Wearing of religous symbols?

Question

Please read the link

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6051486.stm

What is you opinion of this?

Emma: the website link is from BBC News, perfectly safe!

I used to work at heathro airport when I was a student. I had my nose peirced and was told to take it out. However I pointed out that there were others in the company wearing nose piercings and why I had to take mine out and they didnt. It came down to the fact that they wore theirs as religoius expression and mine was just fashionable. To say I was pissed off is an understatement. I can not fathom why rules are bend just because of your religion and I say hats off to this woman for sticking up for this issue; it seems one rule for you and another for me and another one for someone else. To me either ALL should be allowed to wear religious symbols or none at all.

Answer 1

Sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen. Which she should get in my opinion.

Answer 2

Innocent people have been kicked off flights for being Indian, Sikh, even Spanish, or for having unkempt beards. Why? Because other passengers felt threatened. Now you want to stir outrage because an airline worker chose to wear a religious symbol, particularly a symbol that represents violent Western aggression to many Muslims? I have no sympathy for her.

How does wearing jewelry "express" one's faith? A symbol is shorthand. It does not teach, it identifies. When it's a symbol of the predominant faith, it looks more like flaunting and intimidation. Portraying "Christians" as victims is a cynical ploy.

You might argue that a hijab does the same thing but there is a difference. Jewelry is an addition. The hijab is designed to take away, to cover. Muslim women believe in modesty, much the way the Amish do. They are NOT showing. Wearing a cross IS showing. It is not an obligation but a personal choice. That woman decided it was more important that everyone think she is a Christian than to do her job.

Answer 3

If the company rule is actually for ALL jewelry AND if she was aware of that rule when she was hired, then I feel she has little option to comply with the company. If the rule permits some jewelry to be exposed while others have to be covered, I think the company is showing poor taste and might be forcing employees to comply with an issue that has no bearing on job performance. If she were to wear sports related pin such as "Go Mets" or " Go Bears" or "Lakers are #1" would they still be offended? It might be best to make the policy that absolutely NO jewelry of any sort is permitted. I'll add that I am a Christian too. And if the policy about wearing a cross was recently imposed as an anti Christian endeavor, I would probably wear it too.I think I'd point out that since it does not effect my job performance, what harm is it doing?

Answer 4

People these days are blowing small issues completely out of proportion. They are creating unnessecary fear and anxiety over religions. I mean a cross is a cross, it's jewlerry, it does not harm anyone. If she ran up to someone, thrust the cross in their faces and started shouting "BECOME A CHRISTIAN IT'S THE BEST RELIGION IN THE WORLD AND IFYOU DON'T YOU'LL GO TO ETERNAL DAMNATION!!" well then yeah i'd understand if they told her to take it off and well i'd understand if they'd fire her as well.
If someone walked down the street wearing a cross i wouldn't complain, if someone walked around in a veil, i wouldn't complain or a turban or any other religious symbol etc.
People are becoming so terrified of religions it's crazy!!! You should be scared of terrorists etc not a normal person that happens to have faith in a religion. Only a small minority of religious people want to cause harm.

Answer 5

Regarding specifically the BBC article, when working for a comany, you have rules to follow, and also Uniform rules, no discussion. These rules reflect the importance of the uniform. The standar clothes that every employee uses, in fac every employee itfelf, is the Image of the company. I can easily understand that in the current times, companies do not want to have their images asocciated with any religion (specially airlines since 9/11) because they sell flights, not salvation.

In general, crosses and turbans and whatever, should be left for representants of the clergy, because its the image they Must have. As for everyone else, ostentuous religios symbols may border on hubris, and excessive pride is univerally put side by side with provocation, and we do not want religious provocation, nor any government equalling itself with any religious denomination

Answer 6

Extton makes a good point, Christians are not required to wear anything, so it is not the same as with the turban etc.

I don't think the company was that unreasonable as they did not forbid her to wear it and it was a uniform issue. If it was a required item, like a Jewish man's yarmulke (spelling?) then it would be a different matter but as they made the exception for turbans and hijabs then presumably the matter would not arise.

There is a vast difference between things your religion requires you to wear on pain of sin, and things you just like to wear because it has something to do with your religion. We must fight fro genuine religious freedom, but this shouldn't be abused.

Answer 7

Is this really about religious symbols or have people got the wrong end of the stick? It sounds like a straight forward Health & Safety issue to me, the airline doesn't allow 'dangly' necklaces to be worn outside uniforms in case they endanger the wearer by becoming caught in something. Some necklaces can be quite strong and cabin crew are often faced with violent passengers who might make use of them in an assault.

Answer 8

I don't open ANY sites I don't know, so that doesn't come into the equation. What DOES however, is this insistence on wearing what is nothing more than a LABEL.
Crosses, turbans, veils etc etc are nothing more than religious signs so that others will know what you're about, and I really don't see the necessity for any of it.
I couldn't care LESS what religion anybody is, and furthermore I don't want to KNOW, yet I still get these badges and labels thrown at me all the time, and just look what trouble they're causing!
Ban the lot - Problems over.

Answer 9

I think it's retarded and a cross necklace is no big deal. But it's just a sign of relgious intollerance on both sides. The fact that nobody can get along causes stupid rules such as this to be made.

Also makes me think of a funny Bill HIcks bit where he talks about Jesus not wanting to come back until people quit wearing crosses...

Answer 10

they have a uniform policy and she was in violation of it. end of story. they do not allow ANY jewlery worn over the uniform. making this a christian issue is just a way for someone to bring attention to themself and to cause problems.

if they allow her to wear it, then they have to allow everyone to wear their religious symbold in the open. that would include satanists with the upside down cross and the Pagans and their pentagrams.

when a professional company wants to present an image to the publis it is of a clean cut and uniformed professional. and if the uniform does not allow for jewlery then tough. they are still allowed to wear it UNDER the uniform.

my company does not care how i wear my penticle. but 99.9% of the time it is under my shire anyway. simply because i never take it off. and i seldom think about pulling it out of my shirt when i put my cloths on. i do not need to draw attention to my religion.
i live as an example of my religion.

does the christian religion not say to respect the laws of man. well they are men and they own a company and their rules are laws when you work for them so respect them. it is not hurting anyone if you cover your necklace for a few hours a day.

Answer 11

I have no opinion. What does the Bible say? In the Law that was given to Moses, religious images were prohibited. See Ex. 20:4. 1 John 5:21 says to Christians to "guard yourselves from idols."