Call it what you want

There seems to be a new trend of "secularism" in the United States, also called "religious freedom". Now, back from where I come from, being a secular country is part of the constitution. Granted there are parts of India where you could be killed for being a missionary or for propogating your faith. But the places that are truly "secular" offer you the kind of freedom that is not found even in the United States.

Lately all you hear about is how the Bible is not allowed at workplaces, don't mention the name of Jesus when you pray, don't offer to pray for someone or you might offend them, don't talk about America being founded on faith in God. It just seems like religious freedom in other words is "silence the Christian".

Back home, being a Christian in a secular country meant that all the students - Hindu, Muslim, Sikh or Christian - were respectful during morning prayers in my Christian school. If I offered to pray for a grieving friend, they'd bow their head with me and thank me afterwards. I carried my Bible in my purse to work, read it when I wanted to and let a coworker open it when they wanted, all without breaking a rule. Once a week during lunch breaks at college, Christian students and anyone who wanted to join in would gather together to worship and pray. There were times we'd attempt to go into the villages and share the gospel. Sometimes people were receptive. At other times they threatened to light our bus on fire if we didn't turn around. There were places where we were silenced and the Bible was not welcome. Where your faith could hurt you. But we didn't call it religious freedom. We called it persecution.