What's With The Assumption That Criticism Equals Hate?
This is the thinking all too often these days, and it's particularly prevalent in regard to Islam.
Take the term "Islamophobia." It is anything but phobic to fear that pernicious Islamic ideology -- which calls for the death or conversion of "the infidel" and a world without individual rights -- will have negative effects on our society and our lives.
You can feel this way while understanding that individual Muslims must be judged as individuals, and, if they are in America, should have constitutional rights and protections, just like the rest of us, including being presumed innocent until proven guilty. (See James Madison.)
You can also feel that way while hoping for a reformation of Islam -- while believing that it is probably impossible, due to how the Quran is considered the word of Allah (infallible and unquestionable), how Islam calls for violent jihad, and how Islam commands death to apostates.
In short, I think Clay Routledge puts this well:
You can fight prejudice against Muslims, support Muslim reformers like @MaajidNawaz, and criticize Islamic theocracies all at the same time.
— Clay Routledge (@clayroutledge) February 22, 2017
I've noticed that the people who use the term Islamaphobic against even the most mild criticism or questioning of Islam are often people who "boldly" criticize (ridicule) Christianity.
Clearly it is fair to criticize Christianity, just as it is fair to criticize Islam or any religion. I just find the juxtaposition interesting.
Of course, despite protestations to the contrary, no one is afraid of Christians. Targeting them allows cowards to feel courageous against religious excesses while defending Islam allows the cowardly and intolerant to feel tolerant.
Trust at February 22, 2017 5:50 AM
I think that's exactly right.
Amy Alkon at February 22, 2017 6:10 AM
Trust is right. It is also a way to shut down conversation without making making a rational argument. You just call the other person irrational and then you can ignore anything else they say. After all, they are acting irrationally (or so you say).
Ben at February 22, 2017 6:16 AM
We are nation of double-standards. And those who insist they are oppressed wouldn't have it any other way.
Black people cannot be racist, so they insist, but all white people are racist. This is because, according to them, the sociological definition of racism refers to institutions of power and privilege. And since black people have never been the beneficiaries of power and privilege in the U.S. (a debatable premise), they cannot be racist.
The logic is flawed because it assumes that in order to be racist, you have to live in a racist society that favors your race. Since when?
Is a person a communist only when he lives in a communist society that benefits him? No. A person can be a communist under any form of government. He only has to believe in communism.
By the same token, a racist is someone who believes in institutions of power and privilege that benefit members of his race. And dear God, do Black Lives Matter activists believe in power and privilege for black people!
Feminists apply the same (lack of) logic to the term "sexism."
And Muslims are perfectly aware that it is possible to be critical of Islam without broadbrushing all Muslims. The prefer the convenience of being able to shut down any discussion with accusations of "Islamophobia!"
Patrick at February 22, 2017 6:28 AM
The reason they pick on Christians, or white men, is that they don't actually believe the charges they're leveling.
If they did, they'd be less confrontational.
I R A Darth Aggie at February 22, 2017 7:04 AM
In listening to Western anti-Christians, I've become convinced that most anti-Christians, militant atheists, and most of the snide critics of Christianity are still teenagers rebelling against Mommy and Daddy.
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And let's not discount ignorance. These strident critics of Christianity have never been to a non-Christian majority country, so they imagine that Christians are oppressing people world-wide. They've never visited places where Christianity is a minority religion, or even an obscure one; or seen oppression of Christians in non-Christian countries.
One of the things that stuck most of the former Iran hostages interviewed by Mark Bowden for Guests of the Ayatollah was the ignorance of the outside world displayed by the Iranian "students" who took over the US Embassy. The students had never been outside of Iran, yet they lectured the Americans about the failures and evils of America and American culture.
Similar ignorance is on display from the majority of Western anti-Christians.
Conan the Grammarian at February 22, 2017 7:22 AM
Conan, I hope you're not actually suggesting that going to a Islamic country and seeing how Christians are treated would do anything to change their minds.
They'd merely say that Christianity is such an evil, oppressive religion and Christians deserve all the discrimination they experience in those countries, while Islam is such a beautiful religion that it's perfectly fine, right and proper to oppress Christians in those nations.
Patrick at February 22, 2017 8:20 AM
The Pulse Nightclub massacre was a good example of cowardice and intolerance.
A Muslim Democrat murdered 50+ people in the name of Islam. Meanwhile, Chick-Fil-A, in accordance Christian faith, went to work on the Sabbath to serve food to blood donors to encourage donations and reward those who saves lives.
The slant? The murderer was driven to do it by Christian and Republican rhetoric, and the Christians at Chick-Fil-A were hypocrites seizing the opportunity to camoflaugue their hate.
It's amazing how cowards will defend those who kill aas peaceful, and those who simply disagree but help as harboring murder in their hearts.
But it helps those who are too cowardly to stand up to killers to feel brave, and too intolerant to admit you can care about the well-being of those whom you disagree to feel tolerant.
These people do more harm than they get credit for, exaggerating the good done by the generally bad and the bad done by the generally good.
Trust at February 22, 2017 9:51 AM
"They'd merely say that Christianity is such an evil, oppressive religion and Christians deserve all the discrimination"
True dat Patrick. True dat. It was the same way with communists in America while Stalin was around. All of the evidence was there that Staling was intentionally causing mass starvation and genocide. But few of them were willing to see it. Instead they went to the Russian opera and stayed in the best Russian hotels and wrote glowing reviews of how great the USSR was. Today those same people write glowing reviews of Cuba while sitting in hotels Cubans aren't allowed to visit.
Ben at February 22, 2017 10:55 AM
Amy, what's the matter with you???
Don't you understand that Islam can ONLY be understood as A HORRIBLE IDEOLOGY™????????
?????
Crid at February 22, 2017 11:23 AM
In listening to Western anti-Christians, I've become convinced that most anti-Christians, militant atheists, and most of the snide critics of Christianity are still teenagers rebelling against Mommy and Daddy.
Most but not all. My militant atheist brother is following in our parents' footsteps. My other brother, who became a Christian at age 16, is the rebel.
I think militant atheists who are also SJWs (there's a huge overlap) give Islam a pass because they see Muslims as victims of oppression, probably because most of them are nonwhite.
Rex Little at February 22, 2017 11:52 AM
Muslim leader Keysar Trad says an angry husband can beat his wife but should use his fists as 'a last resort' after trying to win her over with chocolates and flowers.
So they've got that going for them. Which is nice.
Gog_Magog_Carpet_Reclaimers at February 22, 2017 1:58 PM
Hi, Crid!
Paris Tourism Falls 1.5 Million in 2016 after Terror Fears, Costs Economy €1.3 Billion
mpetrie98 at February 22, 2017 8:17 PM
Whassup witchoo, Muffin? Perhaps a reductionist smirk at global tides in modernity's expansion through "Ugg!"-level blog rhetoric? As it happens, that's already been done. Here.
A LOT.
Crid at February 23, 2017 2:32 AM
But, yeah, they're having a big year over there.
Crid at February 23, 2017 2:47 AM
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