Secularism is the belief in separation of government, laws, and public activities from religion. Secularization is the movement away from traditional religious values, and the movement first occurred from within Catholicism during the 16th century as the Renaissance and Reformation promoted ideas of humanism and individualism. Secularism became the main belief in Western countries, with religion being taken out of the legal system and government to ensure that all people were treated as equals under the law. President of India Jawaharlal Nehru said that secularism was implemented to protect each person's practice of religion, while others associate it with atheism. Secularism is mostly found in the West and the Americas, while many countries in the Middle East and Africa are ruled by Muslim sharia law. Secular societies promoted pluralism, religious diversity, rationality, equality, and a lack of barriers. In many cases, secularism can be associated with anti-clericalism.
Another definition of secularism refers to individual faiths. Secularism can be defined as freedom from religious rule and teachings, or the lack of religion. For example, during the period of secularism in Turkey under Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, Turks were encouraged to live Westernized lifestyles free of religion, and the headscarf was discouraged, as was the traditional fez. In Ba'athist Syria, there was a ban on headscarves in public, and public displays of religion were discouraged. Secular people typically do not follow the religious instructions of their faith, instead focusing on using the faith as an identity instead of a belief system. Secular Christians typically celebrate Christmas, but they celebrate it as a holiday for the family and not a holiday for religious purposes. Secular people typically refrain from regularly attending worship services or observing religious holidays, while maintaining some aspects of their faiths.