Comment by exodust | Hacker News Reader

Comment by exodust | Hacker News Reader

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"Islamophobia" is a stupid loaded buzzword. Used by some to discredit and slander those who raise concerns with Islam.

The problem with this word is that it seeks to shut down those who oppose any aspect of the religion. For some odd reason being a Muslim is considered an ethnicity, or race. This further complicates any polarizing discussion about what Islam looks like in a Muslim minority country like Australia.

Racism is a nasty, ignorant crime. But if you oppose the requirement of full head coverings of Muslim women, are you being racist? How about Islamophobic?

Most reasonable people want peace, not violence. Most people do not condone or want extremist views. Yet violent religious extremists are a growing problem in Australia's nearest neighbor Indonesia. Not to mention we've had our own share of Islamic terror here in Australia.

The road to peace is not helped by such words as "Islamophobia". This is particularly true when Islam has the historical habit of crossing into politics and power with brutally oppressive laws in Islamic governed nations.

Religious flamewar, which this comment crosses into, is not allowed on Hacker News. Please do not post like this here again.

https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

I was responding to the unnecessary unhelpful comment that "Islamophobia" was "prevalent" in Australia even more than US. I live here, and disagree with that idea and I responded with reasons. No flames. Maybe delete comments that seek to label an entire country with sour accusations.

I believe you that that was your intention, but it's hard to see it in your GP comment, which also broke the site guidelines in several ways, such as with name-calling and flamebait.

I've noticed that when we post moderation comments, commenters sometimes respond with what they really meant to say. To them, the first and second versions are similar, but to an outside reader they usually seem very different.

I accept your reason, and will avoid further comments here on this topic. But I wish to clarify (to you) that I did not call anyone names. I called the term Islamphobia "stupid", because nothing good comes from using such a term.

It's not a real word. You allowed the comment on a tribute thread, to imply that Australia is to blame for the man's death, due to its racism/phobias.

A psychopath was to blame for NZ, not whatever that linked PDF on parent comment accuses Australia of. As an Australian, I can assure you we are hurting down here and in shock. But I will refrain from this point.

The guidelines use the term "name calling" in a somewhat different sense, basically referring to pejoratives that can be taken out of a comment without loss of information. "Stupid" counts as name-calling in that sense, even though you weren't calling anyone names in particular.

https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

Religions and cultures generally evolve from very nasty towards less nasty. Of course sometimes there is a big lurch towards nastiness. However, (us?) secular humanists can best help religions become less toxic by inclusion rather than tribalist confrontation. I find it's better to frame one's principles and talking points as "religons must respect human rights" rather than,"Islam has always been violent and forces women to wear hijabs".

That's a good and positive idea in regards to framing principles towards human rights.

While inclusion is the antidote for exclusion, we are not faced primarily with an exclusion problem. There's simply been too many religious-justified atrocities and crimes from various religions. This world's violence and crime is ridiculous, and the details of the crimes are the extreme opposite of human rights.

I was taught that superstition was unhealthy. Perhaps I was brainwashed with anti-superstitious propaganda? My main "phobia" is: religion as a force in politics and education. Religion should stick to what it's good at - peaceful prayer gatherings. I support "freedom of peaceful prayer gatherings".

What happened at the mosques in NZ - unspeakable, sickening, the work of a deranged paranoid meat-head terrorist. More violence for fictitious reasons. Too long festering in corners with other truthers, confirming each other unchallenged; combined with likely sociopathic condition. (sorry for long post, passionate issues)

> Religion should stick to what it's good at - peaceful prayer gatherings.

That's a pretty a pretty simplistic view, given history.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Role_of_Christianity_in_civili...

my parents and all the wider family where (hardcore) Catholics, a lot of kids, in church 3-4 times a week, 2 cousins became priests, 1 a nun. I was an altar boy until 12 spent my holidays in Catholic summer camp nearly every year. Catholics they way I experienced them in my childhood, aren't any less prone to showing extremist tendencies.

Ask a Croatian women how they feel about having an abortion (legal in Croatia) performed without anaesthetics simply because the nun-(nurses) feel they should suffer, ... the abuse I have seen the Catholic church get away with (in places like Austria, Ireland, Croatia, Czech, Italy, ... to name my favorite backward Catholic extremist places in Europe) isn't any less violent or "backward" than Islam.

Nobody who is devout will at all accept even partial critic such as "opposing some aspects of <their religion>". Religious criticism is always total and considered an attack when it comes from somebody out of their faith group. It can only be discussed (respectfully) with people from the same religion (if at all). I haven't met any (Catholic) who would accept probing or questioning from an outsider.

If somebody says "yes but Catholics don't go blow up people", they're wrong. It happens/happened all the time in places like Indonesia or Ireland or when they are a minority that is under pressure. It doesn't matter what religion, if you push people hard enough they'll snap. Even more so if their homeland is bombed and they've already lost half their family.

Yes absolutely. If only religion didn't have so many manipulative inroads in society, and deeply festering problems from abuse to lies and corruption, to violence. Peaceful prayer it does pretty well for those who enjoy those gatherings. No complaints there.

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