Explain why and how you "flaunt" your religion, or why you don't.
"Flaunting" might include clothes, jewelry, tattoos, proseltyzing, praying in public, etc. Anything that makes your preference known to the world, no matter how subtle or blatant.
Feel free to include stories. Did your outward expression make a difference in the world? Were people nice? Were they mean? Did you meet like-minded people?
Why I dont flaunt: I decided a long time ago that it was in my best interest to keep to myself, and I've found that an unassuming appearance works to my advantage. Revealing my views to friends and family would cause trouble and take away from my enjoyment of life.
I have high respect for Muslim and Catholic devotion; and, in some, their way of expressing their faith both in their house of worship and outside. My personality and my faith go hand in hand. I can't separate the two. I thought I wanted to be a nun; that isn't my personality. I'm more of a free minded and open person in regards to religion and other aspects of my life.
With that said, I do "flaunt" or express my religion openly. I wear a pentacle pinky ring. My christian co-worker asked why I wore it (it's a demonic symbol to her) and what it meant. With apprehension, I told her it holds many meanings one of which is that connection that my mother has because she has the same ring. Also, the elements of the earth. It didn't work out well. She didn't ask
about my faith, just tolerated the answer.
We have prayer rooms in each campus of our college. It was originally meant for Muslims; but, the school made it into a prayer room based on discrimination issues. I pray there sometimes.
In public, public, other than my pentacle, I have no other attire. If I do, it would be a hijab. Not the long ones, but the ones that go under the long scarf. White for full moon and black for new. People are confused but no one has asked me in honesty what my practice is and what I believe. It's taboo, evil, et cetera to them.
The thing is, I am religious; and, my religion is not extravegant. It is not like when I was Catholic and loved going to Church to just pray. It's more free spirited. It's "I do this now" and maybe I do that another time. It's not constricted.
So do I flaunt my faith? I do. Most of the time, people won't recognize it. Praying to the sun at the bus stop and prayer gestures when the sun goes down just makes people tilt their head and keep going. I used to do full rituals outside our apartment complex in nice weather. Our complex is a community owned by the Church. Most residents are christian from protestant to catholic. So, I get one extreme: a nod, a smile, and a "as long as you are praying" type of thing. On the other extreme, I have one Catholic who gave me our Church's news bulletin, and looked me in the eye and said "go to confession."
While my two Jehovah Witness friends asked me about my Buddhist views and Pagan practice, the other was more inquisitive as to why and how I don't believe in god.
So it depends. Especially in this area. When I go in the city, people literally don't care. I've seen people flaunt their beliefs more than I do. They receive an "exotic" hospitality where someone like me more demonic.
I guess it's all alright given how we think over here.
