CRISTOPHOBIA: A definition/clarification!

Several sources define Cristophobia (aka: Christopobia, Christianophobia):

"fear, dislike and hatred of Christianity, Christians and things Christian." [Wikipedia]

All phobias are irrational; if they were rational, they would not exist!

A free-string of definitions and comments follows ...

Encyclopedic entries ...

Anti-christian sentiment is a negative bias against Christians or the religion of Christianity. Anti-Christian bias can be held by individuals or groups, and may be the result of prejudice or anti-Christian sentiment may accompany valid political and social opposition by individuals or groups to social and political movements motivated by a specific Christian sect's doctrines, and attempts at secularism or cosmopolitanism in Christian-dominated societies. [Wikipedia]

Anti-Christian sentiment is a real or perceived negative categorical bias against Christians or the religion of Christianity. Anti-Christian sentiment can be held by individuals or groups, and may be the result of fanaticism or bigotry leading to prejudice or discrimination. [Reference.com (citing Wikipedia)]

Anti-Christian prejudice is a negative categorical bias against Christians — both individually and collectively — or against Christianity as a whole. Such prejudice is a form of religious intolerance; it may be simply a mental or emotional attitude, or it may lead to stereotyping, discrimination, or even – in extreme cases – to persecution of Christians. [Religion Dictionary]

For a brief history of the term and a current usage summary see Nation Master's encyclopedic entry.

Individuals ...

Edward Pace quotes Rev. Edward Flannery ... "The anti-Semite, not the Jew, is the real Christ-killer. He thinks he's religious, but that's a self-delusion. Actually he finds religion so heavy a burden, he develops 'Christophobia.' He's hostile to the faith and has an unconscious hatred of Christ, who is for him, Christ the Repressor. He uses anti-Semitism as a safety valve for this hostility and is really trying to strike out at Christ." [NYT]

Organizations ...

Christianophobia in Europe declares ... Christianophobia consists of the terms Christian and phobos (φόβος) which means “(irrational) fear”. The term means therefore irrational fear or hatred of Christians, or Christianity in general.

It consists of a negative categorical bias against Christians — both individually and collectively —, against Christianity as a whole, or positions intrinsically part of the Christian faith. Such prejudice is a form of religious intolerance; it may be simply a mental or emotional attitude, or it may lead to stereotyping, discrimination, or even – in extreme cases – to persecution of Christians.

The term Christianophobia was first used by Jewish legal scholar Joseph Weiler. It was introduced at the international institutions in December 2004, after the European Union rejected Rocco Buttiglione, a practizing Catholic, as EU commissioner. Several diplomates argued that discrimination against Christians must not spread any further. They called on the UN to draft laws on Christianophobia, as it has done on Islamophobia and anti-Semitism. The UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva now speaks of "anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and Christianophobia." The use of the word Christianophobia has been proposed for use in the UN General Assembly. [Christianophobia]

Christianity, Christophobia, Cristophobia,
Persecution, Religion