Are there religious figures you respect?

[Alex K]

Yeah. I respect a lot of religious figures. Mother Teresa, the most recent incarnation of the Dalai Lama... not so many American public figures, but my parents' priest is a good guy.

You should reevaluate Mother Teresa...

[abaris]

Mixed bag actually.

Usually I don't buy the whole person package. There may be aspects about an individual I respect and support and others I don't. The current pope is a good example. I respect and support his stance on social inequality and the environment. I certainly don't respect his dogmatic views. Same with the Dalai Lama, though he's got less aspects to disrespect.

[Longhorn]

Yeah. I respect a lot of religious figures. Mother Teresa, the most recent incarnation of the Dalai Lama... not so many American public figures, but my parents' priest is a good guy.

You should reevaluate Mother Teresa...

You could start by asking where the donations went ._.

[Alex K]

There are a bunch of pastors I know - not very high ranking - who are or were fantastic people. I'm not so sure about the bigshots.

[Alex K]

You should reevaluate Mother Teresa...

You could start by asking where the donations went ._.

Or whether unmitigated prolonged suffering is really as rad as people always think.

[Homeless Nutter]

C**t...

[robvalue]

Ironically the thing I would respect the most in a religious leader is the admission that faith is a terrible way to get to the truth.

This would obviously be closely followed by their resignation/assassination.

[brewer]

Publicly known world figures, not really. Hear in the heartland I have a lot of religious figures that I respect. They are mostly ordinary every day people performing acts of kindness with no attention or fanfare  and no expectation of thanks. They wouldn't be considered big acts by anyone except the people they help.

Religious figurines? I respect them every time they show up at the shooting range. I help them with their stigmata.

[Brian37]

I hate the word "respect". It is an abused word far too mean " don't briuse my ego" or "know your place". I use the word " value"..

I do value my species capability to be compassionate. I do value the likes of King and Carter, but not their claims that a god gives humans that capability.

Not even holding the "atheist" lable will determine if an individual will do good or bad. I value that which fosters non violence, economic stability for all classes, and equal treatment under the law.

[Pyrrho]

I do not respect any religious person qua religious person.  It is only through other aspects of the person that it is possible for the person to be respectable.  In those other respects, the person could be as respectable or as disreputable as a nonreligious person.