Making the rounds on Facebook:

[trotsky]

To Whomever It May Concern:

When you ask me to respect religion because people believe in it, I want you to remember something. I want you to remember that long ago your ancestors were not Christian or Muslim. They had their own culture and customs native to their heritage. Through military conquest religion spread itself through the Old World, and those distant relatives were faced with a choice: either accept Christianity/Islam or die a painful death. This was how most major religions today achieved their position of respect.

After Europe had been fully indoctrinated, the papal Doctrine of Discovery gave the authority to all good Christians to conquer the native peoples of the New World and claim that land for God and the Church. Millions died mercilessly and were even tortured by Christian heroes like Christopher Columbus.

Now, thousands of years later, when we no longer have to respect these beliefs upon pain of death, we are told that we should respect religion. We are told by those within even the non religious community that we should show respect to these ideas that have gained a place of vaunted privilege in our societies which are built upon the graves of any who dared question or challenge the authority of divine providence.

You think you are being rational. You think you are being reasonable. What you are really doing is propping up the last leg of human slavery to bad ideas and providing intellectual cover for religion to keep a place of honor and respect it never earned.

Please, stop protecting religion in the guise of false humility. Be honest and firm with your beliefs and never expect anyone to respect your ideas unless they earn it, and always be willing to be wrong. That is what it means to be a free thinker.

Timothy Havener

Outstanding.

[Arugula Latte]

1. Yep.

Even here on the DU if something is called "faith" a good percentage of people think that is equivalent to "you can't say anything critical of it, ever."

[deucemagnet]

2. Very well said. Kick & rec. n/t

[bravenak]

3. I need a wall poster version of this.

It's so true.

[ErikJ]

4. Its funny how RW Christians will whine about liberals bashing them

often right after they themselves bash the Islam religion.

[rurallib]

5. very well stated.

[A HERETIC I AM]

6. Very good. Reminds me of this from Madelyn Murray O'Hair;

Last edited Thu May 23, 2013, 07:18 PM - Edit history (1)

[TxDemChem]

7. 100% correct

History can be a real bitch. They haven't earned my respect.

[Martin Eden]

8. K&R for HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE n/t

[onager]

9. As Voltaire once blogged...

[LostOne4Ever]

10. Respecting the Religion versus the Belief

I think there is a difference between disrespecting a religion and respecting that someone sincerely holds beliefs in said religion. One can hold nothing but disdain for a religion while respecting someone else's belief in that religion. Further, I think one can criticize their religion without being disrespectful to them or the fact that they believe in that religion. But this is a fine line that I sometimes lose sight of.

Back in the past we were forced to say we believed in the various religions on penalty of death. They did this because they did not respect our dis-beliefs and saw us as less than human.

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1re·spect noun \ri-ˈspekt\

Definition of RESPECT

1
: a relation or reference to a particular thing or situation <remarks having respect to an earlier plan>
2
: an act of giving particular attention : consideration
3
a : high or special regard : esteem
b : the quality or state of being esteemed
c plural : expressions of high or special regard or deference <paid our respects>
4
: particular, detail <a good plan in some respects>
— in respect of
chiefly British : with respect to : concerning
— in respect to
: with respect to : concerning
— with respect to
: with reference to : in relation to

[div class="excerpt" style="background-color:#dcdcdc; padding-bottom:5px; border:1px solid #bfbfbf; border-bottom:none; border-radius:0.4615em 0.4615em 0em 0em; box-shadow:3px 3px 3px #999999;"]http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/esteem[div class="excerpt" style="background-color:#f0f0f0; border:1px solid #bfbfbf; border-top:none; border-radius:0em 0em 0.4615em 0.4615em; box-shadow:3px 3px 3px #999999;"]Definition of ESTEEM

1
archaic : worth, value
2
archaic : opinion, judgment
3
: the regard in which one is held; especially : high regard <the esteem we all feel for her>
See esteem defined for English-language learners »
See esteem defined for kids »

As a secular humanist I believe deeply in the principle of reciprocity. I want people to give consideration to my disbelief and to give my opinions esteem. Therefore, I give the same to their beliefs. That said, I don't expect my beliefs to be given respect, but I still give respect myself. Why? Because being dis-respectful of others is the start of dehumanizing them, and in the words of Niezsche:


[div class="excerpt" style="background-color:#dcdcdc; padding-bottom:5px; border:1px solid #bfbfbf; border-bottom:none; border-radius:0.4615em 0.4615em 0em 0em; box-shadow:3px 3px 3px #999999;"]Friedrich Nietzsche[div class="excerpt" style="background-color:#f0f0f0; border:1px solid #bfbfbf; border-top:none; border-radius:0em 0em 0.4615em 0.4615em; box-shadow:3px 3px 3px #999999;"]Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.

Again, I think they were able to kill us because they saw us as less than human for not believing in their myths. So, I show respect because I want to acknowledge that they are human; and more than that, to make sure I do not become like those I so vehemently oppose.

Also, I try to be respectful because it is my experience that when people feel disrespected or insulted they cling to their beliefs even more, and are less likely to listen to reason. Beyond that, I feel that people who feel insulted are more likely to become antagonistic not only to me, but atheism in general.

I see religion as being like an addictions to some people, and as such its best to try and ween them off slowly and supportively. You can attract more bees with honey rather than vinegar if you will.

The religions themselves, especially those that preach hatred and bigotry, are not deserving of our respect, but their followers are human beings who are just trying to do what they think is best, and I feel that is something to respect.I don't think this is propping up the last line of cover for religion; rather, I see it as the best way fight the close minded bigotry of dogma and superstition.

Being honest with yourself and open-minded are vital parts of being a free thinker; but so is being respectful. Because you are not being open minded if you don't at least given others your consideration and esteem...the very definition of respect.