What does it mean to respect another's religious beliefs?

[billl]

In general, the good guys don't lose their cool. They don't get angry even when they are kicking their opponents into submission.

"losing one's cool" and "getting angry" aren't necessarily the same thing. Maybe it would just be a semantic difference for some people. Anyhow, I can see "being angry" as being different from "losing one's cool" pretty clearly.

In Kill Bill, the protagonist has a huge store of anger within her, and it gives her strength. She doesn't flail around and act with uncontrollable lizard-brain rage at the sight of her enemies, however.

Many athletes are powered by such emotion, as well--Michael Jordan often got angry at opponents, and to see Asashoryu wrestle in his prime, just the look on his face (the complete disdain for his opponent) was enough to assure all who were watching that he would win.

[Varenne Rodin]

In Kill Bill, the protagonist has a huge store of anger within her, and it gives her strength. She doesn't flail around and act with uncontrollable lizard-brain rage at the sight of her enemies, however.

I am cracking up at this mental picture!

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

In Kill Bill, the protagonist has a huge store of anger within her, and it gives her strength. She doesn't flail around and act with uncontrollable lizard-brain rage at the sight of her enemies, however.

No, she chops them up in a very calm manner.

[Paulclem]

To respect someone beliefs you have to believe they are believable. If you cannot bring yourself to believe in belief, you'll not achieve real respect.

I have to disagree. It seems to me that this is the road to intolerance. A Muslim or Christian's religion is based upon the belief in God/ Trinity/father Son etc, whereas in Buddhism there is no creator God, and Hinduism has a multitude of Gods. There's a lot of grounds for contention between them.If it was the case that there wasn't - on the whole - mutual respect, there woud be many more problems.

In fact the religions of the Book - Christianity, Islam and Judaism have experienced many more problems in the modern era, and their belief in God is very similar, if not related.

[cl154576]

I don't find anything believable in religion. I don't know how people believe in it at all. But I get the fact that they do, and I can't change it, so I just keep quiet. I don't particularly respect it but I accept it.

[Paulclem]

I don't find anything believable in religion. I don't know how people believe in it at all. But I get the fact that they do, and I can't change it, so I just keep quiet. I don't particularly respect it but I accept it.

What's important to me is how people are. If they are tryin to shove it down my throat then I don't respect that. I don't find that much here though. In my work i mix with Atheists, Catholics, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and we all get on. Belief doesn't come up, but there's a lot of respect because of how peple conduct themselves.

I work for the local authority teaching english and maths to many people from different countries as well as english people. I don't tend to find anyone broadcasting their beliefs either. It's just not an issue on an interpersonal level. I'm not sure ifthat's the same in other countries - there seems to be a bit more evangelism in the US. I would find that a bit annoying I think.

[G L Wilson]

I don't find anything believable in religion. I don't know how people believe in it at all. But I get the fact that they do, and I can't change it, so I just keep quiet. I don't particularly respect it but I accept it.

Religion is something that I am never going to respect, however I accept its existence and that it brings a lot of people a lot of happiness.

[cl154576]

There seems to be a bit more evangelism in the US. I would find that a bit annoying I think.

It depends entirely on where you are. US is so large and mixed a country that there is no way to generalize. I would say in the more industrialized places people are quite open-minded, especially since there are many immigrants.

[Miss 87]

may you should know when you are discussing _ taking and giving _ and when yor are arguing. and none of them is wrong or wright. and the truth sometimes has more than one face but sometimes only one face.this is of course my point of view)

[Paulclem]

It depends entirely on where you are. US is so large and mixed a country that there is no way to generalize. I would say in the more industrialized places people are quite open-minded, especially since there are many immigrants.

I understand this is so. Varenne has described it in another thread, and I was referring to those parts that are.

[Vonny]

What's important to me is how people are. If they are tryin to shove it down my throat then I don't respect that. I don't find that much here though. In my work i mix with Atheists, Catholics, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and we all get on. Belief doesn't come up, but there's a lot of respect because of how peple conduct themselves.

I work for the local authority teaching english and maths to many people from different countries as well as english people. I don't tend to find anyone broadcasting their beliefs either. It's just not an issue on an interpersonal level. I'm not sure ifthat's the same in other countries - there seems to be a bit more evangelism in the US. I would find that a bit annoying I think.

Where I live there are billboards all along the highways that "advertise" Jesus. Last week I was traveling between Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls, which are towns just a few miles apart, but we drive the interstate. I saw at least 2 billboards which said "He will draw you closer to Him," and such. And these signs are in addition to the churches and the church signs.

A few weeks ago when my brother drove through Montana, he saw a giant billboard by the interstate that said, "In this valley, Jesus Christ is Lord."

There are no Muslims where I live. There are no Sikhs. I don't know what a Sikh is. I read in the newspaper that there are a few isolated Jews here, but I don't know where. Also, there are no blacks, no Asians or anything else. When I say there are NONE, I mean there are very, very few.

I don't want to sound prejudiced, because I'm not, but if I met some Muslims, I would be uneasy, because I've never met them before and all I know is stereotypes. But, again, I'm not prejudiced.

I've been in the Costco store in CdA a couple of times recently when the store was very busy. If you don't know what Costco is, it's a very large major store. When I look around in there, I don't see a single black person - I mean not one. You don't see a single Asian. Well, occasionally there could be one, but usually not. I saw one woman who looked perhaps Mexican. Occasionally you see a family that has come over from Washington for the day, that is something like Mexican. But it is rare to see a black family, ever. There are a couple of "token" blacks that work at Costco. I think, by law, they have to hire one or two - that law must be a federal law because it would never be a state law. The black persons who work at Costco don't live in Idaho, they live in Washington and commute. I think there is one apartment complex in this area where some blacks and Mexicans live, but for some reason, they aren't seen around town. Also, when you look around in the store, everyone is dressed similarly - now for summer, a lot of loose, casual clothes, such as shorts with a shirt hanging out.

The Aryan Nations have kept minorities out of this area. The A.N. has been suppressed a bit in recent years and they aren't so well organized anymore, since this area has been promoted as a resort. But the Aryan Nations are here. And there's no question but that the people of North Idaho appreciate the work that they continue to do.

I was speaking to one of the A.N. He's kind of an unofficial member, as many are. I asked him what's going on with them. He said there has been a plan on the table for some time to take back Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and I think Utah and part of Canada to make an all-white zone. He said, "We could do it easily because there's only a mud colored person here and there in these states." He said, "We could clear them out of Washington too, even though there are many minorities there, we could easily clear them out." He said, "We've got the guns!" The only problem he said is that the Conservative has become lazy. All the Conservative cares about now is his big screen television, his money and his stuff, and they've lost their b---s, (that word for male power.) ...Anyway, the attitudes are very much alive.

I hope this doesn't come out wrong. I'm not promoting this, I'm just stating facts.

There were some Buddha dolls in the bookstore and I thought they were cute. I thought about buying one and setting it in my window. I changed my mind because it would draw attention to me, and people would be averse to me. There could be areas in CdA where a Buddha doll could be set out, I don't know. The small towns are very intolerant.

And then crosses and flags go together. The American flag is EVERYWHERE.

Another thing is that any gay seeming boy here is forced to drop out of high school because they are brutally harassed in school.

I admit that I'm glad we don't have gang activity or graffiti - things like that. The minority gang members are the ones who shoot innocent bystanders in California or Chicago.

It's also good that we don't have wild nightclubs or strip clubs. For that, people go to the state-line, on the Idaho/Washington border.

Gee, as always I feel strange to post this, because I don't know how it looks. I don't want to be viewed as intolerant - it's just this is where I live, and to an extent I'm a product of it. I guess I'm a bit afraid of minorities because I've never known any. I'm also afraid of the Aryan Nations.

[MarkBastable]

I don't want to sound prejudiced, because I'm not, but if I met some Muslims, I would be uneasy, because I've never met them before and all I know is stereotypes. But, again, I'm not prejudiced.

"....I would be uneasy , because I've never met them before and all I know is stereotypes..."

That's pretty much a dictionary definition of prejudice.

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

When I was in a small town on the Arkansas/Texas border, there was a very large billboard that proclaimed, "PRAISE JESUS OR BEWARE." I was a pilgrim in an unholy land.

[Paulclem]

Hi Vonny. The county in the UK that I'm from is very intolerant of minorities in parts - usually the smaller vilages, so I understand the atmosphere a bit. it's almost like a casual topic in some areas, though the big towns are multi racial. There are problems in certain other Northern towns too such as Blackburn. What there isn't is the big focus on Christianity.

I think attendance started dropping in church as soon as it was no longer an offence not to go. I always thought that WW1 had had a big influence on church attendance, but apparently numbers were seriously dropping in the 1850s here. People are nominally Christian usually - meaning they aren't in any meaningful sense of the word.

As for meeting people - people are people Christian, Sikh whatever. The vast majority are nice. You just have to get past appearances. I see and speak to many on a daily basis.

[YesNo]

"losing one's cool" and "getting angry" aren't necessarily the same thing. Maybe it would just be a semantic difference for some people. Anyhow, I can see "being angry" as being different from "losing one's cool" pretty clearly.

In Kill Bill, the protagonist has a huge store of anger within her, and it gives her strength. She doesn't flail around and act with uncontrollable lizard-brain rage at the sight of her enemies, however.

Many athletes are powered by such emotion, as well--Michael Jordan often got angry at opponents, and to see Asashoryu wrestle in his prime, just the look on his face (the complete disdain for his opponent) was enough to assure all who were watching that he would win.

I think you are right about Kill Bill. The movies remind me of revenge fantasies now that I think about it.

I recall the scene when the protagonist removed the remaining eye from one of the bad guys (girl, in this case) with some special martial arts technique. The protagonist was cool, but not without anger. Her opponent just raged helplessly.

It seems that the movies were created to generate anger in the audience as well and then to have the protagonist resolve the anger through violence.