Why Respecting Others' Beliefs Is Bad
Fans of people getting along with each other, and fans of the subjective will often state that we should respect each other's beliefs. While I'm sure most of these people are well-motivated, those of us that prefer scientific discussion and objectivity often find ourselves in a different place. We don't want people getting into a "who can shout louder" contest, but we do wish to acknowledge that beliefs, whether trivial or important, often conflict, and that honest, rational dialogue often requires us to say that someone else is wrong.
In an effort to foster pleasant, rational discourse, then, we often will advocate the following approach: be respectful of the person you are talking to, but do not require yourself to be at all respectful of what they believe. Conversely, of course, people should not require their own beliefs to be respected by the person they are speaking to. For a more concrete example, suppose someone in your family is addicted to alcohol. Are you then required to respect alcoholism as a reasonable lifestyle? Of course not. It is also worth noting that even if alcoholism is stupid, intelligent people can and do allow themselves to fall victim to it. It is with this context in mind, and with great respect for the people I am talking to, that I sometimes show great disdain for their beliefs.
In an effort to foster pleasant, rational discourse, then, we often will advocate the following approach: be respectful of the person you are talking to, but do not require yourself to be at all respectful of what they believe. Conversely, of course, people should not require their own beliefs to be respected by the person they are speaking to. For a more concrete example, suppose someone in your family is addicted to alcohol. Are you then required to respect alcoholism as a reasonable lifestyle? Of course not. It is also worth noting that even if alcoholism is stupid, intelligent people can and do allow themselves to fall victim to it. It is with this context in mind, and with great respect for the people I am talking to, that I sometimes show great disdain for their beliefs.
posted by Gideon Humphrey at 12:02 PM
1 Comments:
Oh man! Well put! You almost spoke my mind word for word, which is rare. I just typed this in response to an e-mail I got yesterday:
"I propose:
1. Approach each issue with an open mind. Fight your instinct to do otherwise.
2. Look into the issue as deeply as your desire or conscience leads you.
3. Reject any point of the issue that is not true, has purely selfish motives, or is not logical.
4. THEN stand up for the truth that remains. Tell others, with respect and humility, what you believe and why.
5. When you are challenged on your position, go back to number 1. If the challenge reveals that you have been wrong in some way, have the humility and courage to modify what you believe! Acknowledge the fact that you are not the embodiment of all truth. This can become an example for others who are a little less open to change. Be thankful that you have been corrected and now see life more clearly than before. Even thank the person that showed you your error! If you live like this, you just might find others taking your own beliefs more seriously because they come across as tested truths, not unfounded opinions."
The e-mail was from a pretty dogmatic, closed minded relative wanting us all to pat her on the back for forwarding something that was just blatantly and obviously short-sighted and wrong. What do you do? They're your relatives, but ignorance is something to be avoided even if you have to step on some toes. Not really the same context as your post but the point is the same.
And thanks for the Digg about the contest rules!
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