Wow! How stupid does Bill feel now? And how much respect do you think he deserves? Even if you agreed with him before because you did not understand how the tides work, clearly, there are those who understand them and can explain them, and with a little time and effort, you, too, can understand how they function. Once you know something, it hardly seems plausible to offer respect to someone else who remains willfully ignorant of the facts.

Now, there is a difference between respect and understanding. While I might not respect your ignorance, I can be sympathetic and understand why you might not have had a chance to learn the facts. However, if you are an old coot like Bill, and have had opportunities and access to the facts, but just choose to remain ignorant, or choose to cling to some ridiculous belief because it confirms some other beliefs you may have--I can offer you no respect. There is no respect for myself if I pretend that this position is in any way respectable.

So, no, not all beliefs deserve respect. And this is only one of example of many. I haven't even touched upon beliefs like those held by racists, rapists, misogynists, murderers, radical or fundamental Christians or Islamists, or any other religion for that matter, and any radical or fundamental beliefs that are hate and ignorance based. No, you do not get respect. You do not deserve respect. The burden of proof is on you to prove why such beliefs deserve respect. You cannot simply make a claim and get respect because you think you should, and you certainly shouldn't suggest that everyone is deserving of such an honor. It is an honor, by the way, and it has to be earned. Now, of course you are entitled to believe whatever you want, but when you demand respect for your beliefs, you had better be prepared to undergo the scrutiny of those beliefs to see how they hold up against proven thoughts, ideas and theories. And yes, thoughts, ideas and theories are always changing but reason, logic and rational thought has been pretty consistent for thousands of years. Like Tyson said, it's not so much the belief that bothers me, it's the satisfaction with such a belief that there is no longer any doubt to compel inquiry. That does not get respect in my book.