Hello Everyone:
In a society with more then one religions, notion of respect is often used. But question is what exactly is said, when it is said that “One should respect other’s religion” and Why it is needed?
I’ll start with few definitions,
Faith: something accepted irrespective of any reasons/arguments/evidence (i.e. faith doesn’t effected by the presence/absence of any reasons/arguments/evidence)
Respect(in the context of faith):
1st Degree: Accepting someone’s faith as accurate.
2nd Degree: Accepting someone’s faith as un-accurate but not calling it as so.(i.e. “not speaking truth” or “telling lie (by praising someones faith)” regarding what you think about faith)
So i think i had answered in two versions the first question, that what is respect in the context of faith. Now it would be quite clear that first degree respect to a faith can only be given by the believers, Anyone who dis-believes a faith actually accepts that its wrong. So anyone who is giving 2nd degree respect which is mostly what is demanded, is either lieing, when he is praising a faith, which he doesn’t believe, or not speaking truth.
So the demand of “respect for others faith” in its most mild form is like telling them not to speak the truth.
What if i ask the question, that which faith be respected?
If you are thinking about the simple answer that all, then its not possible because all faiths could be too many and most of them can block the advance of knowledge seriously. Like someone believing that “mr x is the greatest human” or “mr y is the wisest human” or “x element is the strongest” or “analysing x animal by scientist is wrong” and many more if they are not based on arguments/evidence they are faith.
So it seems that we can’t respect all faiths, so which should be respected, one answer could be that religions, but should we respect the old greek Gods? or should we respect the religions who had No believers left? If your answer is yes then my question would be Why?
So it also seems likely that we are not bound to respect all religions. So Which of the faiths we are bound to respect and why?
I think the most suitable i come up with is that, We should respect that faith which have as many beleivers that, “dis-respecting” it can cause an agitation.
So if such is your answer as well then its not respect, it is simply like tolerating someone’s prejeduice, just because he/she don’t create problems.
This raises a different question which is, is that really a respect?
( There are areas which i want to address in detail, like how respecting faith, can stop growth of truth and knowledge but post is already too lengthy..)