[SteveG]

Originally Posted by Angela

I don't consider that I was attacking you. I was asking you an honest question: do you respect those particular religious beliefs; your first and subsequent posts let me know that yes, you do.

I'd like to now in what convoluted way you came to that conclusion when my post clearly states that I don't support the examples you gave.

Originally Posted by Angela

I don't understand what you mean by the word "respect." The dictionary defines respect as "esteem for or deference to" or "to refrain from intruding upon or interfering with." These definitions would lead me to believe that either you regard highly people whose beliefs advocate murder and maiming, or you refrain from intruding upon or interfering with people who advocate murder and maiming. Do you have a different understanding of what it means to be respectful? Again, this is an honest question for you.

You are making wildly exaggerated assumptions about me based on the use of a single word. I can see that you are one of those people that like to nit pick every single word someone uses to try and make a point in favour of your argument. Maybe I should look up every single word in a dictionary before saying anything to you. Better still, as every dictionary defines things slightly differently, perhaps I should only refer to the dictionary you use.

To me, you come across as argumentative. You are making a mountain out of a molehill. You are making a federal case out of nothing.

Let me try to put this in context as you are obviously having some difficulties. Muslims allegedly performed the 911 attacks. My neighbour is a Muslim. Based on that information, should I regard my neighbour as a terrorist? Of course not (unless he condones those acts). He doesn't believe in terrorism and abhors the acts performed by these extremists.

See, you are generalising everything, which is a dangerous thing to do. I didn't say I necessarily respect the beliefs of a religion as a whole. I respect the beliefs of an individual, insofar as those beliefs do not result in harm to others. Naturally, the examples you gave in your earlier post are harmful to others so I would not respect an individual that held those beliefs.

I have another friend who is a Buddhist, and I respect her beliefs as well. I don't agree with a lot of the beliefs she has in regards to her religion, but I still respect them. Of course, if those beliefs meant harm to others in any shape or form then I wouldn't respect them.

Is that clear enough for you? Do I need to provide a detailed list of exclusions when I make a statement? You wouldn't happen to be a lawyer, would you?

Originally Posted by Angela

If I sound adversarial in this matter it is because I certainly do not hold in high regard people who believe that their god requires clitoris's to be sliced off or for apostates to be murdered, and I most certainly would interfere and intrude upon anyone attempting to appease their gods in these ways, and I don't feel they should be "respected" and therefore tolerated by society. As Steve Pavlina put it in his article, Silent Approval, for problems (like violent dogma) to be solved, they must first be dragged "into the light of conscious awareness (kicking and screaming if necessary.)"

Absolutely. I agree with you on this. But don't pigeon hole everyone in the same group. It still comes down to the individual. Just because one person belonging to a particular religion commits atrocities it doesn't mean everyone else does or will.

Originally Posted by Angela

Additionally, you say that none of these examples are "in the context of this discussion," which I find offensive and inaccurate.

I'd like you to explain to me how my post was *offensive* and *inaccurate*.

Originally Posted by Angela

Please note that the main query in this thread's opening post is: "So this is my question: what is your religion, and do you believe that it would be possible for people of your faith to live harmoniously with people of another faith?" and that the examples I noted refer to my beliefs: that violence is an inherent part of much religious faith, and violence is an obstacle to people living harmoniously together.

Yes, but I was responding to another poster's post about how people become defensive. Topics can quite often have small threads of sub-topics.

I really don't understand your line of thinking. I made a simple comment about respecting an individual's beliefs (please re-read the above before ranting) and you just start making accusations that I support violent acts against others in the name of religion, which I definitely do *not*.

HTH.

Steve