Exactly. No other form of stupidity or delusion is given a 'free pass' in the way religion is. All other outlandish statements (on, say, politics, sport, science) are open to be challenged, without anyone questioning our right to challenge them. But when it comes to religion, there are those who think we should all just accept every ridiculous statement and treat the person making the statement with respect.

Chief Stinkwort wrote:Rugby League family, I need your help. Recently, I've been heavily involved with a campaign called the Coalition For Equal Marriage (C4EM). This campaign seeks to alter the definition of marriage which has held back mankind well since year dot. You will no doubt have heard certain noisy parties in the media declaring their support for an alternative definition of marriage. I respectfully submit that such a reclassification would have a profoundly positive impact on society. If you are interested in hearing more, or if you are willing to help, please visit: http://c4em.org.uk When you visit the site you can sign the petition and show your support for a new definition of marriage. Thanks Done and posted on Twitter.

Chief Stinkwort wrote:Rugby League family, I need your help. Recently, I've been heavily involved with a campaign called the Coalition For Equal Marriage (C4EM). This campaign seeks to alter the definition of marriage which has held back mankind well since year dot. You will no doubt have heard certain noisy parties in the media declaring their support for an alternative definition of marriage. I respectfully submit that such a reclassification would have a profoundly positive impact on society. If you are interested in hearing more, or if you are willing to help, please visit: http://c4em.org.uk When you visit the site you can sign the petition and show your support for a new definition of marriage. Thanks Done and posted on Twitter.

Let's hope you fall down a mineshaft before your unpleasant imaginary friend issues such an order, then.

Its part of the teaching, some may call it brain-washing.

I have Catholic friends who were brought up within strict Catholic environments where they were simply not allowed to question the word of their god or of the priest or indeed of the teachers in their Catholic school - you'd think that education would be the one place where free thinking and analytical questioning would be actively encouraged, but apparently not in a school under religious control - children can be very perceptive and innocently analytical in their questioning of adults, the question of the eye burrowing worm is blatently obvious to a child but such questions display a shocking lack of acceptance of the teachings of their bible and so would be instantly quashed with the catch-all phrase "Ours is not to question why" or "He moves in mysterious ways".

Tell me why I should refuse such an instruction?

I'm talking about some non-religious people who think that religious people shouldn't have their views challenged. They think that religious belief should be respected, purely because it's religion and not some other belief.

Edited for accuracy.

I think there's a real case for reporting Kirkstaller to the police in fact. He's just publicly admitted that if he hears voices in his head telling him to kill people he'd happily oblige. He is clearly a danger to the public and in need of psychiatric help.

Seriously.

Have to accept? Or choose to accept?

Who deems what is acceptable or unacceptable? Morals. Ethics. Law. You can choose whether to adhere to, or indeed have any of these.

With regards the OP. People can chose to follow a religion, or a belief and people can chose not to and as has been exercised, some can challenge someone else's beliefs. We are all free thinking individuals.

Yes. And no.

In the case of Kirkstaller, as far as we know, he became religious in adulthood and through choice: although again on the basis of taking what he has told us at face value, that may have been as a result of the stress of severe illness. But in essence, we're talking about an adult making a choice.

However, when children are indoctrinated from birth, it can be very, very difficult to throw off that indoctrination. It is not simply a matter of 'choice'.

And unlike other childhood beliefs – Father Christmas, Tooth Fairy etc – religious belief is supported by earthly authorities, from what we might view as the slight cultural ones (state church in UK, for instance) to the much more immediate and influential, such as teachers and family.

Yep. If he's not trolling, he's probably mentally ill.