I am surprised at the level of Islamophobia on Mumsnet

[Cyclebabble]

I have seen a number of threads on Mumsnet over the last couple of days that question relationships with Muslim men, Muslim Marriages and suggest that Islam is an extreme religion looking to take over the world. I am a Hindu (nominally at least), but come from a country where inter faith marriages are common and where I am friends with and related to a number of Muslims.

Guess what. They are all normal people just looking to get on with their lives, doing the best for their family and friends. They are good citizens and they harm no-one.

There is a building view on Mumsnet that Islam is dangerous, repressive and looking to take over the world. It is now different to any other religion, as are the people.

Hate crimes against Christians are through the roof and mostly overlooked. Anti-Christian hate crimes up 44% in the last year alone in Europe!

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256040/anti-christian-hate-crimes-in-europe-up-44-percent-in-past-year-says-watchdog-group

Can you not waste my time with your rambling lies?

@toomanyy so you're one of those ones. You can't answer. Yes, probably best you go.

I think there is - and not just on Mumsnet.
On my Facebook feed I would have ads for Asda or M+S etc advertising products for Eid and the comments were full of "Well I'm never shopping there again" or "What about Easter....or are we not allowed to mention that" etc.
There's just been a lot of references with St George's Day not being "allowed" to be celebrated because it might "offend them" (not true).
What scares me is it's hard to tell whether the people writing these comments are just trying to sound tough - or do they actually believe the crap they spout.

Thread is becoming gormless, I'm off to lunch.

Where did I say debate leads to hate crime?

I assume it's Grangetown.

@JediKnightingale

Excellent post. And pretty much sums up how I feel about ANY and ALL religions.

You are not unreasonable at all, most Muslims are as you describe. I know, and have nearly always known, many. People are thinking of the fundamentalist extremists so feted by tabloids - but rarely know one.

Fundamentalist religious groups always pose a danger. You only have a look at some far right Christian groups in America, gay-hating, to see that.

I've been appalled by comments from some posters on a couple of facebook groups. They don't like Muslims but they don't like 'foreigners' in general, especially those who do not have white skin. They go on about England as it used to be, how great it was (of course, we know different, there were good and bad times just as now), want to wave England flags and celebrate St George, It's horrible, and shocking that people feel that way in the twenty-first century. As an English person, I feel ashamed of those attitudes.

I think it’s a bit disingenuous to say that any of the negative things associated with a religion are just culture and nothing to do with religion.

Most mainstream religions preach largely peace and love (although obviously there are often a fair few sexist and homophobic rules mixed in there). Despite this they have collectively been the cause of significant harm. Whilst the pure doctrine may promote only good things, the fact is that the religious ‘infrastructure’ often facilitates people acting very badly. Sometimes this is due to a particular interpretation of religious doctrine or just a by-product of religious institutions or practices becoming corrupted.

As a non-Muslim example: sex-abuse in the Catholic Church. I think most people would agree that Catholicism doesn’t promote sex abuse, that it is not in any way ‘Catholic’ behaviour, but equally we’d still say that this is a Catholic problem to sort out.

I think there is a fear of saying that some Muslim communities need to sort things out. Partly because there are also racists who get on the bandwagon.

Just to add, I think religion also does many wonderful things in the world.

Whenever I've expressed a dislike of practices common (or embedded) in certain majority-islamic countries (mainly those I consider to be misogynistic) I've been told these are cultural, not religious.

You've been lucky then. Meet a fundamental christian -they are blind followers

There has been a Muslim board on MN for some time.

As a lifelong atheist who has never had any dealings with or interest in any religion whatsoever I can’t comment on the benefits or shortcomings for those who are involved with any religion.

I can however comment on the external impact it has on those of us who are on the outside. From a UK perspective there is only one religion that causes noticeable issues for those who are not at all interested in religion. This negative impact may be perpetrated by a minority however it is insidious and not welcomed by many.

If people want to point at the clouds and structure their life around made up fantasy figures then that is of course their own choice but please respect the rest of us who think it is nonsense and leave us in peace.

There are several areas around a 15 minute walk from the museum, which is why I asked @DrJoanAllenby Why are you so reluctant to specify the area you are talking about?

@toomanyy

"Her posts are Islamophobic despite having two best friends that are Muslim. I bet she keeps that side hidden from them."

I can't seem to remember any Hindu or Sikh inspired terrorist attacks in the UK.

However I do seem to remember the Sikh community response to the 2017 Manchester bombings:

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/manchester-sikh-temples-food-shelter-people-terror-attack-suicide-bomb-harinder-kukreja-gurdwara-a7750881.html

There are direct responses on why threads on religious ideology are important. I don’t think the answer is to get rid of all discussion

Especially when it relates to women and girls

Of course if people want the Muslim board then that can be a place to chat to other people which is likely important too, but on the main board I would not go for deletion on discussion

Given the hatred towards Muslims in India, your post made me laugh.

Have a look at the BJP’s anti-Muslim rhetoric and report back.

Here’s a hint for you: the BJP are claiming that the opposition intend to take wealth from Hindus and give it to the Muslims.

Phobe away, just don’t inflict hate on people.

Maybe those who are saying that they don't like certain aspects of Islam and treatment of women could clarify exactly what they mean. Then those of us who are Muslim could comment on whether that is truly an Islamic principle (and the purpse of it. Or if its cultural.

Maybe that will help some of those who are upset by certain things they have seen/heard/ experienced

You mean like hate towards gays, non-believers, apostates, women, free speakers etc etc? OK

No hate here. Just a deep conflict in values

@toomanyy oh really, you mean these incidents
https://insightuk.org/two-hindu-children-murdered-by-muslim-extremists-during-ramadan-in-india#:~:text=The%20killer%20Sajid%20came%20to,boys%2C%20severely%20injuring%20the%20third.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2022/7/5/fear-and-anger-in-indias-udaipur-where-hindu-tailor-was-killed

Not really. A lot of the attacks on Christians I see on Mumsnet are precisely because they are associated with the traditional white-working class (the most maligned and ridiculed group on Mumsnet) and therefore beneath the intellectually superior middle class warriors who know best and who have no problem making fun of Christians and Christianity in a way they wouldn't dare treat other groups.

There is a large element of racism in Western Christianophobia highlighted by the fact that black Christians in Nigeria who are currently being massacred en masse for being Christian get no news coverage in the West because Christianity is seen as being a "white" religion amongst Western "intelligensia" so attacks on Christians worldwide are not worth reporting as it doesn't fit into the neat "oppressor/oppressed" paradigm.