You don't have to respect their beliefs, but unless you are deliberately trying to alienate them or "prove" your superiority, the attack mode is unnecessary. For one thing, you cannot argue people out of deeply held beliefs.
Example: If a friend of mine wants to get her astrological chart done, I may think she's wasting money, but since she's not forcing me to get one or proposing that astrology be the national belief system, no big deal.
Example: If a friend of mine joins the Jehovah's Witnesses, the friendship may end because she's no longer allowed to go to birthday parties or out for a drink, but again, she's limiting only herself. The JWs avoid involvement in politics and may be annoying (If such a friend were to try to convert me, I'd tell her politely but firmly that I wasn't interested), but aren't trying to impose their beliefs on society. I actually faced this kind of situation with a Japanese friend who became an ardent Nichiren Buddhist (extremely evangelical Buddhists--yes, they exist). I just deflected her attempts to convert me, and eventually she turned back into a normal person.
Example: If a friend of mine were to join some fundamentalist or Pentecostal group that wants to impose its practices on the whole country, then I would have problems. I have in fact argued about things like homosexuality and religion in the schools with fundamentalists. Have I changed any minds? No, but I hope that by giving "try being in their shoes" examples ("Would you want religion in the public schools if you lived in Hawaii, where you could easily end up in a Buddhist neighborhood, or in Dearborn, Michigan, where the majority is Muslim?" or "If you really chose between being gay or straight, perhaps you are bisexual"
I have planted seeds that lead to doubts. That's all any of us can do. Telling them that they or their beliefs are stupid is what they expect and are trained to ignore. In the end, it's up to them to evolve. Badgering and ridicule are counter-productive, even if they make the badgerer and ridiculer feel superior.
I think it boils down to the First Amendment. We are allowed to hold beliefs that seem crazy to others. We are allowed not to have religious beliefs. But the First Amendment also says that the government may not mandate that the populace hold any particular views. That's where I draw the line.
OK, I've given you a thoughtful answer, but you probably will reject it. So be it. That's my final answer.
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