Is Islamophobia Justified?

[Dystopia]

I refuse to accept an etymological treacherous word like "Islamophobia" the same way I would refuse similar words like "Christianphobia" or "Judeophobia" or "Buddhismphobia" - It's not phobia, or hatred, or discrimination to criticize what's wrong with religion - Even if followers feel offended... Oh being offended is so convenient isn't it? Let me explain something - There's a difference between something being "offensive" and being "harmful" - Some jokes, for example, are offensive but not harmful, and likewise a group of fancy words that are not offensive to the naked eye can be harmful if it promotes hate, persecution or violence. In this context, I don't support parties or people like "professor" that target Muslims simply because they are opposed to Judeo-Christian values and Europe/America's Christian heritage or whatever the hell they call it - But I also oppose minorities (religious) who use the words "phobia" or "offended" as an excuse to try to censor freedom of speech. So fuck governments and fuck hate speech laws protecting religions (I'm ok with protection of individuals) I'd rather be fined heavily than be quiet and consent to a system that simultaneously affords protection to religion that is harmful and opposes important problems like raising minimum wages, giving equal rights to homosexuals, trans*, genderqueers, racial minorities and so on. Quite the contrary, my government think it's ok for gay people to not be able to donate blood or for parents to be able to sue teachers if they mention "homosexuality" as part of a health/sex education class as something natural or normal.

So yeah, just because you're offended that doesn't equate with being harmed, atheists offend many people but rarely promote hate, contrary to some theists who directly advocate persecuting, hating, condemning and even executing some people who think differently.

Here's a gift
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaJelU29jeI

[Lemonvariable72]

Everytime I hear that word I think, they are muslims not spiders. In practice I say hate the belief not the believer as it is impossible to tar any group that big with one brush. Sure some are nuts, but most are just people. They laugh they cry, they fuck up, they succeed just like the rest of us.

[robvalue]

I hate islam. I hate Christianity. I hate them because they involve worshipping books that are horrific.

I don't hate christians as a whole, or hate muslims as a whole. I hate, and am scared of, terrorists and warmongers, whatever their motivation. It just so happens that the bible and the Quran give people easy justification for being a complete bastard, including killing.

I dislike the fact that anyone chooses to promote the idea of faith as a good idea, and that these books are good rather than dangerous. I don't hate the person doing it, I hate that part of their actions and I hope they continue to think about why they are doing it, and if it's a good idea.

I thought it might help to clear my position up as I think I may have been misunderstood recently.

I consider myself a balanced and KILL THEM ALL reasonable person, and I hope this is reflected in my views.

[jesus_wept]

Islam is the loveliest and fluffiest religion of all and anyone who thinks otherwise must be some sort of looney with a phobia.

[No_God]

Robvalue, summed up my feelings on the matter pretty well.

[Regina]

I think it depends by what we take to mean "Islamophobia"

I think we can all agree it's not cool to go up to random innocent Muslims in the street and start snatching hijabs. Not cool. The fight shouldn't be against individual Muslims, it should be a criticism of the entire religion as an ideology.

The religion as a whole should not be exempt from criticism. As with any other religion, if you're going to have practices which some of the girls will not be impressed with, you have to have some ability to take criticism. I think with Islam in particular, more so than other religions, there's a sensitivity to comments. It's almost an entitlement complex to me. It's this attitude that they should be able to practice conservative Islam with complete freedom from criticism, or a critique on the human rights abuses that lifestyle condones. You can't have it both ways.

If we're talking about secular Islamic movements, those are fine. Any secular religion is compatible in a modern society and there is no reason to have a problem with that.

[Mental Outlaw]

Okay, so it seems like quite a few people here do not think Islamophobia is justified, and those who don't gave some very good reasons. I just want to ask a follow up question, not to necessarily change your mind, but to see how you would react to something similar yet different. Say a group of Neo Nazi's moved into the house across the street from you, they collect Nazi propaganda, have swastikas tatted on their bodies, fly a Nazi flag in the front yard, meet at Nazi and kkk rallies regularly, carry a copy of Mein Kampf with them, and often times bring up conversations about how great they think Hitler was, occasionally some of them might try to convert you to their way of thinking, but they are not overly pushy about it. Would you treat them exactly the same as in "if they arn't violent, then there is nothing to worry about." Or would the group of Nazi's make you a little more uneasy?

[Dystopia]

Okay, so it seems like quite a few people here do not think Islamophobia is justified, and those who don't gave some very good reasons. I just want to ask a follow up question, not to necessarily change your mind, but to see how you would react to something similar yet different. Say a group of Neo Nazi's moved into the house across the street from you, they collect Nazi propaganda, have swastikas tatted on their bodies, fly a Nazi flag in the front yard, meet at Nazi and kkk rallies regularly, carry a copy of Mein Kampf with them, and often times bring up conversations about how great they think Hitler was, occasionally some of them might try to convert you to their way of thinking, but they are not overly pushy about it. Would you treat them exactly the same as in "if they arn't violent, then there is nothing to worry about." Or would the group of Nazi's make you a little more uneasy?

I really think you should stop analogies without much sense - Nazism and Islam aren't exactly the same, ya know? And I think that's probably what would trigger an offensive reaction from a Muslim

Of course I wouldn't be easy on a Nazi group, granted that my country doesn't allow racism groups to be recognized as illegal - There's still one party that hides racism behind fancy words - I don't ignore them, I fight against them within the possible means, I don't want to go back 100 years because some people want to bring back fascism.

[thesummerqueen]

The difference is that a Muslim who isn't violent isn't necessarily also one who believes their race is the master race. They may not be bigoted towards other races or religions at all.

Neo Nazis may not be violent, but they are always bigoted.

[user]

I don't think the word islamophobia should exist. Phobia means the irrational fear of something. How is it irrational to fear a group that considers a man who married a 6 year old and um... you know, when she was 9, a role model? How is it irrational to fear a group that, in every single fucking country it has become a majority in, that country turned to shit. I used to always say 10 years ago all islamic countries except for turkey are shit, because turkey was secular. Now I confidently say all muslim countries are shit. Their increase in number is strongly corrolated with increase in chaos, crime and decline. Where is the phobia exactly? And I have not started talking about terrorism yet, beheading, their view of women etc...

I'm middle eastern btw. Living in one of the shithole countries that bases laws on religion, I try along with many liberal groups to pass basic laws like making violence against women in the household illegal, or getting more than 6 month jail for burning your wife alive. But even that is a battle. Civil marriage... forget it. And forget gay marriage, we're still fighting for the right of any man to marry any woman I used to not dislike muslims, but then I grew up, and I simply saw too many disturbing shit, and faced too many roadblocks, there is no doubt in my mind that that group is nothing but chaos and degradation taking form.