Free Republic

What do anti-Semitism, racism and Islamophobia have in common? In fact, nothing. But according to Islamist groups, Western media and the United Nations, they have everything in common. Anti-Semites hate all Jews, racists hate all members of another race, and Islamophobes hates all Muslims. Whoever coined the term "Islamophobia" was quite shrewd. Notice the intellectual sleight of hand here. The term is not "Muslim-phobia" or "anti-Muslimist," it is Islam-ophobia -- fear of Islam -- yet fear of Islam is in no way the same as hatred of all Muslims. One can rightly or wrongly fear Islam, or more usually, aspects...

At least four million Britons suffer from debilitating toilet phobias and most are too embarrassed to seek help, the National Phobics Society (NPS) said.The NPS, which works with people affected by anxiety disorders, has classified the "secret" problem of toilet phobia as an anxiety condition in its own right and is launching a new campaign to help sufferers. Toilet phobias range from a mild dislike of public loos to obsessions where sufferers refuse to leave their homes or even undergo potentially life-saving medical examinations. The NPS said extreme sufferers are often unable to leave their homes, deny themselves fluids which...

Friday the 13th Phobia Rooted in Ancient History John Roach for National Geographic News Updated August 12, 2004 This Friday some people will be so paralyzed with fear they simply won't get out of bed. Others will steadfastly refuse to fly on an airplane, buy a house, or act on a hot stock tip. It's Friday the 13th, and they're freaked out. "It's been estimated that [U.S] $800 or $900 million is lost in business on this day because people will not fly or do business they would normally do," said Donald Dossey, founder of the Stress Management Center and...

LANTANA, Fla. Sep 13, 2006 (AP)— It seems a father's plan to cure his daughter's fear of heights fell short. Troy Stewart and his 10-year-old daughter were on their daily bike ride about 7:45 p.m. Monday when Stewart, 31, suggested they jump off a 15 foot bridge. Stewart held his daughter Meagan Stewart's hand as they jumped off the bridge into the Intracoastal Waterway, authorities said. "At first he said, `Do you want to do it or not?'" Meagan said. "I thought, `It's kind of high,' and then he's like, `Trust me.'" Meagan made the jump safely, but her father...

Christophobia: Atheism's Legacy It's time to speak out against the "Christophobia" that's rampant on the Web. What is "Christophobia?" It's an irrational hatred of Christians/Christianity. If a Christian says that homosexuality is wrong, they are immediately branded homophobic. If claiming something is wrong means that person has a phobia, then it seems reasonable to claim that atheist's exhibit a phobia against Christians/Christianity. In two years of interacting with Web atheists, I have witnessed many things that should make a Christian more than a little frightened. It's time to call all atheists to account for not admonishing their brethren who exhibit...

You know the scene: A black dorsal fin slices through the surf toward a solitary swimmer. From the crowded beach come cries of "Shark!" But it's too late. That's vintage Jaws, of course, and it's become a staple of summertime pop culture since the first Jaws film, released 30 years ago, stirred up shark hysteria worldwide. Even in Canada, where there has never been a recorded shark attack fatality, swimmers looked at the water with new suspicion. Over the next 12 years, the studios churned out three progressively more terrible Jaws instalments until, in the final film, a descendant of...

A New Type Of Phobia By Robin Mullins Boyd June 7, 2005 The medical community was stunned at research that uncovered a new phobia that strikes only those on the Left. Since the 2000 Election, the Liberals have exhibited signs of the new phobia. It is an irrational fear that has reached epidemic proportions since the 2004 Presidential Election. This burgeoning disorder is called "Bush-Phobia". The Left has taken Bush-phobia to an extreme that defies comprehension. The primary characteristic of this phobia is an unending hatred of President Bush, any person associated with his administration and Republicans in general. Bush-phobia...

Persistent and untackled Islamophobia in the UK could lead to 'time-bombs' of backlash and bitterness, according to a major report. Findings by a national commission into Islam in Britain found the aftermath of the 11 September attacks has made life more difficult for Muslims. It criticised public bodies for failing to address institutional Islamophobia. But it said schools and hospitals had become much more sensitive to the religious needs of Muslims. The report is the latest publication from the Commission on British Muslims and Islamophobia, a think tank first set up by anti-racism organisation the Runnymede Trust. Its first report...

The Only Thing To Fear By Wayne Boettcher Posted 05/21/2004 Conservatives are regularly accused of a certain phobia. It's not a real phobia, but one that was made up out of whole cloth. It's very concept defies common sense and there are no credible studies to back it up, however, it has now been duly entered in to all law and psychology textbooks not to mention newsroom style sheets as an authentic if not epidemic malady. While this phobia was false, the idea got me thinking about true irrational fears that relate to political agendas and attitudes. Gnosiophobia (fear...

Acrophobia, fear of heights? Normal. Claustrophobia, fear of confined spaces? Also mormal. Aviophobia, fear of flying? You bet. Crustyophobia, fear of Hillary? Oh yeah. But what about..... Alliumphobia- Fear of garlic. Anthophobia- Fear of flowers. Arachibutyrophobia- Fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth. Aulophobia- Fear of flutes. Bogyphobia- Fear of bogeys or the bogeyman. Caligynephobia- Fear of beautiful women. Coprastasophobia- Fear of constipation. Dextrophobia- Fear of objects at the right side of the body. Ephebiphobia- Fear of teenagers Ereuthrophobia- Fear of blushing. Galiophobia- Fear France or French culture. Geniophobia- Fear of chins. Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia- Fear of long...

LABOR has accused John Howard of suffering from "post-Iraq war Francophobia", calling on the Government to accept a French offer to join an Australian-led multinational intervention force in the Solomon Islands. The attack from Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd came as the Solomons Islands cabinet yesterday approved the terms of the Australian-led deployment, paving the way for the formal request to be made to Canberra this weekend. Mr Rudd's attack follows first the Prime Minister and then Foreign Minister Alexander Downer offering a lukewarm response to French overtures to provide military and police support to the mission. "It's time...