I don't respect religion but I have to respect the believer as much as he respects me.

I don't respect religious beliefs but, I do respect the people who have them. I think that, if we're ever going to convince believers that we are just as moral as they are, we need to take the high ground sometimes. Be the bigger person.

We don't subscribe to a deity to tell us how to interact with others. I try to be respectful as that is what I have decided is proper behavior. That being said, if they push too hard; I will push back. I treat them as I would a child. I would never take pleasure in telling a child "there is no santa", nor do I take pleasure in telling people "there is no god". But, if a child was doing harm to others for the benefit of santa, I would tell them the facts. Same for believers.

Well, if we always do more of the same unto others as they do unto us we would do noting but nice things for one another, right?

I respect others as long as they aren't infringing on my life. Because respecting others is more about me, and the life I want to lead, than it is about them, or their beliefs. My respect (or, as I've been known to say, 'agree to disagree' is not a decision that they actually deserve that respect.

I think it's courteous to respect the person. Not necessarily his/her beliefs.

you were at max 6 years old when your parents first explained to you that two wrongs don't make a right.

I don’t know of any credible philosophy that asks us to respect other people’s beliefs. We are asked to respect their right to believe as they choose (within the law) and I think that’s a very good ideal to uphold, if we want to maintain the right to believe what we choose.

Do you actually respect believers? I "listen" to them if I can't leave....but my brain is far away from whatever they may be saying.

Respect is earned. If anyone demands it of me they're not likely to receive it. The best I can do is tolerate their existence.

There are no reasons to respect an idea over any other kind of idea. I disrespect a lot of ideas but respect some of those that believe the ideas.

Respect is NOT a Right it is something that needs to earned and Religions have never actually done anything at all throughout their history that even remotely resembles anything that could be classed as deserving of respect.

There is no need to respect religion any more than respecting palm reading, astrology or other superstition. But sometimes the religious confuse disrespect for their belief and disrespect for them as a person.

Respect the believer not the belief. I learned that.

I don't

After watching a documentary following a group of creationists being brought to different scientists who discuss the evidence against literal interpretation of the bible, I began to understand their state of mind.
A)The religion becomes a person's identity; a means of maintaining self worth and purpose.
B)Assumptions that the entire book is literal are required for belief.
C)No alternative mind set is conceivable due to indoctrination
Therefore;
A) Contrary information is a direct attack on identity
B) Any part of religious text that is not literal would mean the whole text is hearsay
C) Lack of any conceivable alternative mindset would inevitably lead to an identity crisis.

Basically it's a mental "survival instinct" protected by confirmation bias, mockery and denial of facts, and intentional ignorance. Albeit, there is an urge to be disrespectful to these people I don't find it in anyway conducive. Kind of like poking a bear when he already is caged.

Do NOT do to others what you would NOT have done unto you.

If they're disrespecting you then I suppose they don't mind being disrespected in return, but don't go out of your way to disrespect someone based on the notion that they'll disrespect you.

Of course that creed can also be taken in favor of just not disrespecting anyone, even those that disrespect you, because YOU don't want to be disrespected so why would want to disrespect another?

And someone may have said something like this already but I didn't read the comments first (shame I know); it's not about who they are or what they do in regards to giving respect, it's about who we are as an atheist and if we start retaliating we risk becoming no better than the religious extremists. We really will turn the other cheek because it's not worth the violence or energy and continue to take action to improve what we can instead of just taking offense and engaging in meaningless debate of the validity of cherry picked texts.

I can actually respect others religious beliefs my problem is I cannot respect stupid. Their deluded belief that there is a supreme being does not bother me but, believing in the stupid absurd stories as historical facts give me a break. I am a big boy I can stand up to their condemnation of me being an atheist and if need be dish out enough mocking ridicule to send them running back to their churches with a head full of doubts.

Like poster-show ridiculousness of the Ark story. I don't ask for fights-I'm polite till they hurt someone. Characters look like they come from Harry Potter not the book.

The Christian religion seems to have followers that have trouble dealing with nonbelievers. Most can't debate rationally and they almost always cite the Bible as evidence! I'm the end, they worry about me going to hell and my salvation. I have never met one that was worried about me paying my bills !

People deserve (and must earn) respect, not ideas. If a belief cannot hold up to scrutiny, it doesn't deserve to be held in any positive regard. I have no respect for unsubstantiated or simply harmful ideas that do nothing but hold social progress back.

I give all people the neutral respect they fundamentally deserve until they have proven to me otherwise. Ideas and beliefs don't get that liberty, it's like respecting someones belief in santa clause or racial superiority.

I ridicule religion every chance I get. It deserves it for its evil and prejudice teachings against anybody that doesn’t agree with its teaching. I’ve been threatened so many times that I deserve to burn in Hell forever and I’ve dealt with bigot religious people, saying that they weren’t going to talk to me until I gave my life to the Lord. You give respect, you get respect in my opinion.

To me, it's about showing respect for them as another human being and also showing that we are above them. But I do act on my emotions a lot and my anger towards people acting the way they do gets me ready to fight and wish meteors on their house with them inside. Lol! But I try to be a good person and just turn my nose up and walk the other way, so to speak.

The religions aren't condemning you, it's the small minded people who represent that religion, and you will find small minded people who are atheists, too.

You have to handle the mentally ill (religious) with kid gloves or they may become violent.