To what extent do we respect others?

[unixknight]

The problem with the way this is handled in the media and in modern perceptions is that whenever Conservative/Religious culture comes in conflict with the "Progressive" thought, traditional values are expected to give way. If somebody goes out and gets a sex change and mom & dad feel uncomfortable, well then that's just them being backward and closed minded. "They need to get with the times."

There was a time, only a few years ago, when Progressives were insisting that morality is subjective and that if you want to believe in your religious, traditional values that was perfectly fine but that you had to acknowledge the equal validity of other ideas that you might disagree with. That's changed. Now, morality is no longer subjective. Now, you are immoral if you don't share the "progressive" viewpoint.

I was once in an online debate about these things and was told that I was a bad parent and that I was emotionally damaging to my children. Why? Because if one of my sons wanted to go as a princess for Halloween I wouldn't allow it. We, as "traditional" thinkers, have gone beyond the live and let live and are now on the defensive when it comes to these issues.

So when I look at a situation where a person gets a sex change and then demands that mom and dad sanitize their home of all traces of any evidence that the child had been born any other way, I don't just see it as a simple question of how much we should accommodate these things. I see it as a microcosm of the wider question.

[RMGuy]

We are highly accepting so long as they are just like us.

-RM

[Spartan117]

We are highly accepting so long as they are just like us.

-RM

Acceptance and tolerance are very different.

[RMGuy]

Acceptance and tolerance are very different.

Then I think it depends on what we mean by respect and who gets to determine the measurement criteria.

Redding said that meaning is determined by the receiver. I think that by that standard the best individuals to ask how respectful we are would be our none-LDS friends and neighbors, less actives, and ex-members. They would be the ones that could accurately describe how respectful we really are.

I would think that as a group that our perception is we are a very respectful people. I would guess that if we really sought for understanding and asked those we contact, we would have a wide spectrum of answers.

For example, take the less active that asks for no contact. It might not be that they don't believe, it could be that they are experiencing familial problems that HT and VT visits do not help. Do we respect that, or do we continue to contact, or assign a new HT/VT so that they have an excuse to visit or write a letter? If we try to share the gospel with our friends and they tell us that they are happy with their religion, do we continue to be friends and not discuss the church, do we drop them since they are not going to join, or do we try to introduce the gospel into their lives when the opportunity presents itself. How to they percieve that?

I do believe that the vast majority of LDS if queried would believe that they are respectful.

-RM

[slamjet]

For example, take the less active that asks for no contact. It might not be that they don't believe, it could be that they are experiencing familial problems that HT and VT visits do not help. Do we respect that, or do we continue to contact, or assign a new HT/VT so that they have an excuse to visit or write a letter?

In the many wards I have lived in, there were some Bishoprics attitude was that we are a fellow-shipping Church. You are a member, you will be fellow-shipped. Don't like it, take your name off the rolls. In my ward, there are a few families that a few years ago were on the DNV list. The ward persisted and they came back into activity. They share that they are very appreciative for the ward not giving up on them.

But I think there is a fine line between being respectful and living one's religion. I'm not sure if they are or are not one in the same. But our Church teaches us to be respectful of others beliefs. The church's example is all the collaborative work we do with other faiths and do it to be of service, not to proselyte. Even in my Stake, there is a person called to be on the local religious community council. There are many times we have come to other denominations help in service activities when asked. It seems that service is a more important principle than getting members. Christ himself seemed to serve before he preached.