Can someone explain Islamophobia to me?

[BaMamma]

I don't think I have an irrational fear of Muslims, but I think I have a reasonable concern about radical Islam, does that make me Islamophobic?

There isn’t “mass migration” of Muslims.
Globalisation means more people can migrate more freely to pursue their career goals, so countries are becoming more diverse.

Another far right Islamaphobic trope, one of Farage’s favourites.

Why are you pretending it's about choice? Ok you have choice not to veil but many, many Muslim woman across the world don't have that choice. And you are fine with that?

so I believe religion is a personal journey.

sorry when did I pretend about having a choice?

Islam should not be by compulsion.

So those who are forcing the religion upon women and men are using the religion as a tool to control their people which is not what Islam is about.

I can tell you all about Islam and what the essence is but if there is an agenda then that will be pointless.

I have said many times on this thread that I have a fear of Islam. Only I believe it to be rational and this discussion is yet to persuade me otherwise. Call me islamophobic if you like. So what? It’s just a word and is inherently meaningless. I’d love to know reasons why I should not fear the growing islamification of the west. Perhaps I’d sleep better at night.

6.5% of the population are Muslim so your fears are irrational.

If you are concerned about the integration of new arrivals perhaps consider getting involved in multicultural events, volunteering for language exchanges or other integration and inclusion activities.

I think there could be a danger in sidelining and villainising groups of people so they aren’t fully included in society.

Can you explain why in today's world Islam is used as a tool to oppress woman at a much greater rate than any other religion?

So does this mean if you come across a Muslim you are fearful and write them off? Or do you just behave cautiously? Genuinely interested

Plenty of Muslims in the world (outside U.K. and US and EU) are free to be LGB and wear bikinis and have sex.

It’s not all like Iran or Afghanistan or Boko Haram 🤨

I think most people can distinguish between an individual and a repressive religious sect. Being fearful of the latter doesn’t entail fear of the former.

This is either disingenuous or hopelessly naive

Islam doesn't have cultural values. It has religious ones which are interpreted through cultures. It is a religion with over a billion adherents in a massive range of countries. I would not expect Tajiks to have the same set of cultural values as Indonesians because they are thousands of miles apart with different cultural backgrounds. Religion and culture are different and interact in myriad ways. Different factors will influence people's values, just like someone who attends a United Reformed church in the south of England has very little in common with Christian fundamentalists in the American south.

You know this. There is no single definition of 'western values' and you are deluded if you think 'the west' is free of homophobia.

There are gay, out Muslims, yes, just google. It's probably not always easy but I can't speak for others, that won't always be the case. And I lived in a Muslim majority country where it was perfectly fine to wear a bikini on the beach and I did so. And as for sex? Tinder has a global reach and my younger colleagues well used it.

Going to hide this thread now but if you are Nigel Farage I claim my ten pounds.

I don't know tbh I am fearful of spiders - 🕷️ probably stereotyping them and down to a lack of education and I can't make myself give one the opportunity to break the stereo type for me that they are not all scary so I avoid them all and judge them the same big or small.

This. Thank you

i dont think responses to the tune of ‘ooh you should get out more love’ really address the enormous challenges we have to face in the population/demographic/cultural shifts of the coming decades and the dangers that will bring. I think it’ll take more than a bake sale to figure it out 😂

But thanks for the very patronising suggestions whoever it was. I am a fully participating member of society, thank you!

It’s equally offensive to claim that the arrival of Muslims raises the average IQ in each country.

False, so nothing to explain.

Yes I was wondering where these posters live who say Muslim women MUST cover up in full niqab and how oppressed they all by men. I am an agnostic/lapsed Christian so truly have no horse in the race but live and work in London and have friends and colleagues all over the world. I know many Muslim women and so many of them are strong and accomplished and no one is telling them what to wear - from the women who do cover their hair and dress modestly to those who wear far more revealing clothing than I do (am chubby and hurtling towards 40 so I dress far more modestly than a lot of folk).

It’s a spectrum of beliefs, much like any religion. So people follow it to the letter, others dip in and out - much like any religion. You just don’t notice the ones who arent dressed in clothing traditionally associated with the religion - just like you can’t tell how many Christians are covering thy neighbours ox! Just leave women alone and let them wear wtf they want.

@BaMamma , clearly not. I find it extremely odd that it is very unusual for a phobia of any other religion to be mentioned. A phobia in any case is an irrational fear such as that to which I feel to all spiders. It is entirely understandable to fear a group who have regularly displayed hatred for our western culture and from whom certain groups and individuals have sought to harm us. It is extremely regrettable that there are people from that group who are perfectly decent and fully functioning members of our society who may be adversely affected by that fear.

It’s already happening. Didn’t a teacher get the sack for naming a toy Mohammed? Didn’t salman Rushdie have a price on his head for writing a book? Didn’t Charlie hebdo get attacked? These are islamists complaining about western values in the west!

And some of our newest MPs, at least one of whom is under the illusion he is MP for Gaza and not Harehills in Leeds

People strike up conversations all the time without staring into each others eyes. Especially in summer when wearing sunglasses. 😎

no offence but that pales in comparison to the attacks on Jewish and Muslim communities by fine upstanding god fearing Christian mobs in Britain.

Oh no are some Muslim people in hiding because of the Christian mobs? That’s terrible.

Yes, 2024 was a record high for the U.K. Even higher than the anti-Muslim riots following the Southport stabbings in 2023 where a British Christian, Axel, stabbed to death 3 young girls, but was falsely rumoured to have been an Islamist immigrant.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyjlx2e4l8o

You can’t be serious.

You’ve commented previously about traditional Christian clothing and now you’ve moved on to Christian mobs.

Are you living in 13th century Britain?

Are you seriously not aware that there are parts of the world where woman are forced into wearing full coverings? Sure it might not be the official law (well apart from Afghanistan) but god forbid they try going out dressed differently.