Some clarity (I hope)…
“Spiritual” I’d define as a private thing, between a person and his or her God
(from ‘spiritus’ to do with the spirit or breath of life)
‘Religious’ is something shared with others, binding them together
(from re - ligo to bind or join together again)
If everyone is of the same religion, religious symbols are attractive: if not, then they are by their nature ‘hostile’, even though many people will ignore them or not find them offensive.
(This is not prejudicial — any more than someone trying to be your best buddy who you don’t particularly want to be best buddy with).
I don’t think this changes if someone wears say a cross or a swastika or a star of david merely as jewellery, or the fact that they can apply to religions or ideas other than those with which they are commonly associated. These are simply physical facts. In other cases when the symbol is so generalised - such as a symbol of the Sun — they are only meaningful to the wearer so don’t count as religious symbols.
Christians are not usually seen as a threat in this country by most people today so the cross has been politely tolerated for a long time. (This is becoming otherwise one some South American countries with the rise of dangerous evangelics.) The rise of militant Islamism has made us more aware of religious symbols as many people feel threatened in certain circumstances. Jewish symbols are not generally offensive unless one feels embittered about the Palestinian situation.
I don’t see any justification for religious symbols outside of the temple or church or chapel of the corresponding religion. If you believe something, that virgins have babies or there’s men on the moon, you’re welcome to your unscientific belief in the privacy of your own place. When you thrust it on others it becomes a) a potential source of conflict or at very least an espousal of unscientific attitude. Such things have no place in a modern civilised society.
