Serious question.

Should all religions be respected, simply because they are labeled "a religion"?

Lots of people have different theories and hypothesis about how the world/life works, but it seems if someone simply adds in the deity of their choice to that idea, all of a sudden that idea is now elevated to "should be respected by all". Why?

If I believed the world was flat, nearly every person, religious or not, would call me crazy, but if I said "My religion and god says the world is flat" now that idea is supposed to be respectable?

It's a tricky question. I see what you're saying though.

But really, it's difficult because some religions have fairly harmless beliefs that should be respected in their own right. Example, who cares if Jehova's Witnesses don't want to celebrate holidays? That's their business.

The biggest problem with allowing religions to practice their beliefs is that many of them feel they are doing God's work by forcing their beliefs onto the entire country. Examples: Mormons with Prop 8, Many Christian religions with women's right to choose, Jehova's Witnesses going door to door (although they are relatively harmless, just a little annoying), etc.

I guess it comes down to the fact that religious followers believe that their beliefs should be respected, but refuse to respect the beliefs of other people. In theory, we should all be respected for what we believe and be allowed to make our own morality choices (within some parameters, of course), but people get this high and mighty feeling due to this system and feel that they have every right to make their religious beliefs political law. Separation of church and state is supposed to stop this, but we are essentially a Catholic country so religion finds it's ways into the laws, particularly in Southern states.

I think if someone has built their life around an ideology and is in no way pushing that ideology on others, it's fairly immature to needlessly attack them.

The same goes for the reverse.

And then there's the AUM Shinrikyo...

I believe it's a good thing to respect someone's religion because it's something they are believing without proof. It's takes a strong will to believe in something without evidence. just my opinion.

For some people faith is a part of who they are. Whether they be Muslim, Christian, Jewish, or Hindu, there are people from all religions whose followers place their identity in their faith and when their beliefs are being ridiculed they see it as a personal attack.

Not all people of faith are that emotional when it comes to attacks on their beliefs as you may have seen with all of the religious discussions I have been in. I may get frustrated, but it is not because of attacks on what I believe it is because I am having a hard time getting a point across (or at least it seems that way).

The way I see it, though, is that you can't expect anyone to take what you have to say seriously if you do not listen to what they have to say respectfully. Honestly I think if you can respect someone's beliefs you can learn more about them as people. That is part of why I enjoy civil discussions about the topic. You learn more about the person, what they believe, and why. Set all bitterness toward their beliefs aside and learn about them and you may be able to respect their beliefs as well later on.

Im Summerdaze and I approve this message

I try to respect people's beliefs when I can. The problem is that religious people are often the most aggressively intolerant hiding behind the guise of their faith. The easy target here in America is Christianity, who preach love and such and complain whenever someone "attacks" their religion, yet are the first to back laws that keep down the rights of others because "it's against their religion" even when it doesn't affect them. Remember, it's only real equality when it favors you!

Just curious, can you name 5 relevant laws influenced by christianity in the USA? Let's exclude same sex mariage laws.

So long as they aren't infringing on other peoples rights or causing them harm, I don't care.