Religion in the workplace?

Question

Email from the owner of where I work:

**I would like to begin a monthly chapel service to be held the first Monday of each month in the classroom downstairs. This will be held before work - 8am - and will be completely voluntary. All employees will be welcome. The meeting will begin at 8 and end at 8:20. We will have a guest speaker ( a pastor or someone from Christian par-church circles) to talk about living the Christian life in our work. We will also have a time to pray for employees/ clients/family concerns as they come up. We can even offer a place for folks to submit prayer requests to be prayed for at the meeting.

I would like to hear your thoughts on this - objections, concerns or whatever. I do not want to start something that will be a problem or controversial but have a time that can help us all grow as servants of the Living God. Please e-mail me your thoughts. **

I'm an atheist (the only non-christian) and this makes me uncomfortable. What should I say?

I come in every day at 8:00am to open the office so I am the only person who will be here anyway. I will be obviously not attending and people will ask. I have been hiding my non-religious status since I started here (most people here go to Jerry Falwell's church). They have even talked at lunch about how they think atheists are crazy and shouldn't be allowed to be in the military or run for office. Oh, and that democrats make them want to vomit. I just smile and nod. I need this job. I wish I could send the boss something anonymously because once they find out I'm an atheist, my work life will become unbearable.

Answer 1

Only if Mumbo Jumbo is worshiped between 9:00 and 17:00

Other wise it is illegal in most countries, US, UK, Europe and loads of others to require one to go to religious services in the work place.

Point out that if you don't go to their service, you better not get fired, as then they would be seeing your lawyers.

Mumbo Jumbo's is the only religion that requires you to rub blue mud into your belly button, in order to go to heaven.

All the other religions require all sorts of things, Mumbo Jumbo, only requires an application of blue mud.

All Hail Robert A. Heinlein, Mumbo Jumbo's Holy Prophet, who went to sit at the right hand of Mumbo Jumbo 25 years ago this month.

Wait until the Resurrection, when everyone who believed all these myths find out they were wrong and go to hell, because they didn't believe and rub blue mud into their navels.

There will be much gnashing of teeth when the blessed of Mumbo Jumbo party with him/her and watch the tortures of the unbelievers.

Answer 2

Wow. In this example, asking folks to be expertise of the emotions of others sounds worse than asking folks to take a 20% pay reduce. The outrage expressed by means of those "experts" is indicative that faith, and people who comply with it, is irrational, utterly biased and unreasonable: the reply on your query was once sitting there inside the query always. If, nonetheless, the worker had a addiction of posting within the publication a Star of David while wishing folks blissful Rosh Hashanah, or a crescent moon while wishing others a peaceable Ramadan, and persisted to recognize vacations and gala's of Hindus, Wicca, Shinto and so forth, then I'd say she don't need to be "reminded" or admonished. I incredibly doubt that is the case and I believe your movements and outrage have been justified. Those who flamed you're naturally short of a crash path on studying to play fine.

Answer 3

Religion does not belong in the workplace. The owner has no right to impose this on his employees (which he is even though he is saying it is completely voluntary).

You can handle it politely and just let him know that your beliefs are not the same as his and would not be attending & leave it at that. He doesn't need to know that you are an atheist as it is none of his business & it might "save" you from a project of being "saved".

Answer 4

Keep a copy of his/her email and a copy of your reply. But I would be tactful in the response that you aren't interested in attending for personal reasons. I think he is allowed to do this as long as it is voluntary and not on company time. You may want to talk to a lawyer (or a group like Americans for the Separation of Church and State may have someone you can talk to) to verify this since there are so many loopholes.

Answer 5

The work place is a form of public venue. You have people coming together in one place, of various ethnic, religious, and political followings. A work place must have a level playing field, which means one set of rules and guidelines have to be in place, and religion cannot be a part of it, as it is a personal choice, and part of a person's private life, therefore should be kept out of the workforce.
I have my own personal beliefs about faith, and while not a regular practicing member, I still adhere to the faith I grew up with. I keep my own beliefs to myself, and don't discuss "religion or politics". The owner may have good intentions, but he is endorsing the Christian faith by trying to hold chapel services, over the personal beliefs, including yours, of other workers. He has just created an unbalanced playing field. Unfortunately, his good intentions are eventually going to go sour.

Answer 6

Yeah...it doesn't belong there. If I was interviewing with a company and I heard they had that, I would move on quickly. You are going to eliminate a certain amount of talent that way. If they want church in the morning, stop on the way in.

The only good thing is it will die pretty fast unless you are in a huge company. Most people aren't going to get up early.

I am glad I work with a bunch of geologists with advanced degrees. About half of them are atheists so religion doesn't ever come up.

Answer 7

I don't think there's any cause for concern unless you're working with people who might judge you on your non-attendance.
The e-mail itself makes it clear that there is no expectation for people to attend, and it doesn't cut into working hours so I don't think your working life would be otherwise affected.

However, if you are not keen on the idea of religion in the workplace, then you might want to speak to your employer about the reasons you feel this way.

Answer 8

I would suggest, as long as it doesn't start to interfere with your work, that you just let them be. It's being held before work starts and doesn't sound like it's being sponsored by the company, so I wouldn't sweat it terribly until it becomes a real problem in your work atmosphere. They have the right to worship, but you also have the right to work in the environment you were guaranteed when you accepted the job. Be clear with your coworkers in that you aren't comfortable about the situation and that you don't wish to participate and hopefully they'll respect that. If not, take it to the proper authorities and let them handle it.

Answer 9

It would probably make me feel the same as you however the email did say it was " completely voluntary". If I were in your situation I wouldn't go but that's just me. You need to weigh the pros and cons of your decision.

I guess these guys don't know when and where to stop do they?

Answer 10

Religion in the work place, It is up to the Bosses disgretion.
But in the case of the non believers it makes it hard,if i were there i would have to tell my boss that because of my religion i can not attend his meetings,you don't have to tell any one about your beliefs,as that is a personal link to you.
Also ask him / her if you can be sacked if you do not attend
if the answer is no? then ask them for that in writing,that way
if they do sack you ,at least you will have proof it was unfair.