Boss told me off for exclaiming Jesus Christ

How is saying a quite common phrase religious discrimination?

In what way is it discriminatory?

I'd have rolled my eyes at you and laughed tbh OP. You should have asked your boss to write you a list of acceptable exclamations, just in case.

I would find this upsetting/offensive and if I heard it at work I'd have a quiet word with the colleague who said it, asking them not to do that in the workplace again. Religious discrimination is not acceptable at work, ever, no matter which religion it is.

It's never really been acceptable ime but I'm old.

Funny how the expression DEI suddenly seeps to be cropping up everywhere....

Laugh it off and start using weird derivations like-

Jeezum Crow
Jumpin Jehoossphats
Geez
Gee
Sheez
Gee-wiz
Jeez wizard
cripes
Jeepers
by Jingo
Jeezers
bejeezers
Jiminy Cricket
Jumpin Christmas (might upset boss)
jumping Catfish
Jeepers Creepers
Jeezy Creezy

etc

DP got in trouble for using the c-word at work, and just started saying “clown” instead. Boss still got angry … but calling someone a clown not bad enough to call HR. .

"All religions should be treated with respect "

Why? Consider a popular one that claims their holy book is the source of all morals (theirs is the only true religion. All the others are lies - probably spread by Satan). They have a long history of torturing people to death for following the wrong religion.

Their moral holy book requires believers to kill gays on sight.

Its biggest human hero the father of the whole religion got the job because he tied up his own son and was about to cut his throat to impress god. That is why they call them Abrahamic religions.

(he didn't have to do it in the end, but was specifically picked because he was the kind of man who would do that.)

Would anyone here invite him to babysit?

It has a beloved prophet of god offended by being called 'Baldy' by some kids and who prayed and had god send some bears to rip the children to pieces. 2 Kings 2:23-24

It tells of how a Pharaoh was being defiant so to teach him a lesson God sneaked into every bedroom in the kingdom and murdered the oldest child. It even gloats a bit one how much wailing there'll be when the mothers find their dead kids in the morning. Exodus 12:29-30

So when someone from that religion says to me "respect my religion" I am deeply offended that they thought I was so bereft of morals/decency that I'd feel anything but contempt for it.

I'm an atheist, but I would ask a member of staff not to use any sort of expletive in a work meeting.

Are you? That's weird. A few millennia of religious influence on a language tends to stuck around for quite a while. Even goodbye is a contraction of God be with you.

I would have suggested you keep your language professional and avoid swearing and anything that anyone might find dodgy. In a ‘bye the way’ sort of way.

(Atheist free speech advocate with experience of formal and informal work situation)

You do know that Muslims consider JC to be a prophet too? In fact, Islam and Christianity are pretty much the same. And, of course, JC, being from the Middle East, would look more like Bin Laden than Bjorn Borg.

Anglican Christians don't bother themselves with offence like this.

I work with quite a few people from the more evangelical churches and I avoid it as it probably would upset them. I'm reintroducing "By Jove!" instead.

So Christians are abnormal then? Would you also think using the names from other religions is acceptable or are they considered special? Maybe you know what the consequences may be.

In Islam, Jesus is a prophet. Not the prophet obviously. But he's in the team.

There is an Islamic concept of "people of the book" which is Muslims, Jews and Christians. Muslims are expected to offer protection and freedom to Christians and Jews that live in Islamic countries.

Was this in Britain or somewhere where evangelical Christianity is popular ?

Where has 'very offended' come from? From you, not me. In a work context, I would find 'Jesus Christ' jarring, as I would the 'f' word and a string of other expressions. In a non-work context, I would hardly give it a second thought. That's not being quite dishonest, purposefully or not. It's having awareness of how different forms of language are appropriate for different circumstances.

@SerendipityJane oh yes 'By Jove' was another one :)

Generally to express mild alarm or surprise , so replacing casual swearing of the oh my gosh variety I suppose.

If he hit his thumb with a hammer he would have had sufficient self control to say nothing at all in words I suspect.

Apropos of this, I would generally try and muddle through life making as many as happy and as few as unhappy as possible. Not because of any divine guidance but because it just feels right as a human.

However, getting older, it's clear that sort of attitude really has "fucking mug" written all over it. So there are boundaries and pushbacks.

"Do unto others as thy would have them do unto you".

I'm not going to push my beliefs onto you, because ...

Blasphemy is "taking the Lord's name in vain" as in using God as a defence for your motivation or words. This isn't that.
Would people feel as strongly about anyone saying "Oh my God!" or "For God's sake" in an office/workplace setting? Because if you're claiming Blasphemy for one, then by default, so is the other. It's either offensive or it isn't.

Why did he think it was offensive to other religions? If it offended anyone it would be the Christians but we're not allowed to be offended, it might upset the other religions!

Since no one else has explained can you kindly explain why they found it offensive. I really want the specific reason why it causes offence

Surely nothing is offensive 'objectively'?