Does wearing a lotus flower have to be associated with religion?

The lotus is used as an analogy for spiritual development in Hinduism and Buddhism. The lotus is a plant that has its roots in the muddy bottom of the pond, grows up to the light, and once into the light it send out a flower bud that blooms into a beautiful flower with exquisite scent. Notice that it does NOT remove its roots from the mud. To those who understand Hinduism or Buddhism, if you wear a lotus or a lotus symbol, you are telling people that you DO the practices of either Hinduism or Buddhism, that this is your path. Why would you misinform people? If you wear a cross or a crucifix, you are telling people you are Christian. It you wear a lotus, you are telling then you are Hindu or Buddhist. But calling attention to yourself, stating your preferences to others .. that is not the Buddhist way. Buddhists who go around announcing their Buddhism, or wearing lotus symbols, are missing the whole point of Buddhism. To wear a lotus is no insult to a religion or to others. But it is a bit of an insult to yourself, and those who know these religions will judge you that way .. as a bit of a hypocrit. Yes, we aren't supposed to judge, but human nature is human nature.