How Do We Respect Other People's Beliefs?

[thehedglin]

No. Beliefs do not either require or deserve the respect of other people. I do not respect the belief of someone if it is demonstrably incorrect or patently false. Neither do I respect a belief if it happens to be demonstrably true. If a belief requires respect in order to be considered, then it doesn't deserve to be, as the only beliefs worth consideration are those that have evidence. People deserve some respect, as in right to privacy or right to believe and be wrong, but the right to believe and be wrong does not extend to other people being forced to respect that belief as if it were equal or even potentially valid. There are still some few people who believe the world is flat, for shits sake. It is our right, nay our responsibility, to treat such ideas as the nonintellectual rubbish that they most certainly are.

I will respect someone enough not to force my beliefs on them, but if they believe something stupid, I do not have to respect their belief. I have the right, much as they do, to criticize the beliefs of others. When those beliefs effectively make the world more ignorant, or even spread harmful behavior, I have the right to tell them their belief is wrong and evil. In order for a belief to get respect, it need to be worthy of it, and theirs simply isn't.