Whoacrap, missed some days. No excuses this time, it just slipped my mind. Shut up.

Today we'll talk about respect, where it applies, and what people think they have to respect. I'll begin with a short statement. I respect the right of an individual to believe what they choose. I would even be willing to stand up for this right, even though I may disagree with the belief itself. The right to free thought is one of the most important rights.

However, I am under no obligation to respect the beliefs themselves. If they are unjustified, it is my right to say that. If they're ridiculous, then I can point this out. This is the core of free speech  - to be able to say what others may not want to hear. People who oppose my beliefs are more than welcome to rebut my comments, or to make some of their own - they have exactly as much right to say what they want as I do. But the same process applies again - I will not hesitate to point out flaws in what they are saying.

Freedom of thought and freedom of speech are well established as basic rights. What isn't - and shouldn't be - established is freedom of action. Morally, you are free to think that homosexuality is bad, you are free to say homosexuality is bad but you are not free to enact legislation discriminating against them. You are not free to use your words to incite action against them. In a counterexample, I'm free to think religion is bad, I'm free to say it's bad, but I cannot legislate or incite action against religious people.

And if you dare claim otherwise, you'd better have some solid basis, or else I will tear your argument to shreds. I have even heard suggestions (from the US, where else) that preventing christians from discriminating against homosexuals is persecution. No. When your organisation doesn't have to pay taxes, is often automatically consulted in the public arena on any matters of ethics, has unparalleled access to world leaders, receives large donations from the rich and has entire governments listen to it's pronouncements...

You. Are. Not. Being. Fucking. Persecuted.