and this is the one that trips up all those imperious atheists like dawkins - there is a big, BIG difference between faith and religion.  i can, and do, respect people of faith without also respecting the religion they’re a part of and its history of oppression that they weren’t around for.

i can, and should, also endeavor to make sure i’m not arguing at them about the flaws of their religion.  there’s plenty of room to debate the merits of, say, gay marriage or abstinence-based sex ed and foreign aid, without using them as a proxy for the worst examples of their fellows.

the extent of their accountability is to avoid repeating past mistakes, and acknowledge that they benefit from their religion’s troubled history whether they actively participated in it or not.

if (and only if) they prove unwilling to do this, then they forfeit my respect.  that some people are pat robertson or richard dawkins doesn’t mean all people are.  it’s one thing to be cautious about who i give my respect to: it’s another to be carelessly disrespectful of anyone who comes along without giving them a fair chance.