A lot of people don’t like religion in any form. A lot of people just don’t like Christianity specifically. I have noticed a lot of people are okay with other religions, but Christianity is the one religion you should keep to yourself.
Now I am aware that some people don’t like the word “religion” because of what it has become to so many people. We could have the “it’s a relationship, not a religion” discussion. But to keep things simple I’m just using the word religion. It doesn’t mean anything bad, right now it just means “what you believe and the things you do because of what you believe.”
First, as a Christian my religion says that I’m not supposed to keep it to myself. What I believe is supposed to change my life, and that means everything that I say, think, and do. People are supposed to notice what God can do in a person’s life. I’m supposed to be different, and I’m supposed to be better because of it. (Romans 12:2; 1 Peter 2:9; Proverbs 4:14-15; John 17:15-18) As James points out, what good is your faith if it has nothing to show for it? (James 2:14-20)
Which brings me to the second point. If I actually do keep my religion to myself, I wouldn’t be any different from the next person. Knowing my nature, you probably wouldn’t even like me. I would be so sickeningly self-righteous, thinking I could do anything I wanted just because I go to church and talk to Jesus once in a while. (Which makes me think of these verses: Galatians 5:13-14.) Maybe that’s why some people don’t like Christians; they met some who do keep their religion to themselves.
In short, my religion is something that should be very noticeable, and shouldn’t leave a bad taste in someone’s mouth. God wants others to have all the love and goodness that He has to give. How will they know what that’s like if I keep my religion to myself?