Granted, no one dies from prayer.

These children did.

Your initial response is the correct one. Your problem, AtlLiberal, is that you have the capacity to stand back and try and find equality in an opinion or belief - however the religious fundamentalists (especially those of this article's caliber) do not. They feel their beliefs are superior to reality and refuse to acknowledge that what they believe might be wrong.

People like to say that everyone is entitled to an opinion, but I don't think that's right. Not all opinions are right. Opinions based on false information, lack of proof, or are contrary to reality should not entertained and respected.

Frankly some people ar...

Granted, no one dies from prayer.

These children did.

Your initial response is the correct one. Your problem, AtlLiberal, is that you have the capacity to stand back and try and find equality in an opinion or belief - however the religious fundamentalists (especially those of this article's caliber) do not. They feel their beliefs are superior to reality and refuse to acknowledge that what they believe might be wrong.

People like to say that everyone is entitled to an opinion, but I don't think that's right. Not all opinions are right. Opinions based on false information, lack of proof, or are contrary to reality should not entertained and respected.

Frankly some people are really to deluded to live life without rules in place to make them safe. Medical care for children is one such policy that should be enforced.

So I agree with your initial assessment. Using religion to deny someone medical care should be viewed as a criminal action.

People like to say that everyone is entitled to an opinion, but I don't think that's right. Not all opinions are right.

Yes! I've argued this point myself. There is a widespread misunderstanding about the whole respect issue. All people share a basic right to respect. People's ideas do not. I suspect that people, in general, feel that to attack someone's ideas is to attack the person. There is no separation of the humanity of a person and thoughts that person has either generated or adopted from others. And the more passionate the person holds to ideas the more these ideas are integrated into what that person sees as being part and parcel of what he is. We become unable to di...

People like to say that everyone is entitled to an opinion, but I don't think that's right. Not all opinions are right.

Yes! I've argued this point myself. There is a widespread misunderstanding about the whole respect issue. All people share a basic right to respect. People's ideas do not. I suspect that people, in general, feel that to attack someone's ideas is to attack the person. There is no separation of the humanity of a person and thoughts that person has either generated or adopted from others. And the more passionate the person holds to ideas the more these ideas are integrated into what that person sees as being part and parcel of what he is. We become unable to distinguish between thoughts we hold and thoughts that define us. And it seems that the thoughts that are defended the most are those that are not based in reality but are accepted on faith. Once the individual crosses that chasm to believe without reason, the thought or dogma must be held with such fervor because there are no facts to support it. The dogma is internalized and becomes the person.

Society then steps in and produces taboos (other thoughts) that prohibit questioning this dogma. The fear of ostracism is used as a cudgel to punish the naysayer for this perceived transgression. Thus we have society reinforcing the notion that merely questioning religious ideas is intrinsically wrong. This, in turn, reinforces the conception that the critic of religion is not simply expressing an opinion but actively attacking the person. This then backs up the perception that the critic is lacking in morals.

At least that's the way I see things...

I got this guy who claimed that the ice was growing in the arctic, contrary to all the melting going on for the past several years. I argued with him and told him to provide a source, which turned out he misinterpreted. The source was saying that the ice had melted less than it had the previous record setting year. It was written as "Ice melt 9.5% less over last year" and he took it to mean the ice is growing. I pointed out his error, he refused to acknowledge it.

Now I got another person making the exact same argument - ice is growing - and CITING THE SAME SOURCE!

I pointed out the error, once again, and the first guy jumps in and says I'm using pseudo-science! Its THEIR CITED SOURCE!! So...

I got this guy who claimed that the ice was growing in the arctic, contrary to all the melting going on for the past several years. I argued with him and told him to provide a source, which turned out he misinterpreted. The source was saying that the ice had melted less than it had the previous record setting year. It was written as "Ice melt 9.5% less over last year" and he took it to mean the ice is growing. I pointed out his error, he refused to acknowledge it.

Now I got another person making the exact same argument - ice is growing - and CITING THE SAME SOURCE!

I pointed out the error, once again, and the first guy jumps in and says I'm using pseudo-science! Its THEIR CITED SOURCE!! So I do snap and call them the idiots they are. I am only human after all.

Anyway, someone starts harping that I need to respect other people's opinion, even if I think they are wrong.

There is no "thinking they are wrong" here. They are wrong, plain and simple.

Then there is the example of those that are trying to push that vaccinations shots can lead to autism. Talk about an opinion being dangerous!

Some people really shouldn't have a voice - and yes, I do recognize the danger inherent in saying that. I guess it comes down to a personal and moral responsibility in people and I think that many people lack any real personal responsibility - especially if its something that contradicts what they believe. Look at the level of mud slinging and lies perpetrated by the GOP in this last election (not saying Obama's camp didn't do some as well, but certainly not on the same level as McCain supporters)