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Debate Info

49
65
Yes No
Debate Score:114
Arguments:44
Total Votes:124
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 Yes (15)
 
 No (29)

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Should a person be judged by their religious preference???

Can't we respect all beliefs???

Yes

Side Score: 49
VS.

No

Side Score: 65
6 points

Certainly a person is and should be judged, at least in part, by their religious preference as religion plays a role in who the person is and what influences him or her. Judgment doesn't necessarily mean a lack of respect, discrimination, or prejudice; it simply means the process of forming an opinion, and when forming an opinion about someone, all aspects of that person must be taken into account.

Side: Yes
1 point

I agree with callosum. I judge people all the time on every little bit of information I get about them. Doing so helps me to determine how I need to interact with that person. What will/won't offend them? What will make them sad/mad? What will turn her off/on? Only my judgment knows.

Side: Yes
JakeJ(3255) Disputed
1 point

Well, you are right that judgment isn't always bad.

But when you judge sombody, are you judging them on their beliefs?

Or are you judging them for their actions what they are doing?

Side: No
5 points

Yes, not only do people have the freedom to judge people however they wish, but religion is an ENORMOUSLY important aspect of many people's lives. When you heard about 9/11 and the hijackers, did their religious preference not cause you to judge them? Being a religious person means your religion plays a huge role in who you are, and therefor it is perfectly reasonable to judge someone by their religious preference. This idea of treating everyone's "beliefs" as equal is ridiculous, no where else in our daily discourse with other people do we have to "respect" opinions so much. If I think your beliefs are irrational and you have no evidence to back yourself up, then I don't see why I should have to respect your religion. I respect your right to a religion, but I certainly don't respect the religion itself, and I most certainly will judge you by it if it plays a large role in your life.

Side: Yes

yes, people should be able to judge whatever they want, including other people... it's my right to think and feel however i want, whether or it's right or wrong. the issue becomes when people act upon their judgements, and in doing so, affect the liberty or freedom of another based upon what their beliefs are.

Side: Yes
3 points

Yeah, sure why not? If you're going to judge a person's personality without really getting to know them there are few more telling attributes than a person's religion. Now that's not to say that I think people should judge anyone based off of first impressions but there are definitely less accurate stereotypes than religion.

Side: Yes
3 points

Religion is not always about peace. Religion can sometimes be about religious domination which eventually amounts to world domination. And to achieve that domination thing, some world religions have taken to violent means to achieve that end. So people who subscribe to such religious beliefs should be suspect. They may act non-violent one day and stark raving mad the next day, on the say so of their religious leaders.

Side: Yes
2 points

Whether we like it or not, we all judge one another. And everything they are is what we use as a guide stick. Religious preference is one of them. The trick is to watch ourselves when we do. What we do with that judgment is what we'll determine the character and integrity of the person we are. It is part of our conditioning. I can decide many things about a person, but then I can give the person the opportunity any way. How else do I grow out of all that old learning. It's the only way out for all those groups of people that have hated each other for thousands of years.

Side: Yes
1 point

Sure, you judge people on a large variety of things so religious preference doesn't get any special treatment from that; it's what human minds do

Side: Yes
1 point

The question is moot. A judgment is a determination of understanding - or in a belief systems' case, a determination of classification. The moment a person chooses any particular belief system, their classification has been determined (by the person choosing). i.e. person B's "judgment of person A's choice" has been predetermined by person A.

Imagine holding up a picket-sign with your chosen belief system written out in bold letters on it. A random person walking by sees the sign and either smiles in agreement or scoffs in disgust.

Person B disagreeing with person A's choice is indeed acceptable for the sake of right to choose. However, it is the means of disagreement which should be reasonably questioned as being appropriate or inappropriate.

Side: Yes

Yes, of course. Everything is on the table. Any one who believes "Faith" is a virtue has a severe logic handicap, and if I say, was electing a president, the more religious the less likely he/she is going to make decisions based on evidence and reason, in the stead of revelation and dogma.

Side: Yes
-2 points
9 points

I think it's one thing to judge the religion, and quite another to judge how one implements those beliefs into their lives. I also think that most of us have very little knowledge of religions other than our own, and it is a boon to ourselves to judge others (positively or negatively) based on our assumptions of how other religions fare.

Side: No
7 points

WOW! Opened a can of worms here! I sure got more than I bargained for! Reading each of the responses, I find myself sitting on the fence. While I agree that judging someone purely on their religious preference, and not on their actions, is completely wrong. For example: I had been friends with a person for quite a long time, we worked together, we went out together, we genuinely enjoyed each other's company. I moved into my own place and 'decorated' it with items depicting my religious preference. She visited me in my new apartment, and now all of a sudden she can't be my friend?? This is the type of behavior that I find distressing. Yes, if someone came to me and informed me that Americans need to be eradicated and it is their religious belief that teaches them to feel that way, I would decide that person was not worthy of my friendship. If the only thing you wish to do is convert me to your religious belief, then again, not worthy of my friendship. Respect me for my beliefs, find me to be a good person and judge me on that, not on what I choose to believe in. I can meet people that consider themselves Christian, and discover that these people couldn't be trusted as far as I threw them. So, judging someone on their religious belief, it doesn't give you the whole picture. There are good and bad people of all religious walks of life. Saying that I will dislike all Muslims, well, that would be wrong. There are plenty that I would consider trusted friends.

Side: No
0 points

I completely agree. Just because someone chooses to pray to a particular God (or gods or statues or whatever) you should not judge them based on that alone. That would be akin to judging someone on their sexual preference or some other "attribute" that doesn't necessarily tell you the whole story about the person.

Side: No
5 points

This is a no with a caveat, and that is, if their chosen belief system advocates any sort of violence and hatred toward other or anything that puts someone else at risk -- and these are this they subscribe to -- then yes, feel free to judge away.

Side: No
2 points

People are all created in the image an likeness of God. So first things first, they should not be judged...

Religion is not the only factor that determines how a person behaves or reacts. Judging means one is putting them into a pre-defined slot which might be not the case at all

Side: No
2 points

Never judge a person by their thoughts or beliefs, only by their actions!

Side: No

Absolutely not! To me it is outrageous to think that a person might be judged because of their religious convictions or affiliation. We are all born into the religion of our ancestors, much the same as we are born into the political bent of our families. Very few people know enough about their religion, let alone anyone else's, in order to be judged by another human being. I daresay the same is true of their political beliefs.

The only judgment I care to make on religion involves the matter of practice. Does one live their lives as a good and faithful follower of whatever religion one believes in or is it church on Sunday and 6 days of hooray for me and to hell with you? Whatever religion you are, learn more about it, follow it and live it! Are we so poor in spirit that we must judge anothers faith?

Side: My religion is MY acceptance of mankind
1 point

One should be judged by their character and personality, not what higher power they may, or may not, choose to believe.

Side: No
3 points

I totally agree. What, if any, is the benefit of judging someone based on their beliefs? If they believe in the wrong thing, so what! They'll go to hell (or whatever), not you!

Side: No
HGrey87(750) Disputed
1 point

What should you judge a person on, if not their beliefs about moral questions?

Side: Yes
Loudacris(914) Disputed
5 points

Their actions and behavior.

Side: Yes
1 point

No, they should not. Their religion is their own personal belief, which will most likely not influence you or anyone else in a negative way. If their religion does influence you in negative way though, (9/11 is an example of this) you should not judge the entire group following the religion, just the ones that committed the crime.

Side: No
1 point

The way the question is phrased it sounds too definitive as if one can know so much about a person merely by the 'name' of his religion. Far more important than that is a person's attitude or feeling or thoughts regarding religion, his relation to god and his fellow humans.

I once read that religion is like software (say MS Word vs. Word Perfect) it's what you're used to, they both offer the same general capabilities but what you create with them is the importatnt thing.

Side: No
1 point

Every religion has it's merits and flaws.

Will that woman choose a socially appropriate action based upon her Christian influences? Will that man help others based on his Jewish upbringing? Will that leader be a better person for being a Morman? Could that politician bring some new perspective to the table from her Muslim experiences? What do we really know about the social values of that teacher's religion?

We all wonder these things, but it is the actions of the past which we can and should judge. The teacher helps girls get ahead in math. The politician protects human rights. the leader stops a confrontation. The man runs a charity. The woman works with disabled adults. THESE things matter more than religious preference.

Some may choose to judge the religion, but it is the choices of the person following that religion we must analyze.

Side: No
1 point

No they should not, to turn a friend away because he worships Hinduism? Or maybe not listen to someones ideas just because they are Buddhist?

If everyone did that how could we get anything done? If everyone ignored everyone that wasn't in their religious category how could we learn about important discoveries or events etc etc?

Side: No
1 point

Its funny how people keep using 9/11 as an example of Islam. When Islam says that taking one life is like killing all of humanity. Also allah means one god in english. Look my best friends are christian, jewish and muslim. The Holocaust was committed by Adolf Hitler who was a christian, does that make all christians bad. Stop using 9/11 as an excuse to criticize all muslims because it is just an excuse to justify ignorance and lack of tolerance and ultimate hatred towards all muslims. You want to judge a person; in Islam there are 3 ways the prophet said you can do this: 1) travel with that person 2) ask the persons neighbor about that persons character 3) lend that person money. Thx

Side: yes
1 point

I have used this quote many times on this site and I will use it again.

"It's not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me."

-Batman

Another good qoute:

"All men are created equal."(emphasis on "created" not "equal")

Side: No
1 point

My girlfriends family says they wont let me date her if I do not attend church. I am a pagan and that is my preference. Is it a sin to judge others for their religious preference?

Side: No

A person should never be judged for his religious preference.

Side: No
0 points

Why should religion matter? the person is who they choose to be, not what their religion chooses for them.

Side: No
1 point

On the contrary. Politicians (perhaps the people our judgment of is most important) make many decisions on religious dogma, like support for Israel; positions against embryonic stem cell research, gay marriage, and other things.

Being a religious person also indicates a submission to faith and irrationality -- mocking the reasoning and intelligence faculties that separate us from the animals. I like people who are rational, logical, open minded, scientific, and independent.

Are you telling me that if someone claimed that, not only do they think there is a benevolent God, but (in a solipsistic rhapsody) that they know him, have a "relationship" with him, and seek him for advice; that they believe the rapture is around the corner; and that (among some) martyrdom is morally commendable, that you wouldn't see it appropriate to question this persons rationality?

Anti-theism
Side: No
-1 points

If we judge someone by their religious preferences that is the same as racism. You are judging someone based on what they believe rather than their skin color but it is the same. Plus you may miss out on a great person because you are so shallow.

Side: No
mmb98(40) Disputed
6 points

Oh please, that is not even close to the same thing. Race is not something you choose to believe in. It is not about logic or rationality, it has nothing to do with the most important questions we have about the universe we live in, it is a choice, and a choice made without any strong evidence.

Religion plays a huge role in it's followers' lives. For many people, especially religious ones, religion is their main guide on morality, it may make them homophobic, or racist, or hateful in all sorts of different ways - so why would I not judge them based on their beliefs? If a Muslim came up to you and explained his hatred of America purely for religious reasons and his hope that innocent Americans die, would you not judge him? Is that not part of religious preference? Same thing if I found out someone was a Jain or a Buddhist. I would judge them as being a peaceful person.

And also take note of the fact that religion plays a solid role in politics all around the world.

Side: Yes
3 points

Muslims don't hate America for religious reasons, and definitely not because they "hate our freedoms." Don't buy that propaganda. They're just the ones who are standing up most fervently to Capitalist Imperialism.

Osama Bin Laden's Speech

Read this all the way through. Consider what it's saying. Forget what Fox or CNN want you to believe. They are part of the corporatocracy he is trying to warn us against.

K, rant over. Sorry. But really, the best way to learn something new is to read the words of someone you think you disagree with.

Side: No
-1 points

If that be the case then nothing would ever get done in the world. Judge by character not by religion.

Side: No
-1 points

You should ask a Muslim this question!

Side: No