Religion and The Workplace (Jesus, Earth, preaching, experience, atheist)

[Lightkeeper]

Is there a place for religion at work?

[No*s]

How can there not be? It's part of who people are, so unless we are going to check part of our being at the door, it will go wherever we go.

[robtex]

Maybe at the lunchroom between friends but for the most part no. I gotta tell you from a non christian viewpoint it aint' easy being the "enemy" at work. I have worked in many offices where I was the one of maybe 3-5 non Chrisitan out of 100 or more. If I had a nickel for every person that has asked me to accept Jesus as my personal savior I would be retired by now.

The Atheists get it worse than I do. And this has been with every job I have ever had. I have been in meetings where people pray to Jesus, I have seen business decisions where the biggest factor was Jesus will, I have seen people pushed out of places I have worked for being non religious or atheist. I had a negative evaul at a job because I was not a Christian.

As the other non Christians will probably concur it is not easy to work in an eviroment made up of Christians and not have one or two on your back about converting. I don't bring up reliigion at work but I have been asked why my desk was the only one without pictures of Jesus on it, what my religion is...why I don't pray before meals ect.

As a matter of fact in all my of my work experience only two jobs did this not happen and one of those was a three month stint at a sandwich shop in college. It would be nice if Christians though about how ackward it is to the one of the few non Christians and however polite it is to have to come to work and know that at least once a week someone will ask you about Jesus or conversion.

Reverse the situation. Imagine you had a job in a muslim envirorment and at meetings people prayed to the koran and Allah, asked you if Christianty is "really" a monotheistic religion or asked you to come to their mosque so you can see an enlightened religion.

[No*s]

When I say we can't leave it behind, I wasn't saying we should actively proselytize on the clock. That's a little over the top...

[_salam_]

I agree with NO*s, that religion isn't something (or at least it shouldn't be something) that can just be forgotten one minute and acted upon the next. But I would say that work isnt' the time or place to be preaching to people about your faith either. The workplace is a time and place when peoples differences in beleifs need to be respected.

[Scuba Pete]

We tend to compartmentalize our lives...

This time is for sleeping.

This time is for eating.

This time is for working.

This time is for God.

But a real relationship is a 24/7 proposition! I am Pete throughout the day and night and part of being Pete (other than being incredibly handsome and humble) is what he believes in.

Colossians 3:22 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. NIV

No, the writer was not advocating slavery, but rather being content in whatever circumstance you find yourself in.

[_salam_]

Originally Posted by NetDoc

But a real relationship is a 24/7 proposition! I am Pete throughout the day and night and part of being Pete (other than being incredibly handsome and humble) is what he believes in.

Haha....lol....oh thats just smooth.

[Lintu]

No religion in the workplace. I think I'm going to buy this pin I saw on the internet: Don't Assume I'm Christian. I don't want to hear thanks to G-d before a company banquet or when we make a big business goal.

[Suzy]

Hi Everyone.

When I went for my interveiw for a job at a health shop,I didn't mention at the time that I was a Jehovah's Witness. It wasn't that I had made a decision to tell or not to tell, that was just the way the interview went.

Anyway I got the job and although I don't remember the exact way in which my religion became known, it did after a while become common knowledge that I was a Jehovah's Witness.

I also believe as someone mentioned above that the work place is for work and I think it would be wrong for me to constantly talk about religion instead of getting the job done that I am paid to do. But on saying that,I do get people ask me questions such as "how many meetings do you attend each week?" or "why don't you celabrate Christmas?" etc.
When they ask these things then I give them an answer and explain briefly. I always like to put my self in another persons shoes and that is why I would not dream of ramming religion down anyones throat, and It wouldn't even occur to me to say to someone "why do you not have God and Jesus in your life" I find that the people at work except me for who I am and they are not afraid to ask me questions because they know that I am not going to lecture or preach at them.

I think the key is to be balanced in these things. If someone wants to talk about the bible etc(out of works time of course)then I am obviously more than willing to do so,but if they don't want to know then I leave well alone.

Sue

[Melody]

Originally Posted by Lightkeeper

Is there a place for religion at work?

Formally...no. Informally...well yes because how can you separate a person from their belief system. It's part of who they are. I just don't think anyone should be prosletyzing at work.


Melody