How Do We Respect Other People's Beliefs?

[Rhondazvous]

Theists often complain that we don't respect their beliefs.  I've found that they often want a lot more respect than they're willing to give. So let's explore this question. What does it mean to respect someone's beliefs and why should we?

How can you respect it when another person’s paradigm for thinking is so different from your own that you can’t even get into a discussion about it that doesn’t turn into an argument?

How does a theist say he respects other’s beliefs when at the same time he believes those others are the enemies of his god and on their way to hell?

How does an atheist respect the beliefs of theists when those beliefs are not based on any algorithm of thought which the atheist respects?

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Matthew 28:19
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,

Mark 16:15
And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation."



Romans 10:14-15
How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, "HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!"

Acts 4:19-20
But Peter and John answered and said to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard."

1 Corinthians 9:16
For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel.

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I feel like the above precludes most of the well read of our christian counterparts from being able to "follow the letter" and still be able to respect beliefs of others. Xenophobia is built in to christianity.  They'll never respect our beliefs so long as they've been reading the bible.

On the other side of the coin, I'll not respect theirs, for the pure inanity of it all.

Though I might not respect religious beliefs, I still have the capacity to remain civil while expressing my disdain for their fantasies. 

True. Those scriptures and others preclude the possibility of Christians respecting the beliefs of others. How can you respect a belief you think is going to send people to hell?

When they come here talking about they aren't trying to convert us, we know right away they're lying. This isn't a general audience website.
This is a website specifically for atheists. Why would a Bible believing Christian come here just to chat and not to convert? They forfeit the benefit of the doubt when they come in here.