The term "Islamophobia" is a misnomer and a propaganda weapon

I have religophobia. Delusiophobia... If history has taught us anything, it is that the word "faith" should have a hell of a lot less luster and respect than it has today.

 

Who here has attacked your personal beliefs? There's nothing wrong with having faith and just because you devalue it on a personal level doesn't mean its value has diminished to somebody else.

So there's violence in poor, uneducated parts of the world...

 

I think more than anything, most people are just shocked that you understand these things yet behave the way you do.

I seem to recall you reacting similarly flustered when being called a homophobe in the past, though I can't rely on my memory I'd have to look it up.

As for the OP, just like with anything else, every word can be used for good/bad reasons, and these should be judged on a case-by-case basis rather than impose this massive stereotypical blanket which attempts to paint negatigvely virtually all users of the word (ironic, because this appears to be your problem with the word itself lol).

 

It's similar to how you use, "Islamists", don't see why you are complaining. You call terrorists, "you Islamists!", regular people on this board, "you Islamists!". You are trying to blur the line that separates people who follow the religion to condemn them all, its the oldest trick in the book.

 

Maybe next time some people should think about whether a small minority of historians and an author don't like a term, if that means it all of a sudden has no legitimate meaning when most scholars hold a different opinion.

I think Islamophobia is sometimes used improperly, and perhaps even overused. But it doesn't mean the word has lost all meaning and that it's not a real thing.

 

"Some Scholar"

lol

 

I'm going to start referring to religious people as reasonophobes.

Or some other stupid buzzword. Derpophobia.

 

lol what an Islamophobe.

 

There's even a website dedicated to watching Islamophobia, in case you think it does not have a basis:


http://www.islamophobia-watch.com/

 

ATW, I think you're right that Islamaphobia is mostly used as a weapon in a propaganda war used to shut down dissent. But, you're just about the last person to be complaining about dirty propaganda tactics. Post about anything besides the evils of Islam for a little while and I'll have some sympathy.

 

I think ATW gives us another of his frequent demonstrations of "Islamaphobia."

There are a lot of evils and injustices in the world. When a person seems obsessed with the injustices of only some folks who are followers of Islam, to the point that they seem to view it as the central problem in a world with so many problems ,it is an illogical obsession, and does merit a word like "phobia" or some other word showing pathology., emotional conflict ovewhelming their rational thought process. Perhaps paranoia would be the approriate term. We need a psychiatrist. IIRC some of the Jewish psychiatrists explored issues like this after the Holocaust.

 

Most of the radical muslims I've met were Palestinian activists, and their radicalism made them secular. Some (but certainly not all) of the most racist settlers I've met have also been irreligious. It is radical politics that inflame religious sentiment and not the other way around. And I say that as a generally unreligious person.

With the exception of Bin Laden and the Taliban, most of the Middle East's most violent terrorists were generally secular leftists. And I said that (again) as a secular leftist.

Dictators like Saddam and Qaddafi and Assad make their disingenuous appeals to the faithful when they need their political support, but then that's true of most politicians who want to stay employed.

 

exactly

 

To me, an Islamaphobe is someone who is likeliest to call someone an anti-Semite and change the subject when they complain about anything amiss with Israeli political policy.

But again, I will admit to a small sample size.

 

an islamophobe is someone who believes that desperate and vile acts of terrorism are the result of the teachings of islam.

 

I think that's a fair definition, but I also think the term is abused in the same way "anti-semite" is and both get in the way of honest debate. Christopher Hitchens, for example, has been accused of being both, which I think is ridiculous.

 

Why do you have so much ire towards religious people? I understand being annoyed by outspoken and judgmental idiots... but there are plenty of people that keep their faith/religion to themselves and are also intelligent/rational.

It's almost getting to the point to where you should change your moniker to TheAngryAtheist.

 

I wasn't being serious, in case that wasn't obvious with the whole derp reference.

Was meant to mock the concept of painting with a broad brush/propagandizing, like the OP was talking about.

And, not that we should continue this derail, but it should be clear by now, my problem has never revolved around people.

You're a religious dude, and I think you're swell, among several others.