Why do people target Islam without even knowing what it's about?

Question

Okay, I know that this question could be pretty controversial, but here goes: I don't believe that any religion is wrong- or right, that's why I hate it when people target Islam (or any other religion, for that matter). I don't think that just because of some extremists (and again, this doesn't just apply to Islam) I don't hate all Christians just because some of them are totally anti- whatever. Same goes for Judaism, and Buddhism, and Daoism, and everything! I know, people are going to give me some very nasty remarks for this- but I know that within that, there may be some truth..... Thanks!

Just a note: Although I, personally, am not Muslim, I have a sister who spent her summer in Am'man, Jordan, and last summer we hosted a Sunni Muslim, Bahraini exchnge student. I feel like I've gotten some really awesome answers- and then some.... but I just want to get more answers. I love to study politics/culture/religion, and this- to me- is absolutely fascinating.

Answer 1

Some people target Islam because they associate it with the terrorism in the world today. Christians have very poor memories -- they have forgotten the terrorism of the Crusades, the Inquisition, the Holocaust, etc. They say that it wasn't "real" Christians who committed those atrocities, but they cannot deny that they occurred within the Christian culture.

They demand that Muslims denounce the jihadist terrorism, but deny them the forum to reach the worldwide audience. Perhaps the media could "make a difference" in the world today if they would provide more coverage of Muslims denouncing the violence.
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Answer 2

People ridicule what they do not understand. In America, we live in a Christian society with Christian ideals. This is not the way it's supposed to be but when a country is overwhelmingly one religion that's just what happens. Religion was supposed to be kept separate from government but because of the recent rise in Evangelicalism and other Christian sects, people like George W. Bush get elected.

Anyway, what happens when you have an overwhelming amount of one religion is that many do not know people from the other religions. People in a small town in Arkansas can go their whole life without meeting a single Jew, Muslim, Buddhist, etc. All they have to go off of is what they learn from their parents or their schools. Since attending college I've met several people who claim that I'm the first Jew they have ever met.

The sad thing is, even people who live in very diverse places can have the same kind of ignorance. I was reading the paper over the summer and learned of a contestant on a reality show called Big Brother going on a tirade against Jews. The New York City native claimed that we were all greedy and rude. When these situations arise you must ask yourself, "Has this person met every Jew and does she therefore know that we are all greedy and rude?" Also you must ask how a woman from New York City could be so ignorant. The answer is because of fear.

History has shown us time and time again that people fear what they do not understand. We did not understand why some people were black and therefore feared them for hundreds of years. This led to enslavement and dehumanization.

What is needed is education, when someone challenges yours or someone else's beliefs it is neccessary to educate them. The sad thing is that sometimes people will refuse to listen and you'll walk away feeling frustrated. Just remember that for every person who is ignorant towards your beliefs, there are so many more who understand and accept them.

Answer 3

As of right now in the world today Islam is leading the way when is comes to fighting. No other religion comes close and has not come close for hundreds of years. Not all muslims are terrorists, but the good muslims in America need to being speaking out in groves about this, one here and there don't cut it. Remember the million man march by the Nation of Islam a few years back, thats what we need to see today by all muslims speaking out against these terrorist attacks, without, Americans will always have the image of 9/11 inbedded in our Brains. What a terrible site it was.

Answer 4

It's a shame for anyone to point a finger at somebody and say "you're a terrorist". I myself have a best-friend who is a Muslim, and belongs to the Tausug tribe here in the Philippines.

I think, people target Muslims because Muslims get their attraction when they do something evil. The Oklahoma bomber got attention, but media NEVER mentioned is religious inclination. The Japanese Railway man who poisoned the subway was never mentioned to be of a religion. The things really is: when Muslims do a large scale controversy, they call it jihad or holy war. Now that raises the curiosity of media...

Answer 5

I don't hate any muslim personally, but I had a much more benign opinion of Islam before I started reading the Holy Qur'an.

My hostility starts with the burning of the temples of Al'Lat, Al'Uzza, and Menat, the Mother/Maiden/Crone deities of Mecca. It took me several months to continue reading after that, and only my respect for the person I borrowed the book from kept me from tossing the thing right then and there.

My hostility continues with the realization that I, as an infidel, am not really considered a person by Islam. It is therefore ok to lie to me, to kill me, to steal from me, or commit any other manner of crime upon me *according to Islam*. I realize that the majority of Muslims do not in fact hold this view, but I wonder how anyone could practice a religion that views everyone else as lesser beings.

Answer 6

Well, it relies on what sort of tradition it's. We can not say that each sort of tradition is mistaken. If that cultre does not cross in opposition to Islamic guidlines then there's not anything mistaken in follwing it. As for benfiting/hurting Islam none has the energy to do whatever in opposition to the Will of Allah. Ofcource Cultures can co-exist why no longer? once more if they do not cross in opposition to Islamic Shari'a. Unfornatly, sure mistaken Cultures and traditions are essentially the most ignorant approaches adopted by means of the muslims.

Answer 7

I agree with you. People do attack Islam without any reasonable explanation to do so. But you have to agree that the Muslims are not really the nice guys anymore.
Try calling a religious man( known as a Maulwi) stupid, and you'll be dead before you can say 'sorry'.
You are right, no religion is bad, but you can't say that about the people. The religions are not to blame, the people are.

Answer 8

I agree with you. Most of the people bashing Islam don't know the first thing about it. And the ones who think they know something about it got the info from an anti-Islamic source.

I've known people from most of the "big" religions. Christians, Jews, Muslims, Atheists, Pagans. Everyone's just trying to have a good life, trying to raise their kids, trying to get along at work. None of my friends or acquaintances are terrorists.

Answer 9

I do not hate Muslims, and upon reading the Koran, I have come to believe that Mohammad believed in Jesus in much the same way I do. Since the Koran, like the Bible, is divided in chapter and verse, it is easy to misconstrue his words, just like the words of the Bible are misconstued, by not reading the 4 or 8 verses before and after a particular verse. Those 4 or 8 verses before and after any particular verse may be essential for putting the verse and the passage in its proper perspective.

Answer 10

I think that radical muslims are painting an unsavory picture of Islam, much the same as a selct few priests are giving Catholicism a bad name. The media only presents the 'extreme cases', and people judge from what the media tells them instead of educating themselves to the whole truth.

"A little information is a dangerous thing....."

Unfortunately, many people think that a little information is enough to qualify them on making hasty judgments.

I don't hate Islam.

Anyone that hates Israel that much can't be all bad.