[hagbard_c]

Yes, that is part of what I was getting at. What is good for the goose is good for the gander, if we're to criticise Christian conquest there is no reason whatsoever to refrain from criticising conquest under any other flag or religion, especially one like Islam which - not having undergone something like the Enlightenment - still has conquest of the world under Islamic rule as one of its basic tenets. There can be endless debates about whether the duty of all muslims towards jihad is to be interpreted as some form of spiritual conquest or in the way it is interpreted by groups like Boko Haram and Daesh but it is clear that Islamic scripture has been and still is used as a call to arms and conquest and with that it is just intellectual dishonesty to use terms like 'Islamophobia' towards those who point this out.

[anon291]

Yes I agree. I don't think anyone should be accused of islamophobia or christophobia or hinduphobia for that matter for pointing out problematic episodes in the history of Islam, Christianity, or Hinduism. The constant accusations of islamophobia have created the current backlash that we are seeing in India. I will criticize my own group of Christians as well with many calling for criminal penalties now against a man who insulted St Francis Xavier. Of course my view is heavily drawn from the fact that I'm American which means we are free to insult anyone and are taught to grow thick skin.

But the simple truth is that criticizing Islam in the Indian subcontinent often ends in death or threats of violence, unlike most other religions, which seem better able to handle criticism. Look at Salman Rushdie. Scary