Well, Are You? (An Islamophobe?)

Over at Pajamas Media Dr. Phyllis Chesler penned an interesting article entitled Are You An Islamophobe? She lists a series of questions initially posed by Laura Saltzman that, while intended to be satirical, simplistic and a bit stereotypical, still lead one to consider certain aspects of the the religion. Let’s review:

Do you favor equal rights and treatment of women and men?

Do you oppose stoning of women accused of adultery?

Do you favor mandatory education of girls everywhere?

Do you oppose slavery and child prostitution?

Do you support complete freedom of expression and the press?

Do you support the right of an individual to worship in her chosen religion?

Do you oppose government- and mosque-supported anti-Semitic publications, radio, TV and textbooks?

Do you oppose the wearing of burqas in public places, schools and courts?

Do you oppose segregation of the sexes in public places and houses of worship?

Do you oppose the death penalty for non-Muslims and Muslims who convert to another religion?

Do you oppose “honor” killings?

Do you oppose female genital mutilation?

Do you oppose forced sexual relations?

Do you oppose discrimination against homosexuals?

Do you support the right to criticize religion?

Do you oppose polygamy?

Do you oppose child marriage, forced or otherwise?

Do you oppose the quranic mandate to kill non-Muslims and apostates?

Do you oppose the addition of sharia courts to your country’s legal system?

No doubt that some would accuse Ms. Saltzman of being Islamophobic merely for writing the original article. Ditto Dr. Chesler for publicizing Saltzman’s list.

An individual who commented at Pajamas Media indicated that neither she nor anyone else should paint such a broad brush and that only Wahhabists adhere to and demand others submit to such backwards teachings. But isn’t that their point? Why should anyone be afraid to speak truth about a religion if it’s as “peaceful” as the seemingly “moderates” claim it to be?

Another commenter wrote, “Of course apologists would say that all of the above are misunderstandings of Islam, but there are an awful lot of Muslims misunderstanding their religion. And people who point this out are misunderstood to death.”