Thank you readers :-)

I would simply like to say thank you to my handful of readers and commenters :-)

You already posted some interesting thoughts, made some good points that I would definitely like to write about or reply to them in more detail :-) I love this platform of sharing my thoughts, my conclusions and having them confronted with different points of view on the same subject. I feel it's a very good learning experience and I've learned a lot already! I don't think I could ask for more than that :-)

So a BIG THANK YOU to all :-)

Have a lovely day!

Respect

I frequent different sites and blogs. Most of the time, topics that are brought up on those sites are likely to cause disagreement that often leads to friction between posters, to put it mildly.

There are certain situations when it's simply better to agree to disagree. Interestingly, both sides are prone to saying at some point "You should respect my opinion as much as I respect yours, even if I disagree".

Respect. I find this word has changed its meaning or it means different things to different people. When in doubt, I like to consult a dictionary. Here is how Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English defines respect:

1) a feeling of admiring someone or what they do, especially because of their personal qualities, knowledge, or skills -> admiration

2) the belief that something or someone is important and should not be harmed, treated rudely

I would say that respecting someone's (religious) beliefs would fall under no. 1. We are always told that we should respect other people's beliefs even if we don't agree with them. Personally, I do not agree with such approach. Simply because certain beliefs or ideas do not deserve respect, even though they might be held dearly by many people. However, I will still respect the right of somebody to have such ideas despite the fact I find them ludicrous. I believe that when one has an opinion about a subject, such a person should be prepared to put forward arguments in favour of their stance or be ready to defend it rather than expect default respect for their beliefs. That's the attitude I have when entering a discussion online or in real life.