Why do people get called racist when they talk about Islam?

It's not a race, it's a religion - a philosophy. And people have the right to disagree with another person's philosophy. Yet I've seen people constantly branded "racists" for saying negative things about Islam (that in its self is a racist thing to say, since it implies that those who are white Muslims are not real Muslims and never can be). I've also seen people banned from newsgroups, forums, etc. over it. Why the fear of people talking about Islam? Why the censorship (which of course goes against the values of free speech and many of the websites people are banned from are hosted in places like the USA where free speech is claimed to be a right)?

Why are people being called "racist" for insulting a religion? The same doesn't happen when Christians and people of other religions are attacked. I have a right to practice my religion, and you have a right to tell me I'm insane for doing so and that my religion is evil and I have a right to think you're ignorant for doing so. But it would be ridiculous for me to call you a racist because of what you said.

 

makes no sense to me what so ever. they should be called religionist

 

Racist is an incorrect term for it, but we don't seem to have a really good term for religious bigotry that's as powerful as "racist". Anti-semite is becoming a strong term, but for other religions we say Anti-Muslim or Anti-Christian. Just doesn't have the sting of a word like racist.

 

All the more reason not to use it. Someone happens to disagree with your philosophy so you brand them a word that could wreck their career?

 

its usually not that they simply don't agree with the religion. Its that they stereotype and discriminate against people with said religion. In which case they deserve to have their career ruined.

Just like discrimination against race blah blah blah.

 

Why do they deserve to have their career ruined due to their discrimination against a person's CHOICE of religion? You can't choose your race, you can choose your religion. Even if you outwardly have to claim to be a particular religion in order to avoid death, you can inwardly choose not to believe a word of it.

I use witchcraft as part of my religion. I was told it was evil. I didn't go mad at him or call him a racist, I simply had an intelligent debate with him.

"Because I choose to believe this, you should lose your job if you say anything bad about what I believe?" - ridiculous. So if I sincerely and truly believe in Flying Spaghetti Monsterism, or I follow a cult that tells me to kill certain people, you should lose your job for talking bad about my beliefs?

Physically attacking someone or firing them for their belief is one thing. Telling them it's bullshit and evil in your opinion is another.

 

racist

 

i think islamic people are more racist than anybody else, personally.

 

did he fire you or treat/pay you any less than he does with employees he has no religious issue with? if so then yea thats wrong, unless your a fuckin nut.

Not agreeing with ones' ideas are one thing but when a person is handicapped by another persons disapproval then its another thing.

 

because freedom of speech doesn't necessarily apply everywhere, such as in schools or even on forums where moderators can do whatever they want (if they wanted) to ban someone for saying something...at this point in time it is unlikely someone will start a law suit...but hey freedom of speech exists enough to allow Westboro Baptist Church continue their shenanigans...

SOME people fear the talk of Islam because for them Islam might elicit thoughts of terrorism, thank you George W. Bush, among others. It's the fear that they've been taught.

There are good and bad of every type of person: color, gender, religion, or culture. Stereotyping is the problem.

You're right it's not necessarily a race issue, thereby more prejudice than racist maybe, but I think a lot of it comes back to culture. In some cases it simply boils down to religion and/or cultulre of religion. Most of the monotheist religions preach, if only to a degree, that their belief is right--implying all other beliefs have faults or are simply plain wrong.

When it comes to religion, spirituality, or what drives us to live---it would be great if people didn't believe "one way is the ONLY way"- it is this opinion that gets us ALL into trouble.

Sure some Muslims take the religion of Islam and some of it's ideas, such as jihad, to an extreme. BUT this can be said of all religions, fundamentalism is the primary problem in my opinion.

---sorry if this didn't have anything to do with what you were asking, but I think it relates---

 

No he didn't. I wasn't talking about stuff like that. I mean like, for example, when someone says Muhammad (from Islam) is a pedophile (as happens a lot), people get mad and brand the person a racist. Yet you can happily insult Jesus without that reponse - even though the Islamic scriptures themselves show that Muhammad did indeed rape a child. Watch. I bet I get attacked or even banned for saying that.

 

isn't it illegal to be openly prejudiced towards islam in england?

 

Humans make the best racists.

 

What the Westborough church does HARMS people, that's a big difference from offending people.

If you're going to ban things because they're "offensive" (which is subjective), then you'd have to ban virtually everything, including these forums considering tha fact that despite the ticker at the top of the page people have died from cannabis or/and cannabis-related medical condition.

As for fundamentalism and taking ideas to an extreme: not true of ALL religions (but perhaps most), and normally I'd generally agree but what if the "religion" is actually a dangerous cult that someone started with the specific intention of doing bad things? As with The People's Temple - Islam seems to be a modern version (I've actually read the scriptures for myself) where it simply didn't get stopped. If FBI officials hadn't been shot, the People's Temple would have almost certainly grown, and continued to deceive, and be in the same situation Islam is in now - claiming to be peaceful, pointing to slected scriptures, and anyone saying anything negative being called a bigot etc.

 

Sort of. English law needs sorting out. We have two sets of legislation (gender -more accurately called "sex"- equality, and religious equality) that are written independently and in such a way that they contradict each other.

You could probably get arrested for "hate speech" for being openly negative about Islam.

 

The term bigot covers both racists and religious bigots. Bigot would be a better word than racist.

 

The problem is, is that people are basing their predujice/bigotry/whatever on those fundamentalists who happen to be islam. Because the religion is most pronounced in the middle east an immediate stereotype is put into place. Also, it's fundamentalists that make ALL religions look bad. Take a look at polygamist communities, not all mormons ship young girls off to be married to old farts who already have 5 wives. Fundamentalist Christian organizations gaybash, or take the bible literally -word for word. Whereas other Christian churches promote free thought, interpretation and ordain gay/lesbian priests. I think there needs to be a new 'label'/'name' for this certain type of fundamentalist grouping, because without it, a continued fear of islam will escalate consequencing in further predujices.

 

Are you talking about your boss? or do you really mean "people"?

Those who speak openly about their beliefs and have never been attacked for them are the lucky ones.

I can honestly expect physical assault from a few of my elder family members if I so much as claimed that I didn't believe in Jesus. So I really hope that you are not talking about "people", and only talking about your shitty boss.

Those who (knowingly) insult something that those within earshot believe are childish if they do not expect a conflict or a few harsh words. Freedom of speech comes with the freedom to respond.

:chillpill: