I’ve had this conservation with a friend. I say that I respect my friend as a person. I respect our system of government (U.S.) that allows people to believe what they want. But I don’t respect her religious beliefs because I think they’re silly. She gets offended. Oh, well.
People and things have to earn my respect. Other animals don’t, because they are demonstrably awesome – but institutions, people and their silly beliefs do.
For myself, “respect” is a much higher hurdle than “tolerate.” Nonsense should never be respected, but it should, in many cases, be tolerated. And, of course, we should poke fun at nonsense whenever possible.
I was talking to my Christian sister about the nutters who blame earthquakes on women who dress immodestly, or hurricanes on not saying prayers in schools, and she dismissed those people as “lunatic fringe”. But why are they any more lunatic than people who tell me about talking snakes in gardens, virgin birth, and God sending his son to earth so we would kill him and thus, somehow, he could redeem our sins? It’s all lunatic fringe, and it warrants absolutely no respect from me. A very quiet “why” is the perfect response. Just leave that one word hanging in the air. I think I’ll get it put on a t-shirt.
It’s about numbers. For instance, if a middle aged man were to take a pair of scissors and use them to cut the genitals off of a six year old girl, he would go to prison for a very long time. But if thousands of men do that to millions of little girls then it is called culture and we must respect it, even if our pedestrian understanding cannot grasp the sublime holiness of this loving act.
Tumsup, yes, and let’s not forget the little boys. Like uh…. me. I was seven when I found out about it and I’ve been pissed off at them ever since. Fuckers messed with my dick when I was a BABY, man. That’s just wrong.
You can’t really “respect” any idea you consider false. Your choices regarding someone else’s delusions are either contempt or indifference. Indifference, in turn can be reasonably benign if the delusion is harmless and inobtrusive.
When delusion starts demanding respect with menaces … that’s when it’s time to wheel out the Motoons
Nassar, I think you are confused. When I ask why, I’m looking for an answer. I ask why I should respect religious beliefs because I honestly can’t think of any reason why I should. I respect scientist who collect, study and evaluate date, and I don’t have to ask why I should respect them. The reason is obvious. But people who believe in revealed wisdom and tell me they run their life by a book of fairy tails, and then tell me I should respect that… I have to ask why. Don’t expect the answer to come from me.
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Most religionists are not used to the idea that other people might have different ideas against their religion, and respect that. Nice points, as always!
@Tumsup. Of course you are broadly correct. Female genital mutilation is carried out, on around 3million Sub-Sahran African girls per year, (depending on how FGM is defined). However, it is typically carried out by their grandmothers, not by men.
Lets start a new religion. We’ll worship Spock from Star Trek and the bedrock of our church will be observable phenomenon, evidence and logic. “Evil” then becomes willful ignorance — or the choice to believe in invisible all powerful beings and their magic books.
@Testicules the Deist,
My Flying Spaghetti Monster can kick Spock’s ass so hard his ears would flop over.
Lesson 1: If you don’t mess with the FSM, no lesson 2 is needed.
Choosing between Spock and the FSM? What a dilemma… let’s just stick them together into one super-diety. I call him Pastavulcanos, God of logical pasta-cooking! Linguini long and prosper!
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haha 😀
Haven’t we had this one before? If so, it is still good.
@Neuseline Variation on a theme 🙂
I’ve had this conservation with a friend. I say that I respect my friend as a person. I respect our system of government (U.S.) that allows people to believe what they want. But I don’t respect her religious beliefs because I think they’re silly. She gets offended. Oh, well.
People and things have to earn my respect. Other animals don’t, because they are demonstrably awesome – but institutions, people and their silly beliefs do.
So shrill! OMG’s!
Amazing that the glasses didn’t shatter…..
For myself, “respect” is a much higher hurdle than “tolerate.” Nonsense should never be respected, but it should, in many cases, be tolerated. And, of course, we should poke fun at nonsense whenever possible.
I was talking to my Christian sister about the nutters who blame earthquakes on women who dress immodestly, or hurricanes on not saying prayers in schools, and she dismissed those people as “lunatic fringe”. But why are they any more lunatic than people who tell me about talking snakes in gardens, virgin birth, and God sending his son to earth so we would kill him and thus, somehow, he could redeem our sins? It’s all lunatic fringe, and it warrants absolutely no respect from me. A very quiet “why” is the perfect response. Just leave that one word hanging in the air. I think I’ll get it put on a t-shirt.
shrill indeed!
Win! 😀 “So shrill!” indeed
It’s about numbers. For instance, if a middle aged man were to take a pair of scissors and use them to cut the genitals off of a six year old girl, he would go to prison for a very long time. But if thousands of men do that to millions of little girls then it is called culture and we must respect it, even if our pedestrian understanding cannot grasp the sublime holiness of this loving act.
An excellent strip as usual. My rule is: Respect the right to the belief, but not the belief (unless it deserves it).
Tumsup, yes, and let’s not forget the little boys. Like uh…. me. I was seven when I found out about it and I’ve been pissed off at them ever since. Fuckers messed with my dick when I was a BABY, man. That’s just wrong.
Why are people who ask why the least likely to give an answer.
Nassar – Why should they? They’re the ones with the real questions.
You can’t really “respect” any idea you consider false. Your choices regarding someone else’s delusions are either contempt or indifference. Indifference, in turn can be reasonably benign if the delusion is harmless and inobtrusive.
When delusion starts demanding respect with menaces … that’s when it’s time to wheel out the Motoons
Nassar, I think you are confused. When I ask why, I’m looking for an answer. I ask why I should respect religious beliefs because I honestly can’t think of any reason why I should. I respect scientist who collect, study and evaluate date, and I don’t have to ask why I should respect them. The reason is obvious. But people who believe in revealed wisdom and tell me they run their life by a book of fairy tails, and then tell me I should respect that… I have to ask why. Don’t expect the answer to come from me.
data of course. I hate typos.
My skydaddy can beat your skydaddy…..
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Most religionists are not used to the idea that other people might have different ideas against their religion, and respect that. Nice points, as always!
John Moore
Cannot!
@Tumsup. Of course you are broadly correct. Female genital mutilation is carried out, on around 3million Sub-Sahran African girls per year, (depending on how FGM is defined). However, it is typically carried out by their grandmothers, not by men.
Lets start a new religion. We’ll worship Spock from Star Trek and the bedrock of our church will be observable phenomenon, evidence and logic. “Evil” then becomes willful ignorance — or the choice to believe in invisible all powerful beings and their magic books.
@Testicules the Deist,
My Flying Spaghetti Monster can kick Spock’s ass so hard his ears would flop over.
Lesson 1: If you don’t mess with the FSM, no lesson 2 is needed.
@Testicules the Deist & Jerry w
Choosing between Spock and the FSM? What a dilemma… let’s just stick them together into one super-diety. I call him Pastavulcanos, God of logical pasta-cooking! Linguini long and prosper!
well, my beleif is to be sarcastic and scornful of foolishness – so, religious folk will just have to learn to accept that.
if you don’t want your beleifs to be ridiculed, then don’t have such easy targetable beleifs
Help! Help! I’m being oppressed!
Jerry_w: I’ll see your FSM and raise you two Allahs and a Yahweh.
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