What's the difference between being a bigot and standing up for your beliefs?

[Docturphil]

The only difference I see is one has a negative connotation and the other a positive connotation. At the end of the day though, you have to draw the line somewhere, right? Can you, for example, really call someone a bigot because they are intolerant of another person who believes in human sacrifice? An extreme example, sure, but where do you draw the line? Do you draw the line where someone's beliefs infringe on another person's rights? Because then you have to define what another person's rights are and also define what an infringement on those rights would be. I think that's easier said than done.

I think at the end of the day we're all bigots to some degree, unless you believe in nothing. I guess my point is the word "bigot" is a silly word that may or may not actually mean anything at all.

Thoughts?

[Jotaux]

It depends on what is socially acceptable at the time.

[hydrium]

Depends on how many liberals there are next to you. The more liberals near you the more bigoted you become, unless you're Muslim, then you can behead babies and they'll applaud you for being so progressive.

[Darsithis]

A bigot is someone who is intolerant of someone with a differing opinion. A bigot can stand up for their beliefs, it's not mutually exclusive, and it doesn't mean their beliefs aren't bigoted.

[rogueMatthias]

From what I gather from most online discussions these days -

If I agree with your view , you're standing up for your beliefs. If I don't agree with you, then you're a bigot, a sexist and a racist and I don't need to be able to defend my own views or have any proof to know you're wrong.

[Roose]

If your beliefs include thinking everone else that is different from you is an inferior being, you might be a bigot.

[chewie49]

I'd say if you are 'bigoted' against something morally wrong (evil) then that would not be a bad thing. It's pretty simple to discover that which most people consider moral behavior (or universally preferable behavior). the quick and dirty test is to see what we teach our children as being right or wrong:

1. its wrong to hit. do not initiate the use of force
2. its wrong to steal or snatch a toy from someone else. do not take something which is not yours.
3. keep your hands to yourself. respect property rights.
4. don't fib. don't lie.
5. the golden rule. do to others as you wish done to you. if you wish to be left alone, leave others alone.

so if we take your example of human sacrifice (assume it's not consensual on the part of the person being killed); then we can see that it does not respect property rights, and it's a violation of the non-aggression principle. therefore we can conclude that taking a 'bigoted' stance against it would be the moral, and therefore the right, thing to do

[zEmini]

A bigot is someone who is intolerant of someone with a differing opinion. A bigot can stand up for their beliefs, it's not mutually exclusive, and it doesn't mean their beliefs aren't bigoted.

So every human being on the planet is a bigot?

[Forgettable]

"Standing up for your beliefs" being something socially accepted is entirely stupid. There are a lot of unintelligent people out there that believe in a lot of things that are factually incorrect. Why? Because they're encouraged to. Apparently in this day and age it's still alright to belief something that's contrary to objective fact.

[Docturphil]

A bigot is someone who is intolerant of someone with a differing opinion. A bigot can stand up for their beliefs, it's not mutually exclusive, and it doesn't mean their beliefs aren't bigoted.

So can someone who is not bigoted stand up for their beliefs? If it's not mutually exclusive, is it mutually inclusive?

[Darkeon]

So every human being on the planet is a bigot?

Depending on who you ask; Yes.

[Calfredd]

"Standing up for your beliefs" being something socially accepted is entirely stupid. There are a lot of unintelligent people out there that believe in a lot of things that are factually incorrect. Why? Because they're encouraged to. Apparently in this day and age it's still alright to belief something that's contrary to objective fact.

Like the Flat Earth Society?

[Darsithis]

So every human being on the planet is a bigot?

So can someone who is not bigoted stand up for their beliefs? If it's not mutually exclusive, is it mutually inclusive?

No, "every human" is not a bigot. Standing up for your beliefs if they're factual isn't being bigoted. Standing up for your beliefs that cannot be proved can be bigoted, depends the viewpoint. For instance, if I refuse to back down on my belief that the Earth is round, I'm not being bigoted; there is factual proof that we live on a spherical world. If I refused to back down that people who are gay are evil and should die, I'm a bigot.

[Docturphil]

"Standing up for your beliefs" being something socially accepted is entirely stupid. There are a lot of unintelligent people out there that believe in a lot of things that are factually incorrect. Why? Because they're encouraged to. Apparently in this day and age it's still alright to belief something that's contrary to objective fact.

Are you suggesting we shouldn't tolerate people who stand up against a bully? Because that's the danger of throwing around a blanket statement like that. "Standing up for your beliefs" can mean a lot of different things. Some of what people stand up for fall under your category of "factually incorrect". Many others do not.

[primalmatter]

There isn't actually anything wrong with being a bigot pretty much everyone is save for people so retarded(medically) they can not hold beliefs.

- - - Updated - - -

No, "every human" is not a bigot. Standing up for your beliefs if they're factual isn't being bigoted. Standing up for your beliefs that cannot be proved can be bigoted, depends the viewpoint. For instance, if I refuse to back down on my belief that the Earth is round, I'm not being bigoted; there is factual proof that we live on a spherical world. If I refused to back down that people who are gay are evil and should die, I'm a bigot.

Even if they can be proved you are a bigot...

You can check Oxford dictionary on this.

Being dismissive of the theory the human race was created by a time traveling Adolf Hitler for example makes you bigoted against that idea.

[The Casualty]

If I refused to back down that people who are gay are evil and should die, I'm a bigot.

However, by your definition, if you are intolerant of those same homophobic people, you are also a bigot.

[Docturphil]

No, "every human" is not a bigot. Standing up for your beliefs if they're factual isn't being bigoted. Standing up for your beliefs that cannot be proved can be bigoted, depends the viewpoint. For instance, if I refuse to back down on my belief that the Earth is round, I'm not being bigoted; there is factual proof that we live on a spherical world. If I refused to back down that people who are gay are evil and should die, I'm a bigot.

What if I stand up for my belief that no one should ever steal in a case where someone is stealing because they might otherwise starve to death? Am I a bigot?

[Darsithis]

Being dismissive of the theory the human race was created by a time traveling Adolf Hitler for example makes you bigoted against that idea.

However, by your definition, if you are intolerant of those same homophobic people, you are also a bigot.

If you really want to look at it that way, that's fine, but that doesn't mean that those beliefs have to be entertained.

What if I stand up for my belief that no one should ever steal in a case where someone is stealing because they might otherwise starve to death? Am I a bigot?

I don't think that makes anyone a bigot. The definition of a bigot is:

a person who strongly and unfairly dislikes other people, ideas, etc. : a bigoted person; especially : a person who hates or refuses to accept the members of a particular group (such as a racial or religious group)

Standing up for someone stealing something to survive isn't "strongly and unfairly disliking other people or ideas".

[primalmatter]

If you really want to look at it that way, that's fine, but that doesn't mean that those beliefs have to be entertained.

The thing is they do if you don't want to be bigot.

This isn't really up for debate you can read the Oxford dictionary you are not gonna win this one...

It is why I find it so bizarre to find bigot thrown around as though it was a insult. I always know I am talking to puppet who has been told what to say when they start peppering me with buzz words they don't understand the meaning to.

[Docturphil]

If you really want to look at it that way, that's fine, but that doesn't mean that those beliefs have to be entertained.



I don't think that makes anyone a bigot. The definition of a bigot is:



Standing up for someone stealing something to survive isn't "strongly and unfairly disliking other people or ideas".

Sure it would be being a bigot. The person stealing believes that it is OK to steal because they're about to starve. I am intolerant of their belief that they have the right to steal. How is that not being bigoted?