Originally Posted By: BranShea
Isn't there an inconsistancy here between tolerating people who do not have the ideas one agrees with (which you say we ought to do), and not tolerating 'everyones' ideas because they are not equally valid or true to one's own? Ideas never stand on their own.

Good point Bran. Of course ideas, religions, political ideologies, etc are part of a person and often people will take great offense when you criticise beliefs they cherish and see it as a personal attack on them. There is always a need for sensitivity in interpersonal relations of any kind. But that doesn't change whether or not beliefs are true or false. Unless you subscribe to relativism of course.