# Why are people uncomfortable attacking muslim fundies like they would christian fundies? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 14, 2012, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-uncomfortable-attacking-muslim-fundies-like-they-would-christian-fundies/634665 "2012-09-14T06:00:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-uncomfortable-attacking-muslim-fundies-like-they-would-christian-fundies/634665/1 "2012-09-14T06:00:28Z")
Anyone else noticed this? I have plenty of friends that are always up for bashing christian fundies, some even brave enough to do it in real life. But start bashing muslim fundies and they get uncomfortable, oh that is wrong. šŸ˜• Iā€™ve seen people post and laugh about offensive pictures of Jesus argue the same treatment given to Muhammad is wrong, for real? Are they conflating racism with this issue or is it just that they have more anger for christian fundies? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-uncomfortable-attacking-muslim-fundies-like-they-would-christian-fundies/634665/2 "2012-09-14T06:08:38Z")
Right or wrong, I would suspect itā€™s partly because of a perception that Muslim fundies might retaliate violently. Assuming the phenomenon you describe does exist. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-uncomfortable-attacking-muslim-fundies-like-they-would-christian-fundies/634665/3 "2012-09-14T06:09:08Z")
Muslims are idiots. Christians are idiots. Anyone who claims to be religious is an idiot. There. Iā€™m an equal opportunity bullshit detector. And I am appalled by our apology to their belief system in Egypt. A picture of your savior is blasphemous?? Please. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-uncomfortable-attacking-muslim-fundies-like-they-would-christian-fundies/634665/4 "2012-09-14T06:14:17Z")
In a word, [oikophobia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oikophobia#Scruton.27s_usage) ā€“ used as the opposite of xenophobia. Whether one is a Christian or not, Christianity is the familiar religion in the surrounding culture and therefore something one feels obligated to repudiate with the greatest vehemence. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-uncomfortable-attacking-muslim-fundies-like-they-would-christian-fundies/634665/5 "2012-09-14T07:46:51Z")
> [@Koxinga](#): > > In a word, [oikophobia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oikophobia#Scruton.27s_usage) ā€“ used as the opposite of xenophobia. Whether one is a Christian or not, Christianity is the familiar religion in the surrounding culture and therefore something one feels obligated to repudiate with the greatest vehemence. Thou shalt not use oikophobia in a sentence. It offends those of a religious belief around you. šŸ˜ƒ And it sounds extremely funny. ---
**Author:** ![bahimes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@bahimes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bahimes)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-uncomfortable-attacking-muslim-fundies-like-they-would-christian-fundies/634665/6 "2012-09-14T08:49:02Z")
> [@Locrian](#): > > Muslims are idiots. Christians are idiots. Anyone who claims to be religious is an idiot. > > There. Iā€™m an equal opportunity bullshit detector. And I am appalled by our apology to their belief system in Egypt. A picture of your savior is blasphemous?? Please. I totally agree. That said I also agree with **Mangetout** , in that historically the muslim idiots have gone out and killed innocents to make their point. The Idiot in Gainesville has precipitated this horrific action before. As a diplomat who recently left the ME after 6 years, I have been at least periferally affected, in that security measures always become extreme and knee-jerk after the fact. I grieve for my colleagues and wish, somehow, that freedom of speech came with a user common sense clause. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-uncomfortable-attacking-muslim-fundies-like-they-would-christian-fundies/634665/7 "2012-09-14T08:57:17Z")
Ask a seasoned Filipino soldier and heā€™ll tell you, ā€œReally? You are?ā€ ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-uncomfortable-attacking-muslim-fundies-like-they-would-christian-fundies/634665/8 "2012-09-14T11:50:36Z")
> [@bahimes](#): > > The Idiot in Gainesville has precipitated this horrific action before. Why does everyone keep saying this? He has absolutely nothing to do with this film or these riots. ---
**Author:** ![KSO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@KSO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KSO)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-uncomfortable-attacking-muslim-fundies-like-they-would-christian-fundies/634665/9 "2012-09-14T11:56:03Z")
Google Theo van Gogh for some insight. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-uncomfortable-attacking-muslim-fundies-like-they-would-christian-fundies/634665/10 "2012-09-14T12:12:53Z")
All I can really tell you is why I, personally, feel more unease saying negative things about Muslim fundamentalists than I do Christian fundamentalists: Iā€™m profoundly aware that I donā€™t \*know \*any Muslim fundamentalists. Iā€™m concerned that my inner fear and prejudice is based on culturally encouraged racism and xenophobia more than legitimate informed critique of the religion and its followers. I \*have \*met many Christian fundamentalists, and they \*do \*live up to the stereotypes, and so I feel more free to speak out against them. Iā€™m still quick to limit my attacks to ā€œsome Christiansā€ or even ā€œtoo many Christiansā€, but yes, when I know some of the people in the group and have worked with them and formed a more informed opinion of them, Iā€™m more willing to speak against them. Call it oikophobia if you like. I call it the voice of experience. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-uncomfortable-attacking-muslim-fundies-like-they-would-christian-fundies/634665/11 "2012-09-14T12:14:46Z")
Having known many Muslims, I can tell you one very common trait they have is _oink_-o-phobia. ---
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-uncomfortable-attacking-muslim-fundies-like-they-would-christian-fundies/634665/12 "2012-09-14T12:28:47Z")
Politics has alot to do with it. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-uncomfortable-attacking-muslim-fundies-like-they-would-christian-fundies/634665/13 "2012-09-14T12:41:45Z")
The same thing applies to Jewish fundamentalists as well IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-uncomfortable-attacking-muslim-fundies-like-they-would-christian-fundies/634665/14 "2012-09-14T12:44:06Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > Having known many Muslims, I can tell you one very common trait they have is _oink_-o-phobia. šŸ˜ƒ For me, personally, itā€™s because Muslims are a minority in this country, and a much reviled one at that. They donā€™t have any real power in the U.S. to do any damage on a political level. To mock them or express anger toward them seems like kicking them while theyā€™re down. Iā€™ve known a few Muslims and my biggest impression is that they really struggle with discrimination. I donā€™t want to contribute to that, because certain people are not smart enough to differentiate between a handful of religious fanatics and an entire religion. But Christians generally dominate public life. Itā€™s their policies that ultimately oppress me and my loved ones. Itā€™s shit I have to deal with day in and day out. And yes, itā€™s psychologically safer. Iā€™ve been around fundamentalist Christians enough (and actually used to be one) so that I can predict their behavior with fairly good accuracy. I know how they think. Fundamentalist Muslims - or Jews for that matter - not so much. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-uncomfortable-attacking-muslim-fundies-like-they-would-christian-fundies/634665/15 "2012-09-14T12:48:07Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > All I can really tell you is why I, personally, feel more unease saying negative things about Muslim fundamentalists than I do Christian fundamentalists: Iā€™m profoundly aware that I donā€™t \*know \*any Muslim fundamentalists. Iā€™m concerned that my inner fear and prejudice is based on culturally encouraged racism and xenophobia more than legitimate informed critique of the religion and its followers. > > I \*have \*met many Christian fundamentalists, and they \*do \*live up to the stereotypes, and so I feel more free to speak out against them. Iā€™m still quick to limit my attacks to ā€œsome Christiansā€ or even ā€œtoo many Christiansā€, but yes, when I know some of the people in the group and have worked with them and formed a more informed opinion of them, Iā€™m more willing to speak against them. > > Call it oikophobia if you like. I call it the voice of experience. Oh, and one other thing: So far, Muslim fundamentalists arenā€™t trying to legislate my actions in this country. Christians are. That makes me cranky. Believe whatever you want to believe, but leave me out of it. (Remembered this when **Rand Rover** brought up Jewish fundamentalistsā€¦same thing. I would not willingly keep away from men while Iā€™m menstruating and keep my wrists and ankles and hair covered at all times, but theyā€™re not trying to make me, soā€¦meh.) ---
**Author:** ![Mops](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mops/32/16494_2.png) [@Mops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mops)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-uncomfortable-attacking-muslim-fundies-like-they-would-christian-fundies/634665/16 "2012-09-14T12:52:14Z")
For me, it is simply that Muslim fundies make no open or implied claim to represent me, fight for my rights or for the preservation of my culture, so there is no need for me to repudiate such a claim. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-uncomfortable-attacking-muslim-fundies-like-they-would-christian-fundies/634665/17 "2012-09-14T13:05:56Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > Why does everyone keep saying this? He has absolutely nothing to do with this film or these riots. He says himself that he is promoting the film and he reportedly screened it on September 11th. Earlier reports said he was a producer, which he is not. So he is not responsible for the movie but heā€™s involved with it. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-uncomfortable-attacking-muslim-fundies-like-they-would-christian-fundies/634665/18 "2012-09-14T13:22:19Z")
I donā€™t really know if the problem is as widespread or serious as the OP thinks. But I can imagine that, given a choice between criticizing some Christian fundies for being Christian fundies, or criticizing some Muslim fundies for being Muslim fundies, I would probably choose to criticize the Christian fundies. The reason for this is, I myself am a Christian and so I have a more serious identity-laden stake in what people do under the banner of Christianity. Moreover, I know more about Christian culture and doctrine than Muslim culture and doctrine, so I am in a better epistemological position when it comes to offering criticism. I can tell both kinds of fundies ā€œyou should be nicer and not kill people,ā€ but only as a Christian can I say so with the authority that comes from sharing their religion and knowing it from the inside. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-uncomfortable-attacking-muslim-fundies-like-they-would-christian-fundies/634665/19 "2012-09-14T13:22:39Z")
Iā€™m pretty much against all fundamentalists. What I object to with regard to the Muslim ones are representations that suggest that theyā€™re _all_ fundamentalists. You donā€™t get nearly as much of that sort of thing with Christians or Jews. ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-uncomfortable-attacking-muslim-fundies-like-they-would-christian-fundies/634665/20 "2012-09-14T13:27:56Z")
Fundamentalist Christians have fucked up my society way more than fundamentalism Muslims have. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-uncomfortable-attacking-muslim-fundies-like-they-would-christian-fundies/634665.md?page=2)