Two Phobias

A new word was coined recently; it is "Islamaphobia"--the fear of Islam and its followers.
Certainly it is possible to be afraid of those things we may not know much about, such as a religion that is different from our own.

Wouldn't it be great if our fear would drive us to learn more about what we fear? I believe this is one way people are treated for various phobias that may develop in life--to approach the fear step by step until we totally vanquish it.

I know many Islamic people, and I do not fear them. Of course, terrrorists are a different matter altogether. What should our response to terrorists be? (By the way, Islamists are not the only terrorists in the world. In fact, I believe we can find them in every religious group.)

Jesus said, "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 5:44-45). I wonder what an impact it would have on current world conditions if we practiced what Jesus preached?

Would it change the way we view homosexuals as well? There is another word that has come forth in recent decades. It is "homophobia." It is probably a misnomer, because I think an analysis of the word would suggest that it means, "fear of the same," not "fear of homosexuals."

Whatever the case, many do seem to fear homosexuals. Consequently, like many Islamists, they are bullied, ridiculed, insulted, hated, and sometimes hurt or even killed. I know many homosexuals, and I certainly am not afraid of them. Sometimes I wish they could change, but they tell me they can't. The Bible suggests otherwise, "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God" (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

People tend to punish differences that they perceive in others, whether those differences involve skin color, religion, sexual orientation, or other things. This response comes from fear, which I believe is essentially a fear of the unknown.

Isn't our job to love and preach the Gospel? People of all backgrounds tend to respond to sincere love. "Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that whichy is evil; cleave to that which is good" (Romans 12:9).

God's perfect love casts out all fear, including Islamaphobia and homophobia. (See 1 John 4:18.)