What exactly are you trying to imply?

I usually can's understand "faithful believers". I have friends saying things like "I might believe in something", but that's fine. Towards atheists I don't have any pre-defined feelings.

Well, he just answered the question. We should respect what other people believe.

I have no general feeling towards people that are not religious...some of them are smart, some of them are quite moronic...it's about 50/50. I do find, however, that I encounter less smart people who at the same time believe in God. Very few of them can even explain the reasons that they do or provide a reasonable defense for it.

It's because they have not given the matter much thought, I think.
They are just parroting what they have been taught or else just saying what they think is expected of them. It's much like people who join the same political party as their parents without really thinking for themselves.

I was kind of implying that instead of stating it plainly, but yes, that's pretty much it. They're following tradition that's passed down to them instead of making a rational evaluation of it.

In a lot of cultures that is how it works, so you really can't put the people down for following their culture either.

Whatever floats your boat. My personal beliefs are no ones concern and there is no reason for me to care about someone elses. Personal freedom is the greatest freedom of all.

I'm not necessarily putting them down, I was just making the observation that I encounter a larger population of religious people that seem unable to defend their stance than I am non-believers.

Of course, I do believe that it is quite silly to go along with something just because your parents did it. If you don't question things, you're essentially living in ignorance. I'm not saying people should not be religious, but they should at least question their religion intensely at some point to confirm its validity.

to each their own but I think that anyone who pays attention will find god in one way or another

I don't care whether or not they believe in God, whichever way you define that concept, because the law of karms does not see your belief, it sees your action, your intent behind it, and the attachment you have to it.

So an atheist who does good out the compassion of his heart, and a devout person who does good only out of a fear of hell, will not be treated equally, for they are not equal.

Live and let live.

Can you please elaborate on what you mean?

Why should I respect something that is clearly false?

The only difference between religion and "Elvis was kidnapped by aliens!" is the fact that the former viewpoint is regrettably held by a majority.

I give Christianity, Scientology, Islam, and National Enquirer-ism exactly the respect they deserve.

None. And I never will, unless they can come up with supporting evidence.

We have to be tolerant of people who have views that are different from our own. If we don't, we will never get along and these stupid wars won't stop. It's okay if someone believes that Elvis was kidnapped by aliens, so long as they do not force me to help them mount a rescue attempt. If they do, then I have a problem with them.

Any irrational belief, held en masse, poses a danger to freedom.

They should not be tolerated for precisely this reason.

your militant atheism isn't any better.

I simply don't care what people believe or not believe. It's their life not mine.

I want neither be told to believe in god nor to don't believe in god.

If I got this printed and framed, would you sign it? Sounds exactly like every radical throughout history. Doesn't sound like you know what freedom actually means.

This is what you call freedom?

I don't believe god who has super-nature power. But I believe god who do relief people's soul. However I don't have any religion because god don't make any effect. It means I am a atheist.

I basically don't believe existence of god, because the god what people say, don't give me any effect. But I believe that god or religion is important to many other people. If people make their life happy or relief theirs soul, by believing god, it should be very valuable thing.

So I respect people's religion and their god. And I don't care my friend and my family believe which religion.