Theophobia, Islamophobia and Homophobia
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.