Acceptance: Where Do You Draw the Line?

[Aisling]

The structure of other people's realities is clearly in the category of None Of My Damn Business, whether they think they're Napoleon or a pink were-ferret.

When people use the excuse of their personal realities to demand inappropriate treatment or special consideration, well, because their personal realities are none of my business, I continue to treat them as is appropriate in my reality.

When people use the excuse of their personal realities to be raving assholes, I disinvite them from spaces I have jurisdiction over, because who wants to hang out with assholes?

 
Essentially what Darkhawk has said here.  

My line of tolerance is drawn at the point where someone transitions from saying "I am this unprovable, extraordinary thing" to "I am this unprovable, extraordinary thing and therefore I demand to be treated differently and you must act accordingly."

[Etheric1]

The Pagan community is strong on accepting people as they are and treating them as they wish. In general, I think that's a good idea. However, where do you draw the line?

For example, I think it is fine to treat people as whatever gender they say they are because there is real world "scientific" evidence that physical characteristics do not always map to gender one for one.

However, what about these cases?

1) Person A claims to be of religion X and wishes to be treated as such, but obviously totally ignores the known tenets of that religion. Should everyone treat them as religion X? What about other members of religion X?

2) Person B claims to really be another species even through they are obviously biologically human.

3) Person C claims to be the reincarnation of historical person X and expects to be treated like they were person X (e.g. their statements about what person X believes/knows accepted, etc.)

4) Person D claims to be the current incarnation of an ascended master, demon, angel, deity, etc. and believes he/she should be treated as such.

Where (and why) do you draw the line on acceptance issues like these?

 
1) I'll probably treat them as well as they treat me.  I might call them out on their behavior if they do something particularly obnoxious, but for the most part I'll either nod and agree while ignoring the fact that they are acting inconsistently with their belief systems.  We all occasionally act outside our chosen belief system from time to time, and sometimes that's got a very good reason driving it.

2)  This one annoys the hell out of me and strikes me as someone that is incredibly delusional.  I will generally avoid the person.  If they push it I might pop their fantasy bubble.  I'm not sure tolerance should extend to the point where potential mental illness is being supported.

3) Um, no.  There is no way they could possibly prove their claims are true.  I'll treat them by their actions they have shown that I have observed.  I'm not going to encourage any form of entitlement idea they think they deserve.

4) Same as what I posted for 3.  Unless they can show that they have some sort of demonstrable power that can't be explained away.  

I really do not think people that actually act like most of these should be encouraged.  If they want to live in a fantasy world, that's fine.  But I draw the line when their beliefs start to intrude on other people's lives in a way that they think the deserve to be treated vastly different from other people.  Having said that, I do tend to treat people respectfully and kindly until there is a good reason to do otherwise.  But for the most part, I'll probably stay silent or avoid the person unless they really push it.