Add "religion" to your resume?

[Qdrop]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7201269/

The faith-at-work movement finds a home
Building a Silicon Valley of the soul in Northwest Arkansas

[enree erzweglle]

One of my supervisors is very religious. She routinely takes proselytizing trips all over the world and visits schools to recruit the kids through plays, song, dance. Last week during a break in a meeting we were discussing my plans for summer vacation so that she could get a replacement while I was gone. I told her that I was going to be gone for the first half of August. Period. She asked where I was going and I told her--Zurich. She asked why, I told her to attend a class that the Dalai Lama was giving. As I was saying those words, I realized that I should have been saying something else. There was a PALPABLE silence and then an, "oh" from her that spoke volumes (it's like she said "oh" with multiple syllables). Then after another pause, she said, Why would you want to do that? With emphasis on the word "that." (If she knew me, she'd know the answer, but she only knows the work that I do, nothing really about my life outside of work.) Anyway, it was incredibly uncomfortable. In hindsight, I should have just said Zurich. Sightseeing. Wasn't prepared.

[Qdrop]

Then after another pause, she said, Why would you want to do that? With emphasis on the word "that."

that's none of her fucking business.

what a wench.

[enree erzweglle]

that's none of her fucking business.

what a wench.
I was 100% caught off guard. I figured that it would come up in a couple of months and I hadn't really started to figure out how to approach it without having that conversation with her.

There's a certain type of person and if you tell them that you're doing spiritual things that are not Christian based, even if they know you well and know how you live your life, they look at you as if you've been wooed by a cult. I avoid telling a particular relative of mine or most people at my work about spiritual stuff in my life just to avoid having those conversations. My son and my closest friends know me and know how excited I am about this course--I've been trying to get to it for the better part of 10 years and here it is. They're genuinely happy for me & for all the right reasons. That outweighs the negative stuff that I've gotten otherwise.

[phinkasaurus]

you should not shy away from this subject. If it brings up interestesting converstaions or debates with people, look at like a chance to enlighten others. Especally if these people already know you and don't think of you as "some crazy lunatic". stand up for your beliefs and opinions.
but I will admit, at work it's weird, you do have to worry about your job.

IMO, letting incorrect attitudes of intolerence exist is almost silently accepting those same ideas of intolerence.

[ms.peachy]

I'm with phinkasaurus on this one; I think it's a great opportunity for meaningful conversation.

As per that article, it is a bit spooky but then, I do rather support the idea of companies adopting a more ethical (ie, not solely profit motivated) point of view. What I have a problem with is any overemphasis on 'Christian' values as opposed to 'human' values.

[enree erzweglle]

you should not shy away from this subject. If it brings up interestesting converstaions or debates with people, look at like a chance to enlighten others. Especally if these people already know you and don't think of you as "some crazy lunatic". stand up for your beliefs and opinions.
There are some people who are genuinely curious and open minded; you can sense that and talk about spirituality with them. I do that and that's so often rewarding. But there are other people who are just looking to do a salvation and you can sense that too and avoid those types of situations. I can and do (avoid those situations). People like that usually have agendas that they veil as curiosity ("I'm curious about your life and what you're doing") but really, they're working their agenda.) I avoid those people and conversations about religion with them.


IMO, letting incorrect attitudes of intolerence exist is almost silently accepting those same ideas of intolerence.
I'm not always up for that sort of conversation and I'm never up to having it with certain people. For example, I flat-out won't get into spiritual conversations with people who are just trying score conversion points or who are trying to convince me that my beliefs are wrong. Those people are usually angry, have some other agenda, or are often hateful and you can't talk with them in a useful way.

[Qdrop]

What I have a problem with is any overemphasis on 'Christian' values as opposed to 'human' values.

that's the scary part...

did you notice the opening paragraph about the muslim mass exodus from Dell Inc in Tennessee?

i can see what's coming next:"are you christian?....no?...ummm, we don't have any openings."

"you've converted to [insert non-christian religion]?....ummm..we're laying you off due to....umm.....downsizing-restructuring...err..."

that wasn't necessarily the point of the opening paragraph....but it got me thinking.

[abcdefz]

...you should feel free to say your beliefs around anyone, if you can do it in a way that isn't blatantly abusive.

The two-edged sword is that if you open up a discussion about anything, it's opening a door for the other person's (hopefully thoughtful) reply.


I don't understand what the news article is about, exactly. WHY were Muslims fired for praying?

The first job I worked at as a Christian had a woman in accounting who was ALWAYS running around with her Bible talking to people while she was on company time. She got fired, and I definitely agreed with management about that -- she was preaching on their dime. She kept acting self-righteous about being fired because she was a "woman of God," but frankly, the best way she could have been a woman of God was to put her nose into her work, do a good job, and show by that discipline that she was a Godly person. Feel free to talk to others or read the Bible on your own time, but, if it's not your job description, don't expect your employer to pay for it. God doesn't even approve of that stuff -- it's called using the Lord's name in vain; i.e. exploiting God for your own ego or to get out of the actual job you've been contracted to do.

[abcdefz]

As per that article, it is a bit spooky but then, I do rather support the idea of companies adopting a more ethical (ie, not solely profit motivated) point of view. What I have a problem with is any overemphasis on 'Christian' values as opposed to 'human' values.





...I think any private company has the right to "discriminate" however they want --- if Hooters wants all women serving staff, if some techno store wants all Asian teenage hipsters, etc., or if some Muslim-owned shop or a Christian-owned shop or whatever... or a bookstore wanting to hire literate people, etc. Feel free, man; that's as it should be. But make it clear and have it in writing, so employees know that they're expected to maintain certain business standards at that place; don't fire some dude who's let himself gain too much weight as a security guard at a fitness center if you never told him you expected him to set an example for being in shape, for instance.

And the employee's break time is their time; aside from respecting company property and not creating a disruptive, abusive atmosphere, they can say/read/pray/sing/dance whatever they want. If someone in the break room wants to start talking about socialism or existentialism or Christianity or est or whatever, man, there has to be room for that, unless they just won't stop when asked to do so, in which case -- go eat in the yard or something.

It's common sense. We're all different folks who are going to rub against each other in good and bad ways. Intolerance is all around -- "liberal" people and "conservative" people are both horribly guilty. But the common sense thing is that intolerance is even too detatched a term for what it is: it's just plain being rude, greedy, and selfish -- it's that childish way of insisting that the universe has to go your way, and therefore, anyone who isn't just like you is someone not to be suffered. And there's no religion in anyone of right heart that says childishness and imaptience trumps love. None.