In God We Trust is written on our dollar bills. We say "One nation under God" in our pledge of allegiance. But what if your god isn't my god?
There are less Christians in the world, than there are of people of other religions, and yet, it seems as though it is christian dominated. Each day I see many postings about how the blessings from God has helped people in so many ways. While this doesn't bother me at all, and I wholeheartedly believe that God can help a person who believes in him. God has helped many people around me through sickness and health, through rough times and bad times, and he is thanked profusely for all he has given. I do believe God exists. Do I follow him? That answer is an unpopular opinion to some.
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On all social media you don't see much of anything about thanking the deity(s) of Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism...etc. It's only when I search things on tumblr do I find the anonymous blogs of those who can express their religious freedom behind a screen name. Their gods aren't less important, and their beliefs aren't less important than others who share different religions, but many times it is looked down upon. People are told that they should convert because a being from a different religion will send them to a place that is from said religion. Those people are ignorant to the fact that those places do not exist to the recipient of their conversion speech.
What is is like to not be a Christian in a Christian dominated world? Its to be uncomfortable publicly displaying what we believe in because of the backlash we do not want to deal with. We feel uncomfortable sharing religion because of people not willing to understand. Even some of those who are agnostic or "do not conform" to a specific religion are raised in a society with certain values and beliefs, are quick to judge. Some outsiders feel as though since we do not believe in the word of Christ, we can't possibly understand what a Christian stands for.
I was raised Christian. I went to church almost every Sunday, I participated in church band, I wore a cross on my neck, and I got confirmed in the church when I was 13. I do understand. I understand what the values are, I understand the ideals. I know what a good Christian should live by, and how they should conduct themselves if they believe. My religion reflects those values, even though it isn't the religion I was brought up in, because religions across the board have most of the same core.
What is it like not to be Christian in a Christian dominated world? It feels like no one understands you. That you are an awkward middle schooler that just wants someone to listen and understand, and take your journey with you. That knows that when you don't have all the answers it's because you too, are learning. We can grow and change also, even if we don't follow the rules of the same book. We still believe in love and compassion and taking strides in society. Yet, we are stuck in the back of the middle school dance at the punch bowl. We are just sitting and waiting and no one is asking us to dance.
Religious freedom isn't a right or a privilege, it's a human experience. At a point in history, Christians were those that were run out of towns, and had to hide their love of Christ from those who still beleived in the "old ways". Now, those who believe in the "Old ways" have to hide what they believed from others who seek to not accept.
I am not a Christian in a Christian dominated world.
