When I was 9, I got kicked out of Sunday School. We lived in Chula Vista and attended a conservative synagogue, and I guess it is more accurate to say I was asked to leave class and not return. Probably I was considered disruptive, or in the whining language of my children’s teachers, “unmotivated to learn.”

Not true. I was the most motivated individual in the room. But I persisted in asking who created God.

It was a sincere question. I had taken in the story of creation as told in Genesis, I had acquired an image of God as a tall farmer-type, white-bearded and fair-minded with a tendency toward benevolence, standing on green grass beside a classic well. He was clad in divine agricultural overalls. The image begged the question: who made Him?

My teacher tried to shush me and changed the subject. I cooperated with the next lesson but then returned to my question. The teacher as much as told me to shut up already, to stop asking and move on. I couldn’t move on. I was stuck at the question. I meant no disrespect; I meant to learn more.

As the tussle continued I became angry. I’m sure my words could be interpreted as disrespectful but as far as I was concerned, that was beside the point. I was shown the door instead of enlightenment. I was asked to stop attending the class.

That wasn’t the only or last time I was told to respect stupid behavior simply because the behaver was old. I disagreed with the idea then and I persist in disagreeing. Even now, an elder myself, I don’t expect respect because of my age.

Don’t misunderstand. I am not advocating disrespect for elders. I just don’t think they should get favored status if they don’t deserve it.

I begin every relationship with respect for the other. That’s the case even if the other isn’t human. And I’m certainly going to assume that an older person, filled with so many experiences, is likely to be more wise, balanced, and worthy of respect than someone less practiced at forming judgments.

But a fool is a fool at any age. And once an individual forfeits the right to respect, she or he will have to act impressively to regain it.