I grew up a long time ago in Nashville, Tennessee. In my public schools in those days, a teacher often began the day with a reading from the Bible.

It was about as exciting as watching paint dry. I associated it with tasks like learning the multiplication tables.

Where Christ’s teachings did become alive was in many of my church child and youth groups. Teachers there loved both God and youth and believed in us. Some of them got creative with flannel board presentations or games. We shared in Sunday night gatherings, along with food, always a popular draw. (Food also appeared to be a popular draw with some of Jesus’ teachings. He appeared to enjoy feasts and celebrations.)

I think one practice to make Christianity disappear or at least lose its importance in society is to make its teachings compulsory–in the public schools and elsewhere.

Never associate it with fun or games or freedom to ask questions or to share hurts and vulnerabilities in voluntary gatherings. Don’t let it grow the way it did in early Christianity, from person to person, from what was not compulsory but from what was lived.

Make it appear as though the United States of America is a nation of one particular religion, instead of a nation of fallible human beings, where no religion is favored above another, where all are free to seek the truth as they wish. Where the founders understood the awful cost of religious wars in the old world.

Make sure people of other faiths feel that their faith is discriminated against—like the way I used to feel in other countries where another faith was favored. If we can discriminate, so can other nations.