what is the reason for islamophobia?

[lightbulb247]

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?

[beso]

Islam is theocratic fascism. Throughout history, fascists have been bad for the planet.

[jake-the-peg]

//Islam is theocratic fascism//

In Indonesia? (worlds largest muslim country)
In Turkey?

Seems to me that people think because Jihadists are muslims therefore muslims are terrorists

Fundamental failure of logic

Nobody whould think because Tesco is a Supermarket then Supermarkets are all Tesco.

So why do they think the former?

The media is full of material about "Islamic terrorism" all the time nd it's often very emmotive - they get people angry and people don't think clearly when they're angry.

[emmie]

hope that i put similar views, as to the persecution of homosexuals, agreed that it seems a widespread problem across Islamic nations. Britain has changed it's views, laws on so many matters over the years, much to the good, like decriminalising homosexuality, though that was not until fairly recently. we have come along way, equality of women in the workplace, still not won, but great inroads. Now we have a situation where some people in Britain seemingly want to take us back to those dark times, with their ideologies that don't sit well with the majority. That is my specific beef, women and equality. when i was born, had i been able to understand, talk, why would i think i was different from my brothers, unequal, but law, and society told me so. Now things have changed, good, but seeing many women walking around the streets of the capital dressed in black, veiled, doesn't make me think the battle is won, more that we have incorporated yet more problems from some people who have come here set up homes, yet live exactly as they would do in their own countries. The liberals think this should be entirely acceptable, why should they lose their culture, well they don't have to, but why come to any country and behave, congregate in exactly the same way, it has never made sense to me, be it the British abroad, or Pakistanis here.

[emmie]

JTP
and why not.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jihadism

[jake-the-peg]

//but why come to any country and behave, congregate in exactly the same way, it has never made sense to me, be it the British abroad, or Pakistanis here.//


Very simple many immigrants be it into the UK or British in Spain or Australia or wherever are escaping something.

Unemployment, persecution, the weather - They do not want to have to change their entire culture and pretend to be something they're not - they just want to escape whatever it is.

Seems to me that there is far to much fear in the UK - fear of anything different - people are afraid that thay will be made to change themselves to be like what is different.

The papers feed this fear by finding rent-a-gob characters who will talk about Britainistan or whatever

Fear is a right wing emotion - fear of change - conservatism

That's why they do it

[emmie]

Fear is a right wing emotion - fear of change - conservatism

that is the biggest loads of cods i have ever read.

[emmie]

The British go to sunnier climes as the weather here is often abysmal, not exactly sure why Indians, Pakistanis, somalians come to Britain, it certainly isn't the weather. Persecuted in their own lands, how would any one know. Likely to be economic then, make a better life, well many have found out that the streets aren't paved with gold, but we do have a generous welfare system, that might also be a good enough reason, allied that to schools, housing, and sundry things thrown in.

I have to run now as stuff to do. Have a good day.

[EDDIE51]

Possibly this has a lot to do with it.
http://www.theanswerb.../Question1163290.html
Pakistan is not the only country where such things happen.
I was actually working in Saudi Arabia when a girls school caught fire, the girls ran out to escape the fire only to be forced back into the flames at gun point by the religious police because they had not stopped to put their veils on. They all burnt to death, Islamic law dictated that they should die rather than appear in public with out veils !

[ichkeria]

Islamophobia is easy enough to explain - it ticks all the boxes: "murderous fanatics", "weirdy beardies in funny clothes", "black widows (like those nasty spiders)", women in scary black masks who might be about to explode in front of you in the queue in tescos, fasting at odd times, and of course you never see any of them running about or playing football and that do you lol.

[Kromovaracun]

"Seems to me that people think because Jihadists are muslims therefore muslims are terrorists"

Objections to Islam are NOT just based on the minority of Jihadists or terrorists. There are some principles that permeate the Islamic faith pretty much everywhere that just aren't compatible with modern values.

[naomi24]

Of all the immigrants who have entered this country – and the rest of Europe - in any sizeable numbers in recent years, I can’t think of any one group that has created such bad feeling as Muslims have. The Jews, the Sikhs, the Hindus, the Buddhists, and Christians from different cultures, came, and although initially they may have encountered some form of prejudice, they have, in the main, settled quietly and integrated peacefully. Only Islam has caused such on-going controversy. Perhaps … err … Lightbulb … you should look at what the perceived representatives of Islam are doing and saying and promoting – and ask yourself why others – including Jews, Sikhs, Hindus, Buddhists, and Christians – are so concerned.

Back to my popcorn.

[ludwig]

It's a lazy cop out to dismiss views you don't agree with as some form of 'ism'. ( That's probably a characteristic of the left - fear of sensible debate - that's why they do it ).

In this case jtp is dismissing all concerns about Islam as plain old racism.

I can't add any more than repeat kromovaracun's post below and refer you to his and Lazygun's previous posts.

// Objections to Islam are NOT just based on the minority of Jihadists or terrorists. There are some principles that permeate the Islamic faith pretty much everywhere that just aren't compatible with modern values. //

..pass the popcorn Naomi.

[Brenden]

Islam is intolerant - agreed only a minority do bad things but the majority agree with them = Global Islam.

[ichkeria]

'objections to islam' is not the same thing as islamophobia of course.

[Kromovaracun]

"'objections to islam' is not the same thing as islamophobia of course."

I don't see any problems with this, personally. I have numerous objections to Christianity as well, and in some parts of the world I consider it a very real threat to education, science and health. Objecting to principles that manifest frequently enough in a faith to a degree that they can be considered virtually synonymous with it strikes me as a perfectly legitimate opinion. I agree it can sometimes be a thin line between that and outright bigotry, but it's a line which anyone with decent critical faculties is perfectly capable of treadig.

[Kromovaracun]

There was a point made by Phil Mason/Thunderf00t a while ago, which I think is also worth bearing in mind, regarding the modern relationship between religion and education. In the Middle Ages, the Islamic world made enormous contributions to mathematics/algebra, plus the conservation of the entire canon of Greek texts - and were largely responsible for their rediscovery in the Renaissance. So in the Middle Ages, the Islamic world made overwhelming contributions to research and the knowledge of mankind which are still in use today.

In modern times, however, the Islamic world (which is far, far, far bigger today than it was in the 14th Century) contributes something in the region of 1% of scientific papers and research. You'd expect slightly less because of the language barrier (virtually all scientific research is conducted in English or other European languages). There are numerous factors contributing to why this is - poverty, lack of funding, very likely European imperialism, language, etc. And those are all important. But let's not forget that the modern form of Islam makes a significant contribution to that difference as well. Stretches of Asia with similar poverty/economic problems have leaped ahead and are growing as contributors to science. I don't think it's too outlandish to say that Islam as a faith, as a set of ideas, as a set of priorities,* has held back modern science.

*I write this to make clear that I'm trying to attack Islam on a conceptual level - on the results and success it had when it is the driving principle of a government.

[jomifl]

jake, emotions can never have a political colour they do not have any intellectual content.

[jomifl]

If the few muslims who post frequently on here are an example of modern islam then the answer to the question is bl**din' obvious.

[beso]

For me it is an aversion to all religion.

I can maintain respect for a person who is reasonable because there is room for discussion and a shift in perspective. The very nature of philosophical discourse is built on this foundation.

When it comes to religion, by definition, it has no capacity to change and hence all debate is pointless. Their beliefs are beyond reason.

Why should we have respect for a literally unreasonable belief systems?