# What is the first word that comes in your mind when hearing the word ISLAM? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 26, 2003, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-first-word-that-comes-in-your-mind-when-hearing-the-word-islam/191116 "2003-07-26T18:04:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-first-word-that-comes-in-your-mind-when-hearing-the-word-islam/191116/21 "2003-07-26T19:10:21Z")
Terrorist. I know I shouldn’t, but I’m being honest. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-first-word-that-comes-in-your-mind-when-hearing-the-word-islam/191116/22 "2003-07-26T19:12:04Z")
Cool. You have private caves? I want one. ---
**Author:** ![Aldebaran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Aldebaran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aldebaran)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-first-word-that-comes-in-your-mind-when-hearing-the-word-islam/191116/23 "2003-07-26T19:12:17Z")
To go further on the “terrorist” comment. You could be more specific… As for example what you see as connection between that word and Islam. ---
**Author:** ![Wolfian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Wolfian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfian)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-first-word-that-comes-in-your-mind-when-hearing-the-word-islam/191116/24 "2003-07-26T19:12:26Z")
Shalom. They have the same semetic root (s-l-m). I can’t remember where I learned that. I think its’ the word-a-day listserv I’m on. ---
**Author:** ![Super\_Gnat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Super\_Gnat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Super_Gnat)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-first-word-that-comes-in-your-mind-when-hearing-the-word-islam/191116/25 "2003-07-26T19:12:27Z")
Honestly? Peace. (Don’t know why; maybe because I’ve seen “Islam is a religion of peace” so many times. My next word is Arabia.) ---
**Author:** ![Aldebaran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Aldebaran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aldebaran)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-first-word-that-comes-in-your-mind-when-hearing-the-word-islam/191116/26 "2003-07-26T19:19:00Z")
Arabia was mentioned twice, and Al Qur’an also. So what do you picture as being part of Arabia, being part of Al Qur’an? Islam is a religion of peace is a good remark, as it is in its core doctrine exactly that. Which brings us to the enormous contradiction of seeing people who declare themselves to be Muslim commit mass murder on defenseless people. What do you think can cause such impossibility (it is an impossibility for a good Muslim to kill defenseless people). ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-first-word-that-comes-in-your-mind-when-hearing-the-word-islam/191116/27 "2003-07-26T19:22:31Z")
Well, there are a lot of Muslims in Arabia. Plus that whole Mecca thing. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-first-word-that-comes-in-your-mind-when-hearing-the-word-islam/191116/28 "2003-07-26T19:28:44Z")
> [@](#): > > As for example what you see as connection between that word and Islam. Well, If you asked me a couple years ago, I probably would have said Mecca. Now I just think _Islamic Fundamentalist_. It’s sad really, that the actions of a few can pollute something as pure as a religion. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-first-word-that-comes-in-your-mind-when-hearing-the-word-islam/191116/29 "2003-07-26T19:33:48Z")
My grandmother taking me to the biggest mosque in London when I was 10. Amazing place. ---
**Author:** ![Mort\_Furd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mort\_Furd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mort_Furd)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-first-word-that-comes-in-your-mind-when-hearing-the-word-islam/191116/30 "2003-07-26T19:38:37Z")
Religion, name of one. If you were trying to provoke me into saying “terrorist,” then you should have said something like: Fucking nutcase scumbags who murder and claim it to be in the name of their religion or beliefs. ---
**Author:** ![GoHeels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b3f665/32.png) [@GoHeels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GoHeels)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-first-word-that-comes-in-your-mind-when-hearing-the-word-islam/191116/31 "2003-07-26T19:39:06Z")
Interesting thread, Aldebaran. Good job posting it. Out of curiosity, Aldebaran, what is the first word that comes to your mind when hearing the word CHRISTIAN? Or JEW? ---
**Author:** ![alterego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6bbea6/32.png) [@alterego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alterego)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-first-word-that-comes-in-your-mind-when-hearing-the-word-islam/191116/32 "2003-07-26T19:40:30Z")
honestly… jihad i guess thats from all the media attention heh ---
**Author:** ![Morpheous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/67e7ee/32.png) [@Morpheous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morpheous)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-first-word-that-comes-in-your-mind-when-hearing-the-word-islam/191116/33 "2003-07-26T19:40:31Z")
I’ll give you a list of words that comes to my mind when I hear “Islam:” - Barbaric - Terrorist - Fanatical And I thought this well before Sept 11, 2001. ---
**Author:** ![alterego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6bbea6/32.png) [@alterego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alterego)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-first-word-that-comes-in-your-mind-when-hearing-the-word-islam/191116/34 "2003-07-26T19:43:47Z")
[The first thing that comes to Google’s mind when it hears Islam](http://labs.google.com/sets?hl=en&q1=Islam&q2=Terrorism&q3=&q4=&q5=&btn=Small+Set+%2815+items+or+fewer%29) ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-first-word-that-comes-in-your-mind-when-hearing-the-word-islam/191116/35 "2003-07-26T19:55:47Z")
Uh, religion. Ok, so I haven’t got much of an imagination… ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-first-word-that-comes-in-your-mind-when-hearing-the-word-islam/191116/36 "2003-07-26T19:58:33Z")
_Mosque_ They are so beautiful. ---
**Author:** ![Aldebaran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Aldebaran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aldebaran)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-first-word-that-comes-in-your-mind-when-hearing-the-word-islam/191116/37 "2003-07-26T19:59:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by GoHeels \* > \*\*Interesting thread, Aldebaran. Good job posting it. > > Out of curiosity, Aldebaran, what is the first word that comes to your mind when hearing the word CHRISTIAN? Or JEW? \*\* Christian: Mother. Jew: holocaust. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-first-word-that-comes-in-your-mind-when-hearing-the-word-islam/191116/38 "2003-07-26T19:59:51Z")
My instinctive thoughts are usually of the guys I worked with at one of my first jobs. Since they were (almost) all from Somalia I usually don’t think of Arabia first off. In fact I kind of hate that the name “Hussein” is tainted now. The first Hussein I met was intelligent, reliable and good natured. Wish Saddam shared a name with that goof Yosuf. And like **DtC** said, that most of them prayed five times a day. When you are around devout Muslims for a while that definately tends to stick out. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Aldebaran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Aldebaran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aldebaran)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-first-word-that-comes-in-your-mind-when-hearing-the-word-islam/191116/39 "2003-07-26T20:02:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by alterego \* > \*\*honestly… > > jihad > > i guess thats from all the media attention heh \*\* Yes. Because they focus on the connotation that word has when it comes to defend the religion and the umma against agressors. Do you know other meanings of the word? ---
**Author:** ![Aldebaran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Aldebaran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aldebaran)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-first-word-that-comes-in-your-mind-when-hearing-the-word-islam/191116/40 "2003-07-26T20:04:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Morpheous \* > \*\*I’ll give you a list of words that comes to my mind when I hear “Islam:” > > - Barbaric > - Terrorist > - Fanatical > > And I thought this well before Sept 11, 2001. \*\* Could you say where this connection you make comes from and “well before Sept. 11 2001”? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-first-word-that-comes-in-your-mind-when-hearing-the-word-islam/191116.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-first-word-that-comes-in-your-mind-when-hearing-the-word-islam/191116.md?page=3)