The Fear of Death: Terror Management Theory

dying.

Islamophobia is an intense fear experienced by Muslims, who comprise a minority in Western nations. The terror of mortality can be deeply unsettling, leading individuals to find solace in beliefs regarding the afterlife, eternal existence, or being remembered posthumously. Faith acts as a protective barrier against death-related anxiety and varies depending on one's cultural or religious heritage (Bassett ; Connelly, 2011).

There is a widespread perception that people from different cultures are seen as a potential threat to the religious beliefs of a specific group. As a result, individuals tend to protect their own faith or cultural community. Christianity is the dominant religion in the Western world and its followers work hard to maintain their Christian principles. Christianity offers the hope of eternal life or existence after death. Without a doubt, Muslims hold unique beliefs compared to other religions. Both Christians and non-Muslims are hesitant to let their values be influenced by Islamic faith and ideologies.

There is a growing hostility towards Islam and Muslims among people who are defending their values and beliefs. This can be seen through protests, media coverage, and even the disapproval expressed by certain world leaders. In the current refugee crisis, these individuals are refusing to accept refugees based on their religious background. The mortality salience hypothesis explains this bias against Islam as a manifestation of Islamophobia.

The media frequently exaggerates the danger presented by Muslim extremists (Das et al., 2009), presenting all Muslims as terrorists or insinuating that most are. Consequently, society perceives Muslims as a substantial general threat. Although it is accurate to say that the majority of terrorist attacks have been executed by individuals who identify as Muslim, it is

crucial to acknowledge that not all Muslims are terrorists. A mere fraction of Muslims are associated with terrorism; however, the public often overlooks this fact.

Muslim individuals often face unfair associations with terrorism and receive increased scrutiny and security measures at airports and other public sites compared to people of different faiths. Many confidently assert that the Quran promotes violence or Jihadist ideologies, despite lacking familiarity with its teachings. However, this assertion is unfounded as the Quran does not advocate for violence. These biases against Muslims reveal the prejudices people hold towards them. These biases can be explained by the mortality salience hypothesis, which suggests that individuals harbor prejudiced attitudes towards out-groups in order to protect their own culture and alleviate existential fears (Golec de Zavala et al., 2012).

The fear of death can lead to increased aggression between different groups, resulting in a rise in violence against Muslims. People with Arab backgrounds often have strong anti-Western feelings. Canada has seen an increase in reported hate crimes following ISIS claiming responsibility for the Paris attacks. On November 14, 2015, the Kawartha Muslim Religious Association mosque in Peterborough, Ontario was intentionally set on fire, causing $80,000 worth of damages (CBC News, 2015). In Toronto, a Caucasian duo attacked a Muslim woman who they accused of being a terrorist and demanded that she go back home before stealing her money and cell phone.

Muslims have faced death threats and physical assaults because of their religion (ibid). While these acts of violence are unjustifiable, individuals who feel threatened may react in this manner towards those outside their own social group (in this case, Muslims). Religious beliefs provide a source of symbolic

strength that promotes a collective identity beyond individuality (Bassett; Connelly, 2011).

Despite the inevitability of death for every Canadian, there is hope that Canada will endure into the future, forming an integral part of each individual. Thus, Canadians find solace in the notion that a fragment of their essence surpasses mortality (Das et al., 2009). This belief has fostered a widespread occurrence of Islamophobia globally as individuals strive to safeguard their culture and leave a lasting impact on their cultural community even beyond death.

Muslims are the ones who have experienced this belief firsthand. They hold the belief that if they defend their cultural values, they will earn respect and be remembered by fellow group members, even in death. Religions consistently offer comfort and definitive responses to existential inquiries.

Religious beliefs are appealing in times of mortality threat, but they can also inspire unquestioning zeal and obedience that blinds individuals to morally questionable actions. However, religiosity does not necessarily lead to intergroup aggression or hostility. Research shows that people who practice non-Muslim religions have the lowest prejudice against Muslims and Islam (Golec de Zavala et al., 2012). Religions are associated with norms of compassion and benevolence, which help reduce intergroup hostility when mortality is salient.

The primary source of resistance against Muslims does not typically originate from religious individuals. In fact, numerous religious leaders actively promote peace between people of all faiths. The majority of violence directed towards Muslims is perpetrated by individuals who have a less devout inclination. Similar to any living creature, humans naturally prioritize self-preservation. Nonetheless, unlike other organisms, humans are burdened with the awareness that death can occur unexpectedly and as a result of uncontrollable

or unforeseen circumstances. The terror management theory posits that people strive to evade the anxiety associated with the awareness of their inevitable demise.

The construction, maintenance, and defense of cultural worldviews involve addressing biases towards one's own groups and exhibiting prejudice towards those outside the group. This dynamic can lead to violence, which explains the widespread existence of Islamophobia in various countries. Islam is frequently linked with terrorism, which triggers thoughts of death. As humans naturally fear death, this reminder prompts certain individuals to resist and sometimes engage in violent acts against Muslims.

References

1. Bassett, J. F., ; Connelly, J. N. (2011). Terror Management and Reactions to Undocumented
2. Immigrants: Mortality Salience Increases Aversion to Culturally Dissimilar Others. Journal Of Social Psychology, 151(2), 117-120.
3. CBC News. (2015). Innocent victims of Paris attacks: Anti-Muslim backlash in Ontario has some wondering why.

CBC News. Retrieved 4 July 2016, from http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/hate-crimes-ontario-paris-attacks-1.3328660

Das, E., Bushman, B. J., Bezemer, M. D., Kerkhof, P., & Vermeulen, I. E.

The article "The impact of terrorism news reports on prejudice against outgroups: A terror management analysis" (2009) was published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, volume 45(3), pages 453-459.

In another study titled "The role of intrinsic religiosity in reducing intergroup hostility during mortality salience" (2012) by Golec de Zavala, A., Cichocka, A., Orehek, E., & Abdollahi, the researchers investigated how intrinsic religiosity can mitigate intergroup hostility when individuals are reminded of their own mortality.

European Journal Of Social Psychology, 42(4), 451-461.