Tell me why I should respect people's "deeply held" religious beliefs?

[thucythucy]

14. To me it depends on the people, depends on the beliefs,

depends on how those people demonstrate or manifest those beliefs.

Are you talking about Pat Robertson, or Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.? Jerry Falwell, or Mahatma Gandhi? Rick Perry, or Sophie Scholl? Sarah Palin, or Dietrich Bonhoeffer?

People like Robertson, Falwell, Perry, and Palin believe in a comic strip version of their tradition, and use it for crass commercial and political gain while attempting to shove their narrow minded self-righteousness down our throats. So mock away--you'll find me laughing in the aisles.

People like Rev. King, Mahatma Gandhi, Sophie Scholl and Dietrich Bonhoeffer seem to have put a great deal of thought into what they believed, finding in their respective traditions the strength to put their lives on the line fighting racism, imperialism, fascism and militarism. Indeed, they all died for their convictions, after devoting their lives to opposing tyranny and defending human rights. Personally, not having that kind of courage or devotion myself, I feel rather humbled by their example, and don't feel at all any particular urge to mock or make fun of them.

So like I say, it depends.