Is Islamophobia rising in the UK?

[YesWeCan2026]

Is Islamophobia rising in the UK?

Interesting article: https://www.opendemocracy.net/what-the-rise-in-islamophobia-tells-us-about-modern-britain/

I agree too. The thought of this country becoming Muslim majority is very frightening, especially as we seem to be heading in that direction.

Exactly my point

They are so fixed in their views, that any dissent, disagreement or attempt at debate is treated as an attack

So many people regard their religion as effectively part of their personalities, that even saying, "Nah, I'm not religious", is regarded as a personal attack

150 000 Christians have been murdered in Nigeria by Muslims. If you leave Islam you are supposed to be killed. There is a lot wrong with Islam. It’s nothing to do with skin colour.

Catholics can’t technically leave as baptism is believed to leave a mark on one’s soul. If you are non practicing you are considered to be living in a state of mortal sin. There are different strands of thought within Islam, like there is within Christianity, about leaving.

Christianity aims for the spiritual conversion of all mankind to the faith. So I’m not sure that your arguments make sense.

I believe in a secular society where there is a complete separation of religion and state

Islamaphobia = scared of Islam.
Maybe if they stopped killing us we wouldn't be scared of them.

6% of the population is Muslim and research has shown that even if the population grew rapidly, there is no scenario where there will be a Muslim majority within thd next 25 years or so.

The significant shift we are seeing is that people with no religion is rising and could become a majority. Which I think is good here really.

Phobia means irrational fear. I don't often think the fear is irrational.

I’ll still be alive in 25 years, so will the next generation of my family. 25 years is no time. My mother has 4 grandchildren, my Muslim next door neighbours have 23 grandchildren, and they’ve had their grandchildren at a much younger age than my mother did. The younger generation are much more aggressive about their faith than their parents, wearing anti Zionist slogans on their T-shirts, playing loud calls to prayer, praying en masse in the garden.
Will we be safe going to church in 25 years, or will we be like the Christians in Nigeria? There are already areas like Tower Hamlets where Muslims are claiming it’s their area.

A phobia is an irrational fear. The fear of Islam is rational for those who cherish the Western way of life and support womens freedoms. The killings of Christians in Africa and burning of churches is a warning. An ex colleague openly told a group of us at work in the 90s that his religion will dominate and we will be killed.

But surely you have heard church bells calling Christians to prayer? I’m not sure people praying is particularly terrifying or wrong. As for anti-Zionist T-shirts, that’s a fairly common and mainstream view among many faiths now. So what is so terrifying? That their family are “bigger” than yours?

Medieval religion - having lived in 2 Muslim countries.

Catholicism commits great evil against children by instilling them with a lifetime of guilt and shame. I am not in favour of Catholicism either. But firstly they don't preach ACTUAL death to those who leave, so once the person is psychologically freed from the idea that they will go to hell they will still be physically alive to enjoy the rest of their lives, unlike in Islam. Secondly, no one accuses me of racism for disliking and calling out the problems with Catholicism and I can do so freely without being in fear of my life, unlike Islam where if you were to do anything they don't like, eg show a picture of the prophet or criticise Islam publicly your career and your right to privacy and safety are over like they were for the poor school teacher, or for Salman Rushdie.

I’m not sure how real the idea that you will be killed if you leave really is? Certainly it’s the first time I’ve heard it and there are countless lapses Muslims (as there are Christians, Jews, Hindus and from all other faiths).

I’m fascinated that anyone doesn’t see the racism.

No, not their individual family, but it shows the trajectory that we are on as a country. The thought that we could end up in a Muslim majority country is terrifying. The thought that we could end up under Sharia law is terrifying. The thought that our rights as women might be taken away is terrifying. The thought that we won’t be free to choose our own faith is terrifying.
Islam is not kind to non-Muslims once they are the majority.

I'm more concerned about issues like this - https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y36meel2yo

Catholics can’t technically leave as baptism is believed to leave a mark on one’s soul. That's not correct.

In 1943, Bl. Pius XII released the encyclical Mystici Corporis, in which he articulated membership in the Catholic Church this way:
"Actually only those are to be included as members of the Church who have been baptized and profess the true Faith, and who have not been so unfortunate as to separate themselves from the unity of the body, or been excluded by legitimate authority for grave faults committed"

You would still carry the indelible marks on your soul of baptism and confirmation , but you would no longer be a member of the Church and thus not a Catholic.

Certainly, the person himself might no longer identify as a Catholic. For example, if a person decided to reject the dogmas that the Church has defined and joined a Protestant church, he would no longer consider himself a Catholic, but a Protestant.
Ceasing to identify as a Catholic would be even more obvious in the case of an apostate, for to commit apostasy, one must entirely renounce Christianity and be willing to say, “I am no longer a Christian.”

Please do not spread misinformation.

@Owly11 "Catholicism commits great evil against children by instilling them with a lifetime of guilt and shame. "

This statement shows how little you understand the Catholic Faith and in your misunderstanding you seek to pervert the teachings of the Faith. (For what purpose, I have no idea)

@Whenwillitrainagain ”The thought that we won’t be free to choose our own faith is terrifying.” I mean isn’t it more accurate to say you don’t want others to be allowed to choose their faith? Have you ever lived in a predominantly Muslim country? Do you know any British Muslims here in the uk?
What if instead we became a predominantly Catholic country? How would you feel about that? Realistically even with extremely large families it’s highly unlikely and if it did happen that way wouldn’t that mean the majority of citizens wanted that way of living.

Very well written . Sums up how I feel .

Oh 25 years. That’s ok then. What a terrible prospect for us all.

If standing up against medieval misogyny counts as Islamophobia then count me in. Assigning a “phobia” label to this completely well grounded fear won’t fool anybody.

They said that anti-Zionism is a mainstream view, which it is - they didn’t say anything about anti-semitism. In fact, conflating the two is anti-semitic in itself, so I wouldn’t do that.

I’m very anti-Zionist because I’m very anti any extremist ideology.

Anti Zionism / antisemitism- 2 cheeks of the same arse. As if ordinary Jewish people in the UK or in Israel have any say whatsoever in what their government does, much like our own dear band of fuckwits. If you’re antisemitic at least have the courage to own it rather than trying to hide it via word salad.

Yes, and the concept of ‘Islamophobia’ is being used very well to prevent us from talking about this and expressing our concerns. As it was no doubt intended.