>People have an absolute right to be religious if they want to ... But they shouldn't expect to be respected for it ... Indeed, they should expect the opposite: to be mocked and laughed at.

Many people find religion for many different reasons. To categorize them all as people to be mocked is equally doltish but the opposite to religious people telling everyone they are going to hell (for whatever thing they don't like). Your statement is an equal but opposite reaction to that which you loath. No one likes a rabid conservative, no one likes a rabid liberal. Rabid is rabid regardless of what comes out of their mouth.

>idea of "free speech" has been intrumentalized by a lot of people to shield themselves and the absurd views they hold

I think you are practicing what you are preaching.