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I've been pondering this question for awhile now, and I've yet to arrive at an answer other than "no." Wondering can that be true and if so, why?
Mormons were persecuted for example, but is there a term that describes people who harbor negative feelings about Mormons? Or Muslims? Not sure Islamophobia is the same or as unique. Lots of similar phobias, but antiSemitism is quite unique by comparison. AntiBuddhists? AntiChristians? AntiTibetans? Of course there is "racism" too, but is there any other term similar to antiSemitism related to any other religion or group?
Note: I am not an antiSemite by any means, and I'm not inviting any comments or sentiments along those lines. I am simply curious about how such a unique term came to be or whether there are other terms that similarly describe people who have general negative feeling about other people.
Yes, there are. Anti-Catholicism, Islamophobia, and anti-Protestantism spring instantly to mind. A quick search shows that the term anti-Mormonism has been around since about the 1830's, which makes it older than the term antisemitism.
You've already dismissed Islamophobia for some reason, and I'm fairly sure you'll dismiss the others as well even though they describe exactly what you are looking for: hatred and/or discrimination based on a specific religion.
Well..., okay, but honestly, when is the last time you heard the term Anti-Catholicism? As compared to antiSemitism these days?
I more frequently hear "anti-Catholic sentiment" or even "anti-papist".
Quote:
Originally Posted by LearnMe
"Causes
Antisemitism has been explained in terms of racism, xenophobia, projected guilt, displaced aggression, and the search for a scapegoat. Some explanations assign partial blame to the perception of Jewish people as unsociable. Such a perception may have arisen by many Jews having strictly kept to their own communities, with their own practices and laws."
Thoughts?
I'm not sure what "projected guilt" refers to (though I have a guess), but that list is a good start. There is also fear, resentment and jealousy, and probably more.
Further, when you consider the many centuries of systematic persecution of Jews, such as pogroms and expulsions and, obviously, the Holocaust, it's not really surprising. Seriously, that history comprises far more than the mere terms 'were persecuted' or 'harbor negative feelings about' properly convey. I 'harbor negative feelings' about rutabagas. Hitler 'harbored negative feelings' about the Jews. Both are true, but hardly the same. Furthermore, Jews are still around and antisemitism is still a thing (and on a bit of a upswing the past few years, it seems), while the genocidal orgy of the Holocaust is not all that far in the rear-view mirror. So it hardly seems a surprise that there's a particular term for anti-Jewish ideas and acts to that end. Words arise from need, and the English-speaking community has collectively determined that anti-Jewishness needs a particular word, while, say, anti-Aztecness or anti-Druidism don't need their own special terms.
Interesting...
I agree languages occur "organically" as you explain, and/or not "methodically" as a rule, but there are reasons for what occurs organically that can often be traced, considered and evaluated for those interested "in the rest of the story." Perhaps not a "surprise" there is a particular term for anti-Jewish sentiments, but I think the uniqueness is interesting given all the many cases of others who have been persecuted or toward whom there is negative sentiment. The case of Mormons always comes to mind as a pretty good comparison in many respects. Yet, no antiMormon term has occurred organically or otherwise.
Again, I'm not antiSemitic. I've got no real "dog in that fight" other than to recognize wrong when I see it and the want for peace. Accordingly, I don't know how anyone can avoid trying to understand why so many people are antiSemitic given the problems these frictions tend to pose for all mankind. A problem going back the many centuries you note up to and including today. Why still today?
Jewish people seem most apt to use the word very often, most frequently. Sometimes with good argument the accusation is justified. A little too often not really in my opinion.
I see where it's headed. Why don't you just say so?
And btw, as you appear to be intelligent person. Antisemitism is stupid word. It works only for ignorant as Semites are a HUGE family of people, Arabs included.
Semites
a member of any of the peoples who speak or spoke a Semitic language, including in particular the Jews and Arabs
Considering great "love" between the two, whoever coined that term, should have thought better. But then again, who really knows all the particularities of who Semites are, right? It will be, what it will be called, not what it means... Shame.
Apparently you didn't bother reviewing the thread from the beginning, because these particulars with regard to the word antiSemitism have been covered. Not my word I will also kindly remind you...
Stupid or otherwise, it is a very commonly used word today, most certainly and commonly used by many Jewish people, with the assumed definition I also provided straight out of the dictionary. I'd like to think "where this is headed" is somewhere other than as you suggest but something more intelligent and objective, with the help of those like minded in this regard. Those who might comment about this rather unique word and/or dynamic long in the making and still in full swing if not worse.
Those who might also find the question or topic interesting if not important...
Thanks for the compliment about the appearance to be an intelligent person. I do my best to stay informed and be observant to the point where I think my words you quote are pretty close to accurate if not entirely so.
Yes, there are. Anti-Catholicism, Islamophobia, and anti-Protestantism spring instantly to mind. A quick search shows that the term anti-Mormonism has been around since about the 1830's, which makes it older than the term antisemitism.
You've already dismissed Islamophobia for some reason, and I'm fairly sure you'll dismiss the others as well even though they describe exactly what you are looking for: hatred and/or discrimination based on a specific religion.
I'm not inclined to "dismiss" any of these terms, but surely we can consider them as compared to antiSemitism. Right? I mean seriously, when is the last time you heard the term antiMormonism or antiProtestantism as compared to antiSemitism? They don't compare, and I'm not sure I have ever seen any Mormon or Protestant argue the likes with those terms like I see commonly done in this forum and in the media -- almost daily -- with accusations of antiSemitism. You?
I think the nature of the accusations are different too. Islamophobia vs antiSemitism, but quite frankly, we would all do better to understand the nature of these issues, differences and sources of conflict, so that we might better get rid of them or at least alleviate them. No matter how similar, different or unique they may be. In any case...
Islamophobia and antiSemitism are both born of ignorance as a rule. True.
Legitimate criticism and/or critical thinking about Islam and/or Judaism is not.
Let us all have the wisdom to know the difference...
I more frequently hear "anti-Catholic sentiment" or even "anti-papist".
I'm not sure what "projected guilt" refers to (though I have a guess), but that list is a good start. There is also fear, resentment and jealousy, and probably more.
"More frequently?"
You hear or read about "anti-Catholic sentiment" or "anti-papists" more than you encounter the term antiSemitism or antiSemites?!?
I'm amazed by this. Where do you live I wonder. What papers do you read? What news and entertainment do you follow?
I've been pondering this question for awhile now, and I've yet to arrive at an answer other than "no." Wondering can that be true and if so, why?
Mormons were persecuted for example, but is there a term that describes people who harbor negative feelings about Mormons? Or Muslims? Not sure Islamophobia is the same or as unique. Lots of similar phobias, but antiSemitism is quite unique by comparison. AntiBuddhists? AntiChristians? AntiTibetans? Of course there is "racism" too, but is there any other term similar to antiSemitism related to any other religion or group?
Note: I am not an antiSemite by any means, and I'm not inviting any comments or sentiments along those lines. I am simply curious about how such a unique term came to be or whether there are other terms that similarly describe people who have general negative feeling about other people.
I believe muslims and jews are bot semetic. So there is that. But antiSemetic being specially directed against Jews is uniquely Christian, which hold jews as murderers of Jesus. Do people of other religions hold such prejudice about jews, including muslims? I don't think so.
I'm not sure what "projected guilt" refers to (though I have a guess), but that list is a good start. There is also fear, resentment and jealousy, and probably more.
Also very interesting and curious to me is how you make no comment about the cause speculated by Wikipedia in the following respect, because this has been my more common experience/perception and what I think has been a problem for Jews going back the many centuries (no different than for Mormons back when they too were "persecuted" for similar reasons if not the exact same ones)...
"Some explanations assign partial blame to the perception of Jewish people as unsociable. Such a perception may have arisen by many Jews having strictly kept to their own communities, with their own practices and laws."
I'm not sure I would use the word "unsociable" per se, but I do think the cliquish inclinations tend to turn outsiders off more than a bit. The nature or reasons for those inclinations also tend to strike people as either "welcoming" or the opposite, and so begins at least part of the problem far as I can tell...
I believe muslims and jews are bot semetic. So there is that. But antiSemetic being specially directed against Jews is uniquely Christian, which hold jews as murderers of Jesus. Do people of other religions hold such prejudice about jews, including muslims? I don't think so.
I would like to coin a term for followers of Semitic religions who dismiss non-Semitics as heathens or kafir (infidels).
These "pagans" include ancient Greeks/Romans, modern Hindus, Buddhists, Chinese (followers of Confucius or the Tao), not to mention smaller-by-numbers groups like Japanese (Shinto) and Native Americans.
Ancient Jews started it with the "gentiles" thing, but then it was enthusiastically taken up by Christians and Muslims. Hmm, what do all these religions have in common?
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