, mainly because they are wierdos and lunatics.

[Whitney]

I don't think it is important to respect another person's beliefs....I would imagine that the average person views respecting someone else's beleifs more like respecting their right to have those beliefs.  I do think it is important to respect another person's freedom to have their belief, even if the belief is crazy

[SteveS]

Yeah - "respect their right to a belief" is the way to go.  You could re-phrase this, you must "tolerate" their beliefs.  I don't think anyone is obligated to be too enthusiastic about them....

[MommaSquid]

Yesterday my local paper had a headline regarding the death of a Phoenix police officer killed in the line of duty.  It read, "Daddy's in Heaven Now", and there was a picture of the widow and her two fatherless sons.

I scoffed at the headline, but realize that it's a beautiful lie people tell their children when tragedy occurs.  I don't respect the generally accepted belief that there is a heaven, but I understand why people need the comfort this lie brings.

Tolerance, respect or concealment of contempt for people's beliefs is an unfortunate necessity for atheists.  Otherwise life would be one argument after another.

[SteveS]

Hey MommaSquid - It's interesting, because they way you said this:

Tolerance, respect or concealment of contempt for people's beliefs is an unfortunate necessity for atheists.

made me wonder --- if typical theists felt it necessary to tolerate, respect or even at the very least "conceal their contempt" for my beliefs, I'd have to figure my gripe against religion would be much less!