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I’d like to add my few cents worth to your comments.

I get quite tired of people proclaiming what God says or requires, as if their personal beliefs constitute an objective fact.

I have great respect for other people’s beliefs, but that respect tends to disappear when they proclaim that those beliefs are facts. Because when they do so they are articulating their utter disrespect for those who believe differently.

I would be much more comfortable in these discussions if people would say, “I believe God requires this,” rather than “God requires this.”

This leaves the door open to showing equal respect for the beliefs of others.

There is a difference between respecting the belief of others and respecting the volition of others.

I do no respect beliefs which are false when I am aware of them, but I do respect the rights of another to their volition. It is disrespectful to God’s volition to rebel from His faith which He provides us, so when we become aware of another faith contrary to His, it is incumbant upon us not to accept the false faith, but to remain in faith through Christ as He has provided.

This leaves the door open to showing equal respect for the beliefs of others.

What if someone says "I believe that God wants us to go out and kill everyone who doesn't bow to Mecca three times a day." Is that person right? Should we show "equal respect" for his beliefs as we do the beliefs of others? The fact is, there is objective truth, and it's found in the Bible, which is the way that God has chosen to communicate with us about who he is and what he demands of us. Now, there can be differences of opinion about what various portions of scripture mean, but there is a right and wrong answer about each meaning. The key is to try to be right on the important things, which demands knowing what things are important and reasoning through the various explanations to determine which one makes the most sense in the context in which it is presented and according to the intent of the writer.

Now, some would disagree and say that the Bible is to each man whatever he wants it to be. I can promise you that is not what God intended for it to be, and people will be judged not on what THEIR INTERPRETATION of scripture was, but on what the scriptures actually meant.