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AIBU?

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Original poster

To have objected to ‘prayers’ at work

587 replies

Iamthewintersale · 21/01/2025 13:56

Will try to keep this brief… Work in a team of 12, 6 in U.K. and 6 in USA ( mid-west) and once a week we have a team meeting that we take turns in running.

Tomorrow is the turn of A. A is a Republican, church goer, voted Trump because she wanted, quote ‘More money in my pocket book and illegals dealt with’.
So far so MAGA. This came up pre-election as she’s the only Trump fan on the team and was open about it.

On the agenda for the meeting is ‘Prayer’ as point one. I pinged manager a note saying what?? A thinks it would be nice to start off with a prayer. As a team. I have asked for it to be OFF the agenda. US manager thinks it’s ‘harmless’ but has said will clarify.

AIBU to think it’s totally inappropriate??? I’m an atheist for a start, most of my U.K. team are the same or at least agnostic.

Seems weird that she’s never tried this before, but suddenly Trump ‘god saved me to MAGA’ is inaugurated and a team prayer is in the agenda.
We are a large global company, BTW, not some local mom & pop outfit that sells bibles…

YANBU - work is secular. She keeps her views and prayers to herself own time.

YABU - lighten up, what harm can it do.

OP posts:
TheOtherAgentJohnson · 21/01/2025 14:01

Totally inappropriate, Americans are nuts. At a big family birthday party a couple of years ago, an American in-law made a speech and suddenly asked everyone to pray in the middle of it. The rest of us being Brits, we just quietly gave each other looks across the tables while she wanged on about blessings.

SoNiceToComeHomeTo · 21/01/2025 14:01

Prayer to start a work meeting? No!
Perhaps this is normal though for the woman proposing it so a bit of cultural sensitivity might be needed. If she wants a prayer time she could start the meeting five minutes early and let everyone know so they can join her if they want to.

Maddy70 · 21/01/2025 14:01

Yes totally inappropriate. And unprofessional

NormaleKartoffeln · 21/01/2025 14:01

Of course YANBU. People can pray in their own time, or in their heads during a meeting if need be, but collective prayer should be kept out of the workplace.

cheezncrackers · 21/01/2025 13:59

I think it's totally inappropriate. People's personal beliefs have no place in the workplace (unless that workplace is e.g. a church, mosque or whatever).

If this item stays in the agenda I would turn my camera off and absent myself until it was over.

Meadowfinch · 21/01/2025 13:59

Unless it was stated as part of the original contract, I would state clearly that I do not take part in any organised religion and I would not be taking part.

Beyond weird and presumptuous.

bridgetreilly · 21/01/2025 13:58

Not on a meeting agenda, no way. That is utterly inappropriate.

LlynTegid · 21/01/2025 13:58

Prayers should be voluntary, no-one forced to take part or listen. If it was that five minutes before the meeting, those who want to take part are invited to do so, that would be OK to me.

SwedishEdith · 21/01/2025 13:58

Obviously it's inappropriate. No further discussion, tbh.

HowardTJMoon · 21/01/2025 13:57

If she insists, ask if you can do a pagan prayer at the next meeting.

Original poster
Iamthewintersale · 21/01/2025 13:57

PS I work with a lot of US people so am quite used to them dropping in comments about their church, or bible study or the whole ‘god bless ‘Merica’ thing but this feels much more intrusive to me.

OP posts:
WhatTheKey · 21/01/2025 13:57

Absolutely ridiculous. What kind of company do you work for?! This would feel ludicrous in all jobs I've had!