(February 8, 2016 at 1:57 pm)Brian37 Wrote:(February 8, 2016 at 1:49 pm)Excited Penguin Wrote: You'll never get to them by questioning their beliefs in that way. You should try and find some common ground with them and have a genuine conversation with them about their beliefs. Be respectful and sound interested - I hear that works wonders.
NO, sorry, what works in one context does not always work in every context. There is no one right way to approach bad claims, other than to insist on non violence, no matter who says what. I really hate this good intent, it sounds nice but, far too often this good intent leads to setting up taboos, and that is never good for any parties involved.
"Be nice" all the time simply does not work. For me, it is "depends" on time place and context.
And sorry I hate the word "respect", that is a hollow and loaded cliche. If it were used in the context you are advocating I'd be fine with it. But that is NOT what most people use it for. "Respect" is simply a word most people use to say "I don't want to consider I am wrong, so don't bruise my ego, and know your place in the social order". "Respect" is a word far too often used to shut down a conversation.
HUMANS certainly have rights, but claims as ideas do not deserve to be scrutiny or blasphemy free. So it depends on context of situation and case by case.
How many believers have you successfully talked out of their beliefs with that attitude? Oh, none, really? That's a shocker.
