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what is the reason for islamophobia?

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lightbulb247 | 07:15 Thu 23rd Aug 2012 | Religion & Spirituality
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Yes, i understand recent years have not shown Islam in a good light, however other religion have and are doing bad things aswell, yet there is less hatred for these than there are for islam. Why?

Also people dont seem to understand the term "minority". Only a minority of muslims do bad things yet the whole religion is blamed. Again, why?
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If that is the case then it seems as usual it only takes a few bad apples to override the good unfortunately.
Name the other religions please.

I haven't seen too many hell bent on taking towers and planes down, blowing busess and trains up, never mind the odd warship or embassy, all supposedly in the quest for meeting virigins.
It's been said before that it's likened to the IRA - there were only a relatively few of them, but Christianity didn't seem to get blamed for that. IMO people don't like "different" and the way Islam is growing. I agree with you, the Muslims I know are not remotely inclined to terrorism.
...and it is the same with human nature, I can spend five years doing a good job at work, but it's the one mistake I make which people will remember.
I agree with you boxy and the muslims I know would distance themselves from such things too.
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//I haven't seen too many hell bent on taking towers and planes down, blowing busess and trains up, //

My point exactly. How many muslims actually want to take towers and planes down? or are you just making a judgement because of the few minority who do?
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to name other religions, as boxtops mentioned the IRA, also the tamil tigers. Christian and catholic priests who rape children. Buddhists killing hundreds of innocent muslims in Burma. Is that enough for you?
because any number of your brothers and sisters have expressed the opinion that Islam will one day rule, across Europe, certainly in Britain, where you have the likes of the odious Anjem Choudary proclaiming loudly that he wishes to install sharia law in Britain. that doesn't go down too well here amongst people who have had this sort of rhetoric shoved at them before. He may be bonkers who knows, but suspect that he does a disservice to many who simply want to get on with their lives. But push comes to shove, even moderate Muslims do not openly condemn this, if more did and stood shoulder to shoulder against the extremists then perhaps your religion wouldn't get the attention in such a negative way.
Those who put bombs on trains, planes and buses did you all a bad turn, now we see some of the repercussions.
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yes, because thats what they believe, however they dont all go killing innocents over it do they. And the fact the whole religion is being blamed and there's groups like the BNP and EDL does not help, does it?
have the BNP, EDL killed anyone recently, have they stood up and said openly they wish to, no. Where you have extremists you have counter extremists, so they are at loggerheads, neither will get what they want, meanwhile the majority law abiding people, are sometime caught in the middle.
Only a "minority" of people are islamaphobic.
Not just bombs on buses. Look at he way they treat women.
doctorb, exactly. I dislike all religions, so not picking out one particular one.
I didn't know the IRA was a religious organisation, or the Tamil Tigers- you learn something on here every day......

And what is the percentage of priests involved in child abuse - small - and if you want to get onto that subject there what about 55 year old Saudis marrying 14 year old Tunisian girls....(and I know a case because he is the brother of a major Saudi agent of mine in the past).

Bhuddists killing Muslims, I do not know about except there is intra-country sectarian issues just as Muslims have been killing Hindis and Sikhs - and vica versa in India. That is where politics comes into religion and that is the issue - Muslimdom is perhaps too entwined politically with the State in many countries.
You know the answer to this already, or you probably do. Islam is perceived by many as being a militant religion, and this perception comes easily, given the almost daily diet we get of news stories of death and destruction, assassination and blasphemy, mobs of the faithful chanting allah is great and threatening great reprisals on the non -believers.

And whilst any thinking person will know perfectly well that of course the actions of a few should not condemn the many, it is also a perception that for the extremists to thrive and commit the atrocities they do, they need the support of their community. This view holds true of all extremist groups. There is a feeling that the muslim community do not do enough to criticise the extreme views offered, do not do enough to counter the spread of extremism within their own community.

People are people everywhere, and many fear the unknown or the different, most especially if viewed as a threat. We even get calls for the implementation of Sharia Law within the UK - in fact, I am sure that in parts of the UK such laws are being followed right now, even if it is not formally recognised.We live in a democratic community, and all groups are entitled to lobby and represent their point of view, but the perception is that the muslim community wish to either impose their minority views on the majority, or that they wish to abide by a separate legal and justice code from the rest of us. Neither option is acceptable.

Then we have these crimes, viewed as specific to the muslim community, that have been exported to the UK and the west more generally- " honour" killings is a classic example.

So, whilst your main point, that the actions of a minority should not be used as a measure for the whole community, there are plenty of issues that need resolution.

Islam is a proselytising religion - It wishes to convert all to its view, to establish a Caliphate. Islam is seen as a fervent religion, which permeates and affects all aspects of daily life - a thought unpalatable to the majority in the West, I suspect. Islam breeds fanatics prepared to die to enforce their views on everyone, whilst the majority of the muslim community look on, silent in their lack of condemnation of such acts, and therefore seen as indirectly complicit in such actions.

If muslims ever hope to live side by side with non muslims, free from fear and mistrust, the religion needs to mature, and fast.

Blasphemy is a ridiculous notion, and to punish anyone from what amounts to thought crime is indefensible. Killing girls and women because of some imagined slight on honour needs to stop ( and i am talking about perceptions here- it may not be a crime endorsed by the religion, but it is seen as an issue particular to the muslim community)
Issuing fatwas, for writing satirical verses mocking your religion has to stop. Baying for blood over the burning of the koran needs to stop. Beheading kidnap victims needs to stop. Raising armies in places like Afghanistan, Somalia, Yemen, Mali - all needs to to stop.Suicide bombs and flying hijacked plains into buildings needs to stop.

Persecution is ugly and horrible - but the litany of vile and violent crimes associated with Islam needs to be addressed by Muslims if they ever hope to be treated as equals, free from suspicion and loathing borne out of fear and loathing...................
I won't lie - I'm extremely critical of any and all religion, but the principles and ideas Islam has earned itself a particular level of dislike in my heart. For me, there is a difference between attacking Islam and attacking Muslims themselves - it's important to tread the difference.

I don't dislike Islam because of the tiny minority of its followers who represent terrorist threats - pretty much any all religion, ideology or even economic doctrine has fanatics like that. I don't dislike it on the grounds of the actions of minorities.

My problem with Islam is something that IS very widespread among the entire faith - its attitude towards LGBT people. If you were to isolate the biggest problem for people who lesbian, gay or bisexual worldwide the answer would unambiguously be religion - and among all the religions Islam is the chief offender. In just about every single Muslim-majority country in the world, from the middle east to vast stretches of Asia, homosexuality is illegal. Even among those with more secular laws that do not persecute it (such as Turkey or Jordan), it is still extremely difficult to be gay - the level of homophobia is so high that outside the infrastructure of the law, systematic discrimination, hate, and often abuse.

This even happens within countries where Islam is not the majority faith - in India, for instance, same-sex intercourse was legalised for adults only three years ago. This was a hangover from Christian legislation introduced by the British Empire, but after the British left, who were the biggest interest groups campaigning to up hold the law? Who were its most outspoken defenders? It was India's Muslims.

In the UK, LGBT in Islamic families are *constantly* afraid to come out - in a society which has made some of the most remarkable progress regarding gay rights anywhere in the world, citizens of this country are frequently denied the right to participate in that freedom because they are terrified of what their families will do. This certainly isn't a problem unique to Muslim families, but it is indescribably common amongst them.

That's my main beef with Islam as a faith. It cannot be attributed to a minority - homophobia is a product of Islam every corner of the world it turns up in. Neither can it be brushed away by simply pointing out homophobic tendencies among Christians or Jews - these are both true, but in the modern world I don't think they represent anything like the scale of threat that Islam does. It is quite simply one of - if not the - biggest threats to equal rights in the entire world.
Well said lazy gun and kromovaracun.
A phobia is an irrational fear. The fear of Islam is not irrational.

I have yet to come acorss a Mulim who doesn't think the whole world should be an islamic society. Even supposedly "moderate" muslims like our own Keyplus believe this.
^^ Ditto!! Excellent posts both.

I've nothing to add at the moment - so I'll sit back with my popcorn and watch the peoceedings with interest.
My last was to LG & Krom's posts.

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