Do people have a right to believe anything they want, even if that belief is dangerous?

That's an interesting article. I don't see how we can change what people believe, but we can stop allowing freedom of speech to protect those who voice dangerous beliefs, hatred, incitement of violence etc. Europe already does this, to some extent.

Another factor lies in determining what exactly constitutes evidence for belief. While one camp thinks they have any evidence, however ridiculous it may seem to others, the belief will seem valid to them. That much is evident on SW.

It is not realistic to force people to change their beliefs. What we can do is punish those who act on or promote certain dangerous beliefs.

You can’t physically get inside their brain and know for sure what they really believe, though.

That’s why I question the whole concept of religious conversions. Nobody except the person themself is ever going to know for sure what he REALLY thinks.

What if you thought you were a member of a church, and somehow you became able to read minds; and you discovered that nobody in your church actually believed. What would that do to your religion?

Many religious or superstitious beliefs are dangerous yet people believe in them

rights exist only if there are people willing to dispose of those who infringe upon them but with laws criminalizing victims and allowing criminals to sue should they injure themselves while trespassing on property im inclined to say that the only rights are those you can enforce yourself, for yourself and for those you care about.

thats how rome was able to hand out rights to whomever they felt was worthy of them, by trampling the perceived rights of other peoples and subjugating them with the promise of the "right" to less subjugation should they play along and work towards the betterment of the conquering empire from a far away land, usually by giving up their children as tributes,

but should those children survive their 30 year service they would have MUCH better lives than they would have had if they had stayed living in savage tribes so there were both ups and downs to having romans rights forced on you through physical force and threat of slow death.

Just because I do not believe the same, it doesn't mean I have the right to castigate those that do or ban there beliefs.

There isn't much you can do to change their beliefs without their willingness. Dangerous beliefs are those that have ramifications in reality. There are laws against that already.

You have a right to believe anything no matter how illogical or ill informed, but you must be prepared to have those beliefs challenged.

Well you can’t stop people from believing in something and unless you act violently on those beliefs, I believe there should be no regulations on expressing your thoughts.

I'd like to be free to believe whatever I want
but I have a responsibility to other people

Honestly, can you stop them, no.