Research - Negative views of Islam

[BarbTherese]

Having negative views of Islam and Moslem people reminds me of Catholics and the Catholic Faith stigmatised because of paedophile priests.  It also reminds me of the Holocaust where stigmatization led to almost (except it really happened) unbelievable horror.  Hate is the foundation.  Certainly hatred in Nazi Germany was based on false information spread widely via propaganda.   There is a saying "we wont let it happen again".  But we have let it happen again and again since WW2: Acts of Genocide since WW2

The following report is based on research in the USA.  I am Australian and I would not be surprised at all if research into Australian attitudes would reveal exactly the same situation or even worse.  All forms of media can lead to general attitudes being formed in the general community and media can be simply propaganda.

"Research shows US Catholics have negative views of Islam" CathNews - Service of Church Resources

Quote

"A Georgetown University research group has received a mixed bag of results after conducting a survey of Catholic perceptions of Islam and how these views may have been influenced by Catholic news outlets and publications."

 

_________________

Full coverage of the above Report is at the end of the article

Catholic discussion sites too are a form of media where information is delivered worldwide and stored.

Edited September 15, 2016 by BarbaraTherese

[Quasar]

There is nothing wrong with having a negative view of another belief system.  I disagree with the viewpoint that negative views of Islam (or homosexuality or Catholicism) are the cause of violence.  Discerning truth from lies is an important function of the human intellect, and we should passionately debate opposing views.  Here is what we should be cultivating:  the ability to listen to others, to know when someone else is wrong, reject his errors and lies, debate him and oppose him, but still at the end of the day to respect him as a human being and respect his freedom to choose for himself.  The tepid, boring, homogenistic tolerance prescribed by popular culture isn't the answer.  Furthermore, it's boring.

Boring is never the answer. 

[Guest]

What is happening I think (my personal opinion) is that the negative aspects of some Islamic belief and the actions of some who claim those negative aspects as their reason and motivation in acts of murder, including mass murder, are actually beginning to frighten people - and from that basis or beginning of fear we are reacting and tarring the whole of Islam and Moslems with the same brush out of fear, not facts.  This is precisely what the leaders of terrorist murderers are aiming to achieve i.e. divide the community against each other and evoke fear and hatred.  I don't think it is all about religion at the heart at all, it is all about power and domination. 

 I did not mean to imply that negative views WILL lead to violence; however, inaccurate negative viewpoints and stigmatizing of a faith expressions and people who are different could lead to fear and then hatred or even violence our history reveals and extreme violence to boot........ and "those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it."George Santayana   Everything has a beginning somewhere..........and  sometimes ignoring that beginning can eventually lead on to a sort of grieving "if only" as history too reveals. Perhaps all it does take for an evil to grow and overcome is for good people to do nothing.

1 hour ago, Quasar said:

Discerning truth from lies is an important function of the human intellect

Absolutely!

 

 

 

Edited September 15, 2016 by BarbaraTherese

[Quasar]

I think that's an overly simplistic analysis of the root causes of the Holocaust, which are pretty multi-layered.  I also disagree with the comparison between Nazi Germany and the environment for Muslims in the U.S.  

What I do believe it that very few Muslims are interested in participating in terrorism.  The vast majority are not.  But, when people marginalize Muslims, it creates an environment where Muslims are going to be more vulnerable to recruitment or radicalization.  Imo it's very counterproductive.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Quasar said:

 The tepid, boring, homogenistic tolerance prescribed by popular culture isn't the answer.  Furthermore, it's boring

Personal opinion only.  We are entitled to our opinions absolutely - which do not of necessity reflect facts.

Educated and sound research would seem to indicate, at this point anyway, that "popular culture" is possibly more inclined towards that result leadership of terrorism (murderers including mass murderers seeking power and domination) are seeking i.e. to divide communities from within and against each other based on religious differences (through murder i.e. terrorism triggering fear as the first step) .  Rather than our "popular culture" basing opinions on educated research and available facts i.e logic rather than emotions.

2 minutes ago, Quasar said:

What I do believe it that very few Muslims are interested in participating in terrorism.  The vast majority are not.  But, when people marginalize Muslims, it creates an environment where Muslims are going to be more vulnerable to recruitment or radicalization.  Imo it's very counterproductive.

I absolutely agree.

[Quasar]

5 minutes ago, BarbaraTherese said:

Educated and sound research would seem to indicate, at this point anyway, that "popular culture" is possibly more inclined towards that result leadership of terrorism 

I think you and I disagree on what constitutes sound research and proven fact.  I appreciate research done to quantify or describe aspects of society, but the best social sciences can do is point toward correlation; this type of research doesn't establish causation.  Since neither you nor I are citing research to difinitively support our opinions, I accept that this discussion is squarely within the realm of opinion. 

[Guest]

14 minutes ago, Quasar said:

I think that's an overly simplistic analysis of the root causes of the Holocaust, which are pretty multi-layered.  I also disagree with the comparison between Nazi Germany and the environment for Muslims in the U.S.  

I agree that anti-Semitism had a long history prior to Nazi Germany, however in Nazi Germany it compounded to a truly horrific result and now integral in humanity's history, our history.  And "the lessons of history unlearnt are bound to repeat". Wherever fear or hatred, stigmatization exists, it does remind me of potential results of fear and/or hatred, stigmatization, wherever it might occur :

2 hours ago, BarbaraTherese said:

Having negative views of Islam and Moslem people reminds me of Catholics and the Catholic Faith stigmatised because of paedophile priests.  It also reminds me of the Holocaust where stigmatization led to almost (except it really happened) unbelievable horror.  Hate is the foundation.  Certainly hatred in Nazi Germany was based on false information spread widely via propaganda.   There is a saying "we wont let it happen again".  But we have let it happen again and again since WW2: Acts of Genocide since WW2

 

[Guest]

 

45 minutes ago, Quasar said:

I think you and I disagree on what constitutes sound research and proven fact.  I appreciate research done to quantify or describe aspects of society, but the best social sciences can do is point toward correlation; this type of research doesn't establish causation.  Since neither you nor I are citing research to difinitively support our opinions, I accept that this discussion is squarely within the realm of opinion. 

Plenty of (seemingly) sound research on the web and we might very well differ on what is sound and/or proven research.  I think which research(s) or even media outlet, opinions of others, one might settle on (if one does) to form a personal opinion could/might indicate bias - and we all have one.  I agree that much of this discussion is personal opinion whether based on research or not.  Causes of stigmatization of Islam and Moslems is also personal opinion based on whatever.  We all too are coming from a "somewhere" in our opinions etc., a beginning or causation if you like (cause and effect flow).   Research is probably not only made public - and it is out of date.  Research continues probably by the minute as it were.  But as I said, plenty of research on the web.  And insofar as one can believe what one reads on the net, seemingly at times sound research.  Pays to research the source, while research itself has many variables.

[Jack4]

1 hour ago, Quasar said:

...when people marginalize Muslims, it creates an environment where Muslims are going to be more vulnerable to recruitment or radicalization.  Imo it's very counterproductive.

I couldn't agree more. 

[Nihil Obstat]

I have a negative view of all false religions. Islam's habitual persecution of the one true religion does not help its case.

[Guest]

Needing to sign off just now and not abandoning this thread.  Although with a dinky dye heavy weight like Nihil putting in his tuppence, I need to seriously consider abandoning it and will carefully ponder same.

Luv ya, Nihil

..........wonder if that will win me any mercy ..........

Edited September 15, 2016 by BarbaraTherese

[Quasar]

6 hours ago, BarbaraTherese said:

 

Plenty of (seemingly) sound research on the web and we might very well differ on what is sound and/or proven research.  I think which research(s) or even media outlet, opinions of others, one might settle on (if one does) to form a personal opinion could/might indicate bias - and we all have one.  I agree that much of this discussion is personal opinion whether based on research or not.  Causes of stigmatization of Islam and Moslems is also personal opinion based on whatever.  We all too are coming from a "somewhere" in our opinions etc., a beginning or causation if you like (cause and effect flow).   Research is probably not only made public - and it is out of date.  Research continues probably by the minute as it were.  But as I said, plenty of research on the web.  And insofar as one can believe what one reads on the net, seemingly at times sound research.  Pays to research the source, while research itself has many variables.

Barbara, I didn't mean to provoke the above monologue on research.  I assume we're both educated people.... Telling someone that "it pays to research the source" and "research itself had many variables" comes off as patronizing.  Have a good night.

[Guest]

Gosh, Quasar, I am not at all well educated - pretty basic sort of stuff

Apologies if my post did come across as patronising - it was not intended