[sheepdestroyer]

And that may be one of the big cultural difference between the US and my country. Here the generally shared idea is that people are citizens of the republic first, before anything else. Such a comment from a politician would elicit a terrible uproar.

That being said, anything can be part of your identity, you can define yourself as punk rock if you want. What I mean and thought you understood is the difference between what is intrinsically you and not. Yes of course, to many, religion is important like veganism can be. But it remain a mere choice to keep it that way.

Apostasy is always a possibility and that makes it different in a way that equating both kinds of identities is lessening the damages one sustains when attacked on a fundamental part of its person-hood. If your race is criticized, that's an attack on your humanity. If someone criticize your belief system : meh none is challenged otherwise than on a thought level.