Is "Islamophobia" the same as antisemitism?

[FatAndFaithless]

I think Islamophobia is a word that is mostly made up and useless (in the sense that people often use it to mean anti-Muslim). Sure, there are people that have irrational fear and contempt of Muslims, as in the people, and those people are rather obvious about it (some of the more firebrand preachers in the US for example). But Islam is not a race, any more than Christianity is. Judaism is a wee bit different because it really is much more cultural and familial, even to the point where being "Jewish" is dependent upon the bloodline, especially through one's mother. Additionally, being anti-Semitic is being anti Semite, which again is a people, not just a set of ideas, which really is dangerous (i.e. this entire group of people is bad based on their nature/race/religion). Being against a set of ideas (not even a 'phobia', just disagreeing earnestly with it) is totally different. If I loudly criticize a belief set or say that it can encourage very bad decisions, it's not a 'phobia', it's an honest opinion. I cross the line when I say that any person that follows that belief set is somehow inferior or evil or deserving of contempt (as anti-Semitism does).

People try to conflate the concept of a belief system with the concept of a person, which is dangerously negligent. Criticizing ideas is not criticizing people, and being vocal about your disagreements is not a 'phobia'.