MovieChat Forums > Religion, Faith, and Spirituality > Theophobia, Islamophobia and Homophobia

Theophobia, Islamophobia and Homophobia

posted 8 years ago by The-Last-Prydonian
9 replies | jump to latest

I think it's fairly inane how words like “Theophobia”, “Islamophobia”, and “Homophobia” are freely used in the modern world. The word phobia means an extreme irrational fear, an aversion to something in that if a man or woman sees a spider they freeze in terror and cannot move or cannot look at it. This doesn't necessarily apply to any of the three words given as I've yet to anyone behave in such away to Christianity, Islam or homosexuals. And I say this an individual with predominantly liberal opinions and who has gay friends (who has argued for gay rights) as well as Catholic/Protestant friends and family. I don't really know any Muslims but then that's because I haven't really had much in the way of contact with any and it's not been a conscious choice. Do I dislike religion? Yes I do but dislike Isn't the same as fear and it also doesn't necessarily mean you hate people of faith as it might imply. To criticise a religion and to criticise it's followers are two different things and although they might overlap the point still stands that one must be distinguished from the other.

Personally, and I don't want to come off as some P.C. But but it's a insult to anyone who does genuinely suffer from a genuine, commonly recognised phobia. To attempt to equate any of the three with any extreme which can impact on someone's life in a negative way is ridiculous.

[–] mervispool 8 years ago

Most labels are thrown about far too Willy nilly.

[–] micCee 8 years ago

It's a bit silly when Islamophobia is equated with racism. If I were brown skinned and from southern or eastern Asia, I would be very insulted by the insinuation that my very skin tone made me biologically susceptible to belief in superstitions nonsense and therefore people needed to protect my beliefs even where they would criticise white people holding similar beliefs.

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[–] senseibushido 8 years ago

But but it's a insult to anyone who does genuinely suffer from a genuine, commonly recognised phobia.
Only because you're ignoring how language works. I've literally never heard the word "theophobia" used before reading your post, but for the others, they are just short-hand for the bigotry and prejudice expressed towards those groups.

You can argue that they're used too much, but you're not going to get anywhere quibbling over semantics.

As an aside, if you don't like the term Islamophobia, you should probably have a conversation with the dipsh_ts who insist that "Islam isn't a race!" in response to someone pointing out bigotry directed at Muslims. Because people are going to use a word to describe it, so maybe you should sit down and hammer out which word you prefer.

[–] The-Last-Prydonian 8 years ago

Only because you're ignoring how language works. I've literally never heard the word "theophobia" used before reading your post, but for the others, they are just short-hand for the bigotry and prejudice expressed towards those groups.

Oh, I get all too well how language works but what I dislike how meanings can be twisted and abused so they're utilised to mean something else out of context for personal misuse. Like with ”Islamophobia” as another poster astutely observed on this thread. And one can only assume that you haven't had much communication with Smithjgs on here who in recent verbal sparring's I have seen use the term several times. Even if it's not used to any great extent it's still ridiculous when used, the same going for ”Islamophobia” and ”homophobia” which are exploited all too often. And I'm not someone who condones prejudice or bigotry, critical thinking though, that's another issue.

You can argue that they're used too much, but you're not going to get anywhere quibbling over semantics.

Quibbling or just pointing out how stupid and unnecessary it is. It's hardly as if using what is essentially a buzzword is going to prove a point when said point being made in the first place is nonsense. And again, it's an insult to genuine sufferers of phobias. If you want to mean bigotry, just say bigotry. You may be talking crap but at least you're being more accurate in intent.

As an aside, if you don't like the term Islamophobia, you should probably have a conversation with the dipsh_ts who insist that "Islam isn't a race!" in response to someone pointing out bigotry directed at Muslims. Because people are going to use a word to describe it, so maybe you should sit down and hammer out which word you prefer.

Oh, I can easily imagine. Ignorance and stupidity knows no bounds with some people.

Anyway a word can be used, as I already stated before, why not just use bigoted, They're bigoted against Muslims, they're bigoted against homosexuals, they're bigoted against whatever else...is that so difficult?

[–] phe_de 8 years ago

And a word can be used, as I already stated before, why not just use bigoted, They're bigoted against Muslims, they're bigoted against homosexuals, they're bigoted against whatever else...is that so difficult?Because "Bigot" was traditionally used for religious narrow-minded people. Therefore, calling atheists with a strong dislike of homosexuals or homosexuality "bigoted against homosexuals" is as (in)accurate as calling them "homophobic".

As others pointed out: The word "homophobic" is used in the sense of having a strong dislike; not necessarily a phobia in the medical sense. That's how language works. A file folder on your computer is not a person sitting on your computer and folding files.

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[–] The-Last-Prydonian 8 years ago

Because "Bigot" was traditionally used for religious narrow-minded people. Therefore, calling atheists with a strong dislike of homosexuals or homosexuality "bigoted against homosexuals" is as (in)accurate as calling them "homophobic".

Since when? Bigotry is used as a term used to describe a person who unfairly dislikes other people due to their religious/political views or their racial or ethnic background. It has never been directed soley at the religiously narrow-minded. and btw I think you meant to say ”theists” who have a strong dislike of ”homosexuals” or ”homosexuality”. I'd be quite content to post the dictionary definition for you.

Yes, I'm sure there are Atheists will will be homophobic but more often than not ignorance and/or bigotry is to be found in theists.

[–] phe_de 8 years ago

Since when?Since it was introduced in the English language.
From Wikipedia:
The word was adopted into English from Middle French by 1598, at first with a sense of "religious hypocrite". The word is recorded in the same sense in French as bigot since the 15th century, and was loaned into English as well as into Italian (bigotto) and German (bigott). Around 1900, the word bigot meant in French someone who has an excessive, narrow or petty religious devotion.
If you accept that "bigotry" has changed its meaning and now means someone who unfairly dislikes other people, then you have to accept that "phobia" has changed its meaning as well.
And I was talking about atheists. If they can be bigots while not being religious, they can be homophobic.

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Everything is possible, and nothing is sure.

[–] smithjgs 8 years ago

The word phobia means an extreme irrational fear, an aversion to something in that if a man or woman sees a spider they freeze in terror and cannot move or cannot look at it. That pretty much defines a theophobiac.

However, this word is no big deal. It took me forever to find it after being chastised for using the h-word.

It's used almost exclusively here and the typical religion hater is practically removed from the bigotry list due to the massive support of their idiotic views on the nets.

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