Respect for Religious Belief

[atiguhya padma]

I'd like to open up a discussion about whether we should respect all religious beliefs. I often hear people say that we should. But such people wouldn't give respect to all political beliefs. So why religious ones? And also, if a political or any belief is plain stupid, we would be foolish to credit it with respect wouldn't we? But it seems to me, some of the most ridiculous beliefs known to man are religious ones.

This brings me to a question that has bugged me for a while: why is it that this forum forbids political discussion because it might break rule no.1, when religious discussion is just as likely to break that rule too?

Atiguhya Padma

[star blue]

good point, atiguhya. what's so damn special about religion?

at least in politics, no one goes to hell.

[Admin]

This forum exists for people to discuss the works on this site. Normally I wouldn't allow religious discussion but the Bible is on this site and so I have to.

Also I do think religion is a safer topic.

[star blue]

you're ruining my education.

[subterranean]

I don't know why Admin said that religion is a safer topic. I mean what's the basis of saying that there were more conflicts happened based on religious reasons than because political ones!


Personally, I had eough with (international) politics, since my last 4 years in univ were spent talking, writing, arguing about this topic..

[crisaor]

Politics and Religion aren't the same. They're not even close. That's pretty easy to tell.
Of course we should respect religious beliefs. If not for opinion, out of cortesy at least.

[Isagel]

What do you mean? Why is politics and religion not close?

They both usually contain an agenda for changing the society or maintaining it. They both provide a view on the human nature and a framework for understanding human behaviour. They influence each other and merge.

[fayefaye]

I think people should be able to discuss their beliefs[political, religious, whatever], but they need to do it with respect for what other people believe also. People can share different views and not take out a gun and start ripping each other apart. if people didn't try to force their beliefs on each other, different views wouldn't cause conflict.

[atiguhya padma]

Fayefaye,

Would you discuss politics with neo-Nazi's and respect their beliefs? I mean, I find it difficult to respect a belief unless I can see some common ground for agreement. There are certain beliefs that I cannot find any common ground with. Belief in fairies, devilish imps, God, unicorns and other imaginary beings are just too delusional for me to show much respect. Psychiatric hospitals are highly populated with people who think that God is talking to them. I would be doing them no good at all, if I were to respect their deluded beliefs.

Crisaor,

You say that religion and politics are not even closely related. I would have to disagree with you there. It has always struck me that the pulpit and the preacher is very much a dictatorial political system. Here is a person (most often a man) who stands there and instructs you on what to believe. There is no discussion during this indoctrination.

Monotheism started life in the political system of ancient Egypt, under the rule of Akhenaten. The single God and the single political ruler. From there developed the idea of the Divine Right of Kings. Today, most states have a single leader, be it a president or a prime minister. Can you still not see much of a connection between politics and religion? And even if religion and politics are not close, my point was should a silly or stupid belief be respected? We should not choose to respect a silly religious belief, just because it belongs to that group of beliefs we call 'religious'. Some years ago, a department store in Tokyo, over the Christmas period, had a display in their window: Father Christmas nailed to a cross. Now this I think is quite funny, because it is silly and muddled, there has obviously been some misunderstanding. Now suppose a religious following developed from this iconic image. Should I respect this silly notion?

[star blue]

you're awesome, atiguhya.

[fayefaye]

I'm a hypocrite. I would have to be able to find common ground, that's true. But there aren't many people who are nazi's, or in cults, and nowadays that's not the sort of differences in belief that cause conflict.

It's stupid, really...... I guess we'll always get on with people who hold the same values, or beliefs we can respect, but it's practically innate that we try and alter the opinion of others whose ideas we don't... maybe because otherwise it could have some sort of detrimental impact on society. Now I don't know where I stand...

[Admin]

Here is the difference.

Society says that it is not cool to harass someone on basis of religion. However society has no problems with, and even encourages, political motivated harassment.

For instance if a newspaper printed a story about how religion x is evil/wrong/stupid it would cause an uproar. If a newspaper printed a story about how political party x is evil/wrong/stupid it would be business as usual.

As such, due to the current social climate, religion is a far less imflammatory topic than politics.

[psycojones]

atiguhya; you rock!!

[Munro]

*raises a glass in toast*

Am I allowed to bring up what's happening in France right now? I'm not sure what to think, yet. A traditionally social-liberatarian government system legislating what appears upon first glance to be a fascist law . . . but I know there's more to it than that. If I said "everyone has a right to their own religion", it would be narrow-minded, lazy liberal preaching. It's easy to be scared of sounding like a fascist (say, by maybe supporting such a law), and abide by the psychological condition of PC.

[crisaor]

Originally posted by Isagel
What do you mean? Why is politics and religion not close?
They both usually contain an agenda for changing the society or maintaining it. They both provide a view on the human nature and a framework for understanding human behaviour. They influence each other and merge.

Politics doesn't provide anything to understand human behaviour. It just tries to confine it within certain parameters. I think they're not close because one deals with the things the other doesn't. If everybody sticked to a single religion (any) there would be no need for any government whatsoever. This has happened in the past, albeit with mixed results. The estate or the government complements religion at best (or religion complements the goverment, whatever way you prefer).

Originally posted by atiguhya padma
Crisaor, You say that religion and politics are not even closely related. I would have to disagree with you there. It has always struck me that the pulpit and the preacher is very much a dictatorial political system. Here is a person (most often a man) who stands there and instructs you on what to believe. There is no discussion during this indoctrination.

Maybe not, maybe yes. There are different teachers, and different students, as with all things. Some literally believe what the Bible says, others view it in a bigger context. To say that there is no discussion is to assume much.

Originally posted by atiguhya padma
Monotheism started life in the political system of ancient Egypt, under the rule of Akhenaten. The single God and the single political ruler. From there developed the idea of the Divine Right of Kings. Today, most states have a single leader, be it a president or a prime minister. Can you still not see much of a connection between politics and religion? And even if religion and politics are not close, my point was should a silly or stupid belief be respected? We should not choose to respect a silly religious belief, just because it belongs to that group of beliefs we call 'religious'. Some years ago, a department store in Tokyo, over the Christmas period, had a display in their window: Father Christmas nailed to a cross. Now this I think is quite funny, because it is silly and muddled, there has obviously been some misunderstanding. Now suppose a religious following developed from this iconic image. Should I respect this silly notion?

No. Egypt revered one god above all, but he wasn't the only one. The pharaoh was supposed to be his descendant on earth.
I still don't see them as close, because what you're implying to be the same is the way religion and politics are handled. In essence, there is little or nothing in common between the two. They're supposed to be different things, otherwise, one would replace the other completely. Why should a stupid belief be respected? Because what you consider to be silly might be wrong. That's why. You say that is stupid to believe in unicorns and imps, but you put God in the same bag. To me, that's a silly belief.
Sometimes, it isn't easy to tell where the line is. In politics, this separation is usually much easier to tell (e.g. nazis, fascists, etc.).
I don't follow your question. What's the notion you're asking me if you should respect?