I think it depends on what level of respect we are talking
about.
Yes, it does depend on what you mean by respect. And I believe you
know my meaning. If a person wants to take it to the extreme and
expect respect to mean bowing and giving reverence, then it's
totally a different meaning altogether.
If the level of respect is "you're delusional but I respect your
right to believe whatever you want as long as it doesn't harm me."
then yes, it is entirely possible to respect a religion or its
followers without having to believe in it.
But to completely respect a religion, don't you have to believe
it?
See Above.
There are always two ways to look at a religion if you don't
believe it because you don't believe the fundamental
suppositions.
I don't believe in Islam, but I do not go around speaking ill of
their faith or their followers.To not believe in it is one thing,
but to go overboard and start being insulting about it just for the
sake of it is a different thing. This doesn't just apply to just
Christianity but also to Buddhism, Islam or any other religion.
For example, on one hand, you could say that christianity has
done a lot of good. On the other hand, you could say that
christians don't do good for it's own sake, but because they think
an inivisible sky god is going to reward them.
I think your example is still different from what I was talking
about, I'm only addressing one's right to religious choice, be it a
choice of with a religion or without. But to just comment on your
example, doing good is not always about rewards. There is really
such thng as doing good because that's what you want for the other
person.