[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by driveway

It sounds like what you're asking for is that they respect you when debating. It's not a matter of having to handle the beliefs themselves with kid gloves, but rather that people display common courtesy when debating.

I really don't know where you got that point from unless I misspoke somewhere. I respect people's rights not to believe. If they want to talk about beliefs I'm fine with that, However if they want to debate my religion or my spirituality there needs to be a mutual respect. I get resentful because people don't debate, they more then often belittle or insult. Again I use the example of the space alien or spaghetti monster. To someone who believes that's equivalent to hauling off and slapping that person in the face. Just like I don't have a right to scream at you that you're a non believer who's going to burn in hell forever.

Originally Posted by driveway

I think that the problem then becomes, when you're debating something as personal as religion, people can take any argument as a personal assault.

Absolutely. The day and age of civilized debate in a lot of ways is dead. Everyone needs to basically be a comedian. Or they think they need to shout to get their point across. And I'm talking about both sides.

Originally Posted by driveway

I mean, if someone identifies as Christian and I start pointing out what I consider to be the obvious flaws in Christian theology it's easy for that person to believe I'm being rude or I'm trying to belittle them personally. And I understand that reaction and try to avoid causing it, but that doesn't mean I'm going to stay silent if it's an appropriate situation to enter debate.

I will state that its impossible to debate against a faith based position. Like I've said before I believe in evolution, and the big bang and the creation of the universe as a physical thing defined by physical provable laws. I also believe in a god and an ultimate creator. If that makes me conflicted so be it, however I'm comfortable in that world.

I might be generalizing a bit and so be it. But I find it personally insulting when people call me dumb for believing or question my belief in the cookie monster/snog monster/alien space creature/great everlasting gob stopper in the sky.

Originally Posted by driveway

I agree that people should treat each other with respect in all circumstances and things like scoffing, eye-rolling and hyperbolic statements are just plain ######y, but I would disagree with the idea that religious beliefs themselves should be accorded a special king of respect or treated any differently than any other kind of belief.

I'm not asking for anything more then I would be willing to give.