How do ya feel about God in the workplace?

[Guest]

At work today I received an anonymous print-out of an email message about God. Whoever delivered it covered the names with white-out, although a sneaky, er, enterprising soul could probably find the source.

It talks about being cheery, and how you can get through tribulation to a brighter day, and blah blah blah blah.

I'm trying to figure out how to take this. It wasn't an email or a memo sent to everyone, it was something that was specifically dropped on my desk.

I imagine they have good intentions, but I can't help but be offended. A select few people at work know I'm struggling with the whole God thing right now, so this really seems like a slap in the face.

Plus, I'm not too certain of the legality of such things.

Any thoughts?

 

[cloudy]

I think I'd be offended too.

Someone's religion, spirituality, or lack thereof, is such a personal thing. I'm sure the person that did it was just trying to help, but they need to realize that their message isn't for everyone.

I'm reminded of the people that are constantly stopping by my house "inviting" us to their church. I know they do it because they feel it makes them a better person to "spread God's word", either that, or its the fashionable thing to do, and so they can claim to be a Christian while acting in a very un-Christian manner (sorry - jaded with the southern baptists we're overrun with here).

Personally, I feel that it really infringes on my privacy to have to explain to these folks that I despise what organized religion has become, and that I can't help but think that most of them are humongous hypocrites.

Legality? It probably isn't in the strictest sense of the word, but I don't think you'd be able to do anything about it, legally.

 

[minsue]

I've got plenty of thoughts, few of them charitable and none of them that would be helpful.

 

[Lucifer_Carroll]

Well, I remember when God was in my workplace. A nice guy and all but a bit of a domineering Boss. It was always "your praising the high holy minutes have been low this quarter", "stop having free thoughts about my dethroning on company time", and "no, you can't have time off for a grandmother's smiting". However all in all he could have been worse. Too bad I had to ruin it with that civil war office prank. Oh well, cie la vie.

Oh, different type of thing.

Personally I say you should just take it at face value. You should discourage active recruiting and let them know that though you appreciate their concern it isn't neccesary (this is assuming you find out who it is). I did this with the group of my old friends who were Christians and they stopped trying to recruit me into the fold. I ended up getting a lot of respect from them on how I avoided most religious issues and that when I did contribute I did so from the point of view of a Christian.

Overall, if they are being anonymous, toss it in the trash and think no more on it. You know that you'll solve the crisis on your own. Make a little joke if the person follows up and turns out to be someone you have no respect for. Tell him that you're sorry but since the demon possession you've been unable to give your soul to Jesus's infinite mercy.

Remember it's your religious crisis, so fuck what others think. People will try to save your soul or whatnot, but ultimately it's up to you personally to make your own damn mind about how you feel about God.

-Luc the Duc of Hades in an uncharacteristic appearance in a religion thread.

 

[Guest]

Tell him that you're sorry but since the demon possession you've been unable to give your soul to Jesus's infinite mercy.

 

[R. Richard]

If someone in the workplace threatens you physically, it is assault, a felony crime.

If someone in the workplace tries to force their sexuality on you, it is sexual harassment, a serious crime.

If someone in the workplace tries to force their religion on you, it is probably not yet a crime, unfortunately.

What I would do in the circumstance you described, I would prepare to ask a question about their God. What God are they talking about? Are they talking about Allah? Are they talking about the God who is the father of Jesus? Are they talking about Lord Krishna? Are they talking about Yehova? Which God are they talking about? If they don't want to answer/can't answer, it is harassment, talk to Personnel/HR, etc.. If they specify a God and a church, talk to the Imam/Priest/Pastor/Rabbi, etc. Tell the church man/woman you don't need to argue religion at work.

Good luck!

 

[rimmy]

Religion has no place at work just like it has no place at school.

 

[nushu2]

I don't have an answer for you but it reminded me of something.

Many, many years ago in a suburb far far away....
A couple of JWs came to the door. I answered the door and called for my brother. My brother was a recent born-again Christian, converted through marriage. I have another brother that decided to become a Sufi. Considering the rest of the family is devoutly indifferent, I can't explain it.

Anyway, one of my most cherished memories is watching my brother chase them down the street, arguing about the proper way worship God, at full volume. That's justice.

 

[cantdog]

Religion has no place at work just like it has no place at school.

Not at law; but I agree. They are prohibited from discriminating on a religious basis. You might have a case under the same rule as sexual harassment -- I believe the phrasing goes, "creating a hostile or threatening work environment." Schools, public ones, are constitutionally forbidden to foster any given religion at the expense of another.

Some businesses, though, are like a family. You don't get hired, you join and are adopted. If a place like that has a religious flavor, you'd know it going in.

Actually, big corps are finding that the Coors beer approach is bad business. MBNA and many businesses like it do not allow any racist or homophobic atmosphere to develop, nor any religious boosterism. They are not altruistic; it is simply because they want smart and skilled people, and they have at last learned that driving people away for that sort of reason makes no sense.

The protection against all those things hangs on the makeup of the people in the legislatures and on the bench. There is a lot of millenial excitement in religious people generally. People are perfervid about it. Novels of The Rapture and The Last Days are million-sellers; there are television preacher types trash talking Islam. The more of this there is, the closer we come to a theocratic government in the U.S. Then you'll find your right to be left alone in your beliefs will vanish like the dew.

 

[Joe Wordsworth]

Take it in good stride, accept the positive intentions, discard it. No sense getting bent out of shape or organizing a militia or spending any effort on things that aren't very serious.

 

[Boota]

I agree with Joe on this. I am VERY anti-religion, but I would just let this one go. This time. If it's a one time thing, no big deal. If they continue this behavior, it's harassment. My advice would be to document the occurence for future reference in case of further incidents.

I have been discriminated against because of my lack of religion. I just decided to let it go and work elsewhere. I didn't get the job because I said at the interview that I wasn't a Christian. (They shouldn't have asked.) Turns out that everyone in the plant is a Christian, and if you're not they find a way to fire you, or just not hire you in the first place. I didn't make a big deal out of it because I really wouldn't enjoy working in that atmosphere anyway. But, if someone didn't give any of them a job they were applying for because they were Christians, the shit would really hit the fan.

 

[cantdog]

Joe is correct. If the note had been threatening or really creepy, it would be more of a concern. Some of these folks do not mean well. But it sounds benign enough, if off-putting.

I would also feel a shiver to find people had been dropping anonymous notes on my desk, whether they were about my soul or not. Sorry you had to have that experience, sarahh. It must have given you a couple of bad moments.

 

[Joe Wordsworth]

Originally posted by Boota
But, if someone didn't give any of them a job they were applying for because they were Christians, the shit would really hit the fan.

This also happens, they likely don't make a big deal out of it for the same reasons you didn't.

 

[Colleen Thomas]

You might come closer to it being actionable than you think. The working definition of sexual harassment is words or deeds that make the workplace hostile and are of a sexual nature. If the words or deeeds in question are of a religious nature, but make the workplace uncomfortable you might be able to take action as simple harassment.

One major thing you should look at is your company's bylaws. Many prohibit soliciting or prosteletizing. Another thing you should look at is the nature of the email. If it isn't supporting a particular god or Church, it probably isn't actionable. If it is, then it might be.

Religion is a deeply personal thing. As with most personal things, most companies tend to discourage you from bringing them to work. Most companies also discourage distibuting chain emails or even sending/recieving personal emails at work. There are a lot of ways you could approach it, if you really want something done about it.

I get a lot of plithy semi religious emails. I get them from people who know my religious views and from people who don't. Although some of it is hard sell stuff and some "subtle", the basic premise in all the mails is to give you something interesting, a picture, story, poem, etc. and then do the god advertisement near the end. If I get a cute picture of a puppy and someone slides in the religious pitch, I can generally ignore it and enjoy the picture.

Before you determine if you can or even want to take action I would look at why I was offended. Was it because you felt your pivacy was invaded? Was it because you were at work and felt it inappropriate? Was it the message in and of itself, either delivered in an over bearing or insuferable way? Or is this particular case as much a product of your own soul searching as it was the action or message themselves?

Knowing who sent it to you might have a lot to do with it. It could simply be a genuine attempt to brighten your day by a close freind or an attempt to take advantage of your insecurity about god by someone who dosen't know you well enough to be getting that personal.

In the end, like religion itself, how much you are willing to take and what you consider inappropriate are very personal things. Whoever did this, in the very least broke the cardinal rule of not discussing your religion with someone who you don't know well enough to know if you are offending.

-Colly

 

[snooper]

Religion has no justifiable place anywhere.

All any religion offers is that if you pay money to a specialist (priest, rabbi, etc.) (s)he will intercede between you and an infinite, omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent being to give you a better life after you are dead.

The flaws are obvious. If God is omniscient (s)he already knows all about your problems and has therefore done whatever (s)he did about it (including nothing) without outside intervention. If God is not omniscient then (s)he is not God.

The aforementioned specialist just wants your money to live a life of comfort without doing any real work, in some cases a life of extreme luxury.

 

[Weird Harold]

I'm trying to figure out how to take this. It wasn't an email or a memo sent to everyone, it was something that was specifically dropped on my desk.

I imagine they have good intentions, but I can't help but be offended. A select few people at work know I'm struggling with the whole God thing right now, so this really seems like a slap in the face.

Once is good intentions -- make a note of the incident and/or file the e-mail away for reference. (If it becomes actionable harrasment or discrimination, white out isn't going to protct whoever's name is whited out.)

Twice or more and it becomes harrassment and/or religious discrimination and should be taken to your boss in a formal complaint.

I'm not familiar with the laws where you live, or the policies of the company you work for -- you need to research them to know just what offense to complain about.

US Federal labor laws prohibit harrassment and/or religious discrimination in the workplace, but this is, so far, a very minor incident that probably dosn't meet the defintions.

One thing that is usually required as a first step in a harrassment case is the victim has made it known that the attentions/actions are not acceptable -- i.e. you need to tell your boss and co-workers that you found the anonymous e-mail offensive. It's your choice to wait for another occurance or estblish the point immediately.

I doubt that anything more than letting people know that the e-mail wasn't welcomed can be done until a pattern is established.


As for the question in the title -- I have no problem with anyone in the workplace passively expressing their religious beliefs; as long as they have no problem with my expressing my lack of beliefs in the same way.

If a co-worker, or the company, wish to have copies of the Ten Commandments or a favorite prayer on the walls or their desk, or hang a rosary from their desk lamp, or even pray for patience before booting their computer.

I do have a problem with being proselytized at work or being required to participate in a religious observance -- i.e. morning prayers or the like. (I don't have a problem with voluntary morning prayers and will quietly respect the practice, but would choose NOT to participate.)

 

[Liar]

If God can figure out how to reload the toner on the Xerox, he's more than welcome.


Seriously though, missionaries is one thing that I have a major beef with. I think it's impolite and disrespectful to try to push your faith unbidden on someone else.

I'd say toss the paper and let it be. But if this keeps happening, let the place know, politely but publically, that you are not amused.

#L

 

[Guest]

Wonderful suggestions, all!

Thank you everyone.

I was going to send an polite email to all staff today thanking the sender and asking that they do not "gift me" again.

But after reading all your thoughts I think I'll wait to see if this is repeated. I really don't want to make a big fuss about this at work.

You know, I wouldn't be as annoyed if everyone in the office had gotten the letter. And if it had been from one of my close friends, they certainly wouldn't have remained anonymous.

(Why is it I have no respect for anyone named anonymous??? )

 

[rgraham666]

If it was me, I would laugh and file the note in the circular file.

Then I would wonder out loud, where the office gossips can hear me, why the person felt they had to be anonymous. Also muse, in the same circumstances, that the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

 

[OldnotDead]

Re: Wonderful suggestions, all!

Thank you everyone.

I was going to send an polite email to all staff today thanking the sender and asking that they do not "gift me" again.

But after reading all your thoughts I think I'll wait to see if this is repeated. I really don't want to make a big fuss about this at work.

You know, I wouldn't be as annoyed if everyone in the office had gotten the letter. And if it had been from one of my close friends, they certainly wouldn't have remained anonymous.

(Why is it I have no respect for anyone named anonymous??? )

I think your decision makes sense. If it is repeated then you will need to respond. since the person attempted to be anonymous your only course of action is a formal one with the company.

As a woman you are in a 'protected class' so that Federal anti-discrimination laws are triggered as well as whatever state protections are offered where you work. The most professional way to handle a second incident is to provide copies of both messages to whoever handles human resources with a clear statement as to what outcome you want.

HR will most likely follow up with a company wide memo concerning whatever policies are in place regarding private communications between workers.

 

[Guest]

 

[Svenskaflicka]

How do I feel about God in the workplace?

The same way I feel about God in ANY place - I don't like religion. And I think that although the person who gave you that print-out possibly had good intentions, I still think it's an invasion of privacy to have someone's ideas of faith thrown in your face like that.

I'd feel hurt, if someone did it to me. And to hurt that person back, I'd grin widely and say something along the lines of "Oh, thank goodness, just what I needed - the toilet paper's out!"

 

[Guest]

 

[Joe Wordsworth]

God should be in every workplace.

 

[ABSTRUSE]

God doesn't do retail.