# List of religious slurs

The following is a list of religious slurs or religious insults in the English language that are, or have been, used as insinuations or allegations about adherents or non-believers of a given religion or irreligion, or to refer to them in a derogatory (critical or disrespectful), pejorative (disapproving or contemptuous), or insulting manner.

## Christians
### Non-denominational

| Term | Location of origin | Targeted demographic | Meaning, origin and notes |
| Bible beater, Bible basher | North America | Evangelicals of Baptist, Methodist and Pentecostal denominations | A dysphemism for evangelical Christians who believe in the inerrancy of the Bible, particularly those from Baptist, Methodist and Pentecostal denominations. It is also a slang term for an evangelising Christian. Commonly used universally against Christians who are perceived to go out of their way to energetically preach their faith to others. |
| Bible thumper | United States | Christian people | Someone perceived as aggressively imposing their Christian beliefs upon others. The term derives from preachers thumping their hands down on the Bible, or thumping the Bible itself, to emphasize a point during a sermon. The term's target domain is broad and can often extend to anyone engaged in a public show of religion, fundamentalist or not. The term is frequently used in English-speaking countries. |
| Cafeteria Christian | United States | Selection of Christian doctrines | Used by some Christians, and others, to accuse other Christian individuals or denominations of selecting which Christian doctrines they will follow, and which they will not. |
| Chuhra | Punjab | Christians | Derived from the Chuhra caste, a Dalit community whose traditional occupation was sweeping and cleaning. Most Christians in Punjab, along with many in Uttar Pradesh, are from the Chuhra and Chamar communities. The term has been used in an abusive manner to refer to Dalits in the Indian subcontinent and in Pakistan specifically, it has been applied to Christians of Dalit ancestry. In India, the terms "Chuhra" and "Chamar" are used abusively as well towards those of Dalit ancestry, though without reference to any specific religious community. |
| Fundie | United States | Christian fundamentalists | Shortening of fundamentalist. Usually used to mean a Christian fundamentalist. |
| God botherer | Australia | Christian people | Similar to Bible basher, a person who is very vocal about their religion and prayer. |
| Isai | Pakistan | Christian people | From Isa Masih, a name of Jesus Christ in the Hindi-language Bible. The term literally means '[person/people] of Jesus' in India and Pakistan, but in the latter country, Isai has been pejoratively used by non-Christians to refer to 'street sweepers' or 'labourers', occupations that have been held by Christian workers of Dalit ancestry. In neighboring India, the term Isai simply refers to Christians and has no negative connotations; in northern India, Christians use the term Isai to refer to themselves. |
| Rice Christian, Rice bag | United Kingdom, India | Materially benefiting Christians In India: Christians (especially lower caste converts) | Someone who has formally declared themself a Christian for material benefits rather than for religious reasons. In India, the term has been extended to refer to any Christian convert. |

### Protestants

| Term | Location of origin | Targeted demographic | Meaning, origin and notes |
| Campbellite | United States | Followers of Church of Christ | Followers of the Church of Christ, from American Restoration Movement leaders Thomas Campbell and Alexander Campbell, the latter being one of two key people considered the founders of the movement. |
| Holy Roller | United States | Methodists of the Holiness Movement, Holiness Pentecostals | Named after church services involving spontaneous acts of worship, such as sobbing, wailing, groaning, and kneeling. |
| Hun | United Kingdom, Ireland | Christian Protestants, especially Glasgow Rangers supporters | Used by Irish republicans against Protestant unionists, especially by Glasgow Celtic supporters against those of Glasgow Rangers |
| Jaffa | United Kingdom | Christian Protestants | Named after a common orange-flavoured cake/biscuit in Ireland and UK. |
| Prod, Proddy | United Kingdom, Ireland | Christian Protestants | Particularly used by bullies to disparage a child who attends a Protestant school. Proddywhoddy and proddywoddy are used in children's school rhymes in Cork. |
| Orangie | Ireland | Ulster Protestants | Referring to the Orange Order |
| Russellite | United States | Jehovah's Witnesses | Jehovah's Witnesses, from American religious leader Charles Taze Russell. |
| Shaker | United States | Christian people | Member of the United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing. Originated as "Shaking Quakers", in reference to their similarity to Quakers as well as their charismatic worship practices, which involved dancing, shouting, and speaking in tongues. The term was originally derogatory, but very early on was embraced and used by the Shakers themselves. |
| Shouting Methodists | United States, United Kingdom | Methodists | Member of a Methodist denomination, in reference to their free expression and enthusiasm during worship, particularly during revival services and camp meetings. |
| Soup-taker | Ireland | Christian who has sold out their beliefs | Person who has sold out their beliefs, referring to the Great Famine of Ireland when some Catholics converted to a Protestant faith in order to gain access to a free meal. |
| Wee-Free | Scotland | Free Church of Scotland | Following the disruption of 1843, Free Kirkers were sometimes taunted with the epithet of "Wee Frees" because they were smaller ("wee") than the original Church of Scotland. |

### Catholics

| Term | Location of origin | Targeted demographic | Meaning, origin and notes |
| Left-footer | United Kingdom | Roman Catholics | An informal phrase for a Roman Catholic, particularly in the armed forces. Derived from a belief that Irish laborers kick their shovels into the ground with their left foot. |
| Fenian | United Kingdom | Irish Catholics | A term originally referencing the Fenian Brotherhood and the Irish Republican Brotherhood, organizations which supported a united Ireland. Today the term is used as a sectarian slur by Protestants, especially in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Australia. |
| Mackerel snapper | North America | Roman Catholics | The term originated in the U.S. in the 1850s and refers to the custom of Friday abstinence. The Friday abstinence from meat (red meat and poultry) distinguishes Catholics from other Christians, especially in North America. |
| Mick | United Kingdom | Irish Catholics | Usually an Irish Catholic (a reference to the common "Mc" patronymic of Irish surnames, or a hypocorism of "Michael"). |
| Papist | Northern Ireland, North America, U.K. in general | Roman Catholic | Usually Irish Catholic; online often used generically for any Catholic. |
| Red letter tribe | North America | Roman Catholics | A name given to Catholics for their keeping so many holy days; marked in their almanacs with red-coloured letters. |
| Bead-rattler | Anglophone countries; predominantly the United States, U.K., Canada, and Australia | Roman Catholics | Roman Catholic person, in reference to the Catholic ritual of praying with rosary beads. |
| Redneck | Ireland | Roman Catholics | Roman Catholic person, now considered archaic due to its association with the better-known American term. |
| Romanist | Predominantly North America and the U.K. | Roman Catholics | Term used when anti-Catholicism was more common in the United States, as well as in Northern Ireland by Ulster Protestants |
| Shaveling | Unknown | Roman Catholics | Usually disparaging: a tonsured clergyman, priest. |
| Taig | Northern Ireland | Irish Catholics | From tadhg, perhaps Irish for "Timothy". |

### Oriental Orthodox

| Term | Location of origin | Targeted demographic | Meaning, origin and notes | References |
| Jacobite | | Syriac Orthodox | The term is named after Jacob Baradeus who liberated the Oriental Orthodox from persecution in the mid-6th century. This title is rejected by the Syriac Orthodox as it assumes that the Church had been started by Jacob. | |

### Latter Day Saint movement

| Term | Location of origin | Targeted demographic | Meaning, origin and notes |
| Molly Mormon | United States | Latter Day Saint | Term for the stereotype of a "perfect" female member of LDS Church. |
| Peter Priesthood | United States | Latter Day Saint | Term for the stereotype of a "perfect" male member of LDS Church. |
| Jack Mormon | United States | Latter Day Saint | A non-faithful LDS person or a non-Mormon altogether. Jack Mormon is usually used by non-Mormons to describe Mormons that do not follow the Word of Wisdom (dietary and health practices that exclude the use of tobacco or alcohol) and by Mormons to describe members that do not sufficiently follow practices. It is also used by Mormons to describe those who were Mormon but remain friendly to the church. It may be applied to ex-Mormons who have repudiated the church and its teachings but that is a rare usage. |

## Jews

| Term | Location of origin | Targeted demographic | Meaning, origin and notes |
| Abbie, Abie | North America | Jewish male | A Jewish male. From the proper name Abraham. Originated before the 1950s. |
| Christ-killer | | Jews | In reference to Jewish deicide. |
| Feuj (verlan for juif) | France | Jews | A corruption of the French word for Jewish, juif. Originating from the French argot Verlan. |
| Heeb, Hebe | United States | Jews | Derived from the word Hebrew. |
| Hymie | United States | Jews | Derived from the Hebrew Chaim ('life'). Also used in the term Hymietown, a nickname for Brooklyn, New York, and as a first name. |
| Ikey, Ike | United States | Jews | Derived from Isaac, an important figure in Judaism and common Hebrew given name. |
| Itzig | Nazi Germany | Jews | From Yiddish איציק‎ (itsik), a variant or pet form of the name Isaak (alternatively Isaac). |
| Jewboy | United States | Young Jewish boys | For a young Jewish male, originally young Jewish boys who sold counterfeit coins in 18th century London. |
| Jidan | Romania | Jews | From jid, Romanian equivalent of yid. |
| Kike | United States | Jews | Possibly from the Yiddish word for 'circle', kikel, It was suggested by Leo Rosten that the term originates from Jews who entered the United States at Ellis Island signed their names with a circle instead of a cross because they associated the cross with Christianity. |
| Mocky | United States | Jews | First used in the 1930s, possibly from the Yiddish word makeh meaning 'plague'. |
| Red Sea pedestrian | Australia | Jews | A Jew, from the story of Moses leading the Jewish people out of Egypt in the Book of Exodus. |
| Rootless cosmopolitan (Russian: безродный космополит) | Soviet Union | Jews | Soviet epithet as an accusation of lack of full allegiance to the Soviet Union. |
| Sheeny | Europe | Jews | From Yiddish sheyn or German schön meaning 'beautiful'. |
| Shylock | England | Jews | Jewish people as shrewd and money-loving; derived from the character in Shakespeare's play "Merchant of Venice". |
| Yid | Europe | Jews | Yiddish word for 'Jew'. |
| Zhyd Zhydovka | Russia Ukraine | Jews | From Russian and other Slavic languages, originally neutral, but became pejorative during debate over the Jewish question in the 1800s. Its use was banned by the Soviet authorities in the 1930s. |

## Muslims

| Term | Location of origin | Targeted demographic | Meaning, origin and notes |
| Abdul, Abdool | United Kingdom, North America, India | Muslims | Derives from the common Muslim name Abdul, meaning "slave of" or "servant of". |
| Bicot | French | Muslims (and generally Arabs) | Clipping of 'arbicot' (a diminutive of arbi). French word usually used for Arabs/Maghrebis and Muslims. |
| Bougnoule | French | Muslims | French word usually used for Arabs/Maghrebis, Africans/black people and Muslims. Derives from Wolof for 'wu ñuul' (meaning 'who is black'). |
| Chuslim | India | Muslims | The portmanteau of the words 'Chus' and 'Muslim,' derived from 'chus' or 'chusna' (meaning 'to suck' in Hindi/Urdu), often used in internet forums and social media to mock or insult Muslims. |
| Jihadi | North America, United Kingdom, India | Muslims, especially fundamentalist Jihadists | Derives from jihad. |
| Kadrun | Indonesia | Islamic fundamentalism and reactionaries. Sometimes Jokowi opposition although different religion | Portmanteau of kadal gurun meaning 'desert lizard'. Originated as a social media political insult, the term is used for closed-minded Muslims influenced by Islamic extremism and fundamentalism from the Middle East. |
| Kala, Kaliya | India, Myanmar | Rohingyas, Muslims | Term meaning 'black' in various Indo-Aryan languages, referring to the dark skin colour of South Asian Muslims. The term originally was used by Hindus of India and targeted at all Muslims of South Asia, but more recently is used as a slur directly against Rohingyas due to their perceived Bangladeshi origin. |
| Katwa, Katwe, Katuve, Katua, K2a, K2o, k2wa, kto | India | Muslim men | Derives from the Hindi/Urdu for 'cut' referring to circumcision, a common practice among Muslim men. Used to mock Muslims, often in the context of religious tensions. It is often associated with the Islamophobic and communal rhetoric that has been a part of online discourse in India in recent years, especially in religious polarization. |
| Khatmal | Pakistan | Sh īʿi Muslims | Derives from the Urdu word for 'bedbug,' this term is used to dehumanize Shīʿites by portraying them as bloodsucking parasites. |
| Miya | Assam, India | Bangladeshi Muslims | Derives from the honorific Mian |
| Mujeet | Europe, North America, India | Muslims | Derives from "Pajeet", a derogatory slur for Sikhs. Initially used to refer to Muslims from South Asia, now has expanded to include Muslims worldwide. |
| Mulla, Mullah, Kathmulla, Sulla, Bulla | India, Iran | Muslims | Derives from mullah, a common title for Islamic religious scholars. Kathmulla is a derogatory slang term was first used by BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra during a television debate in 2018. The term was later frequently used by Yogi Adityanath, the current Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, in interviews and public speeches in 2022. |
| Muklo | Philippines | Filipino Muslims (especially among Bangsamoro ethnic groups) | First used by soldiers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines stationed in Mindanao as an ethnic slur towards the Muslim Moro insurgents. |
| Muzzie | Australia | Muslims | A shortened version of the word Muslim. |
| Namazi, Andhnamazi | India | Muslims | Derives from namaz, the Persian word for obligatory daily prayers usually used instead of salah in the Indian subcontinent. |
| Peaceful, peacefools, pissful, shantidoot | India | Muslims | Derives from the common statement that Islam is a "religion of peace". Sometimes the Hindi word "shantidoot" (Messenger of Peace) is used. |
| Osama | North America | Muslims men | From Osama bin Laden. |
| Paki | United Kingdom, Canada | Pakistanis and Muslims in general | Short for Pakistanis, word is now used as in extension as a slur to refer to all Muslims in the UK and Canada. |
| Qadiani | Pakistan | Ahmadiyya | The term originates from Qadian, a small town in present-day Indian Punjab, the birthplace of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the founder of the Ahmadiyya movement. The use of Qadiani is primarily in Pakistan. The term has even been used in official Pakistani documents. It is also known as the Q-word. |
| Rafida, Rawafid | Arab peninsula | Sh īʿi Muslims(regardless of race) | Term originally denoting extremist Shīʿites who reject (rafḍ) the caliphates of Abu Bakr and ʿUmar; often employed by critics as a slur against those Shīʿi Muslims who do not criticize the first three Caliphs, but only believe in "Alī’s right to the caliphate over Muʿāwiyah". |
| Raghead | North America | Islamic turban wearers | From Islamic wearing of turbans. |
| Rapefugee | United Kingdom, Europe, North America | Muslims | Rapefugee is derived from rape + refugee. The Arab Spring led to large scale illegal migrations of Muslims into Europe, who arrived as refugees in the 2010s. Unaccustomed to European cultural practices, Germany saw mass rape on the New Year's Eve 2015 in multiple cities by undocumented muslim refugees. This resulted in "rapefugee" being a slur directed at Muslims in North America, United Kingdom and the rest of Europe. |
| Safavid | Iraq | Feyli Kurds | Mainly used by higher class Sunni Arabs during Ba'athist Iraq to insult Feyli Kurds for their belief in Shia Islam |
| Shitskin | North America, United Kingdom, India | Muslims | Anti-Muslim and racist slur directed at Muslims in North America, United Kingdom and India for their extremely dark, "shit-coloured" skin-complexions. |
| Terrorist | United States | Muslims | Used by radical anti-Islamists, due to anti-Muslim sentiments following September 11 attacks and subsequently ISIS attacks. |
| Hajji, Hadji, Haji | United States | Muslims | Derived from the honorific Al-Hajji, the title given to a Muslim who has completed the Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca). |
| Wahhabi | Muslim world | Salafis | Derived from the name of its founder Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, it is used by opponents of his teachings in a derogatory way to refer to his followers, namely the Salafis. |
| Nusayri | Muslim world | Alawites | Derived from the name of the founder of the group, Ibn Nusayr. |

## Hindus

| Term | Location of origin | Targeted demographic | Meaning, origin and notes |
| Bongal | India (Assam & West Bengal) | Bangladeshi Hindus | The term is a derogatory slur used primarily in India's Assam and West Bengal, to refer to East Bengalis, mostly Muslims, but occasionally also for east Bengali Hindus or Bangladeshi Hindus, mocking them for being foreigners or outsiders. |
| Cow piss drinker, piss drinker, Gaumutra | Islamic world | Hindus | Referring to the pseudoscientific practice of advocacy of drinking gomutra (cow urine) as a folk medicine advocated by some fringe Hindutva extremist groups. |
| Malaun | Bangladesh | Bangladeshi Hindus | Derived from Bengali মালাউন (maalaaun), which in turn was derived from Arabic ملعون‎ (mal'un), which means 'cursed' or deprived from God's mercy. |
| Dothead | United States | Hindu women | Referring to the practice of applying bindis, a dot-like marking used by married Hindu women. Also the namesake of a terrorist group from New Jersey that murdered elderly Indian women, known as the Dotbusters. |

## Buddhists

| Term | Location of origin | Targeted demographic | Meaning, origin and notes | References |
| Buddhahead | United States | Buddhist, specially Asian people | Also used by mainland Japanese Americans to refer to Hawaiian Japanese Americans since World War II. | |

## Sikhs

| Term | Location of origin | Targeted demographic | Meaning, origin and notes |
| Khalistani | India | Khalistani-Sikh extremists | The term is used to stigmatize certain sikh extremists who advocate for a separate ethnic/religious homeland for sikhs, called Khalistan. |
| Lassi | India, Pakistan | Sikhs | In reference to the famous beverage Lassi, which sometimes is used a term used to denigrate Sikhs. |
| Osama | North America | Sikh men | After the 9/11 attacks, images of Ayatollah Khomeini, Osama bin Laden, and the Taliban, all of whom don a turban and have long-beards just like Sikhs, began to be circulated. Although originally a slur directed at Muslims, soon "Osama" became an anti-Sikh slur as well. |
| Pajeet | Europe, North America | Sikhs and other South Asians | A derogatory racist slur used against Sikhs and sometimes other South Asians for Sikh names that end with the common suffix "jeet". |
| Paki | United Kingdom | Sikhs | Short for Pakistani. Racism against South Asians, including Sikhs, peaked during the 1970's and early '80's in the United Kingdom, with all South Asians, mostly Muslims and Sikhs being referred to as "Pakis" by racists. |
| Raghead | United Kingdom, United States, Canada | Sikh turban wearers | In reference to the Sikh practice of wearing dastar (turban) resembling a durag |
| Towelhead | United Kingdom, United States, Canada | Sikh turban wearers | In reference to the Sikh practice of wearing dastar (turban) resembling a towel |

## Zoroastrians

| Term | Location of origin | Targeted demographic | Meaning, origin and notes | References |
| Fire-worshipper | Iran and elsewhere | Zoroastrians | Referring to Zoroastrians' veneration of fire as sacred. | |

## Yazidis

| Term | Location of origin | Targeted demographic | Meaning, origin and notes | References |
| Devil-worshipper | the Muslim world and elsewhere | Yazidis | Due to confusion of the Peacock Angel of Yazidi belief with Satan. | |

## Scientologists

| Term | Location of origin | Targeted demographic | Meaning, origin and notes | References |
| Clam | United States | Scientologists | Referring to a passage about clam engrams in L. Ron Hubbard's 1952 book, What To Audit, later renamed Scientology: A History of Man. | |

## African religions

| Term | Location of origin | Targeted demographic | Meaning, origin and notes | References |
| Voodoo | United States | Vodouists, African diaspora people, particularly Haitian Americans | Used against people practicing any indigenous African religions to imply they are fraudulent and dangerous, with racialized connotations of curses and primitive superstitions. Used to justify Afrophobic legislation. | |
| Obeah | Jamaica | Practitioners of Obeah, Black Jamaicans | Used against practitioners of Obeah as well as people who receive services from Obeah priests. Connotation of being fraudulent, deceptive, vengeful, and uncivilized. Originally used by colonial authorities to suppress slave rebellions that were organized by Obeah spiritual leaders. Laws still exist in Jamaica criminalizing Obeah. | |

## General non-believers
### Giaour

    Word for a person who is not Muslim, but especially for a Christian. Adapted from the Turkish gâvur. In the Ottoman Empire, it was usually applied to Orthodox Christians.

### Heathen

    A person who does not belong to a widely held religion (especially one who is not a Christian, Jewish, or Muslim) as regarded by those who do.

### Infidel

    A term used generally for non-believers.

### Kafir

    A derogatory term used by Muslims for a person who is a non believer. Not to be confused with the South-African slur Kaffir.

### Murtad

    A word meaning people who left Islam, mainly critics of Islam.

### Mushrik

    A person who doesn't believe in Tawhid (Islamic monotheism) and practices polytheism, worships idols, saints, ancestors or graves.

### Pagan

    A person who believes in a non-Abrahamic religion. Synonymous with heathen.

### Savage

    A member of a people the speaker regards as primitive and uncivilised. The term has also been applied to non-adherents of Christianity.

### Shiksa (female), shegetz (male)

    (Yiddish) A non-Jewish girl (generally still single) or boy, or one who is of Jewish descent but does not practise Orthodox Judaism. Primarily used to refer to non-Jews. See also "goy".

## Religious practitioners in general
### Cult, cultist

    Used as an ad hominem attack against groups with differing doctrines or practices.