Religion in the workplace

Would it really hurt you to be considerate to colleagues who are religious?

They're not asking you to convert or even show an interest, just be be mindful during a period which is important to a lot of other people. Is it really to much to ask.

Can you tell me about any required Christian practice that could any level of accommodation in the workplace? I mean, you already get your major holidays and weekly holy day off in most cases…

It would be hyperbolic to an offensive degree to compare the death of a loved one to someone choosing to eat between certain hours.

Someone on a fasting 16/8 eating plan would be a more apt comparison. Where people fast for 16 hours, and eat during an 8 hour window. I don’t think I would feel compelled to behave differently around someone who has adjusted their eating habits temporarily. Whether for their spiritual belief purposes or to lose weight. That would have their personal choices impact my life, which is not very respectful or sensitive to me. Obviously, I wouldn’t go out of my way to ‘tempt’ them. But I certainly wouldn’t curtail my own practices.

I'm a practicing Catholic, and you could work beside me for years and not know, but you know when you meet a Muslim because their religion is everything - from how they dress, what and when they eat, who they socialise with and where. Their religion is all encompassing, compared to mine. It's interesting that on this thread there are atheists that are so much more defensive of Islam - the strictest, most religious religion, than Christianity. It's curious, as is the appeal to liberal politicians, to me it appears a strange juxtaposition.

Just say you don't like brown people.

I don’t think anyone would suggest that they are equal in degree. It’s just a matter of not saying or doing things that might make someone else’s life harder than it needs to be, particularly when it makes absolutely no difference to us.

“And don't bother with the 'Christian country' rubbish. We are not a Christian country, we are a majority agnostic country.”

Actually @JustSawJohnny we are constitutionally a Christian country with the Lords Spiritual as part of the democratic apparatus, the Monarch head of the church, the church own a quarter of the school estate, and prayers are said every single day in the House of Commons. Like I said, whether you like it or not.

You can’t seriously be comparing someone choosing to restrict their mealtimes to a window between dusk and dawn, to death.

As usual, what some people call being PC, or virtue signalling or wokery is just being considerate to others, and trying not to do things that make someone else’s life any harder than it already is.

For those unwilling to be sensitive around the fasting issue - if a colleague had just lost a loved one would you bang on about death?

Do you experience discrimination and hate due to the reasons that you fast?

You notice my use of words like “if possible” and “try not to”, right?

And actually, if I knew someone was on a diet, I wouldn’t talk excitedly about the delicious cream bun I was about to eat, regardless of that person’s religion.

Many people may be ‘post Christian’, or vaguely culturally Christian only. However England does have an official state religion of which Charles III is the head.

😂

I fast for up to 100 hours every other week. I can confirm there are no screensavers at work reminding colleagues to be respectful of me.
I’ve taken it up with HR.

Or, for example, scheduling Muslims to be behind the scenes rather than public facing at the time they can break their fast.

It’s not hard to decipher - but not constantly talking about food, what you’re gonna have for dinner, how much you enjoyed your meal last night etc. you know, basic respect.

How can you ‘be a prick’ about eating?! We just… eat…..

No, just being a prick about it.

Badly expressed on my part. The largest group professing a faith is Christian - 42% from memory. A fair proportion of those who answered 'no faith' in the census will have an understanding of Christianity sufficient to understand the significance of Christmas, Lent and Easter.

I have a very demanding job where I’m on calls all day. How am I expected to leave my desk to even drink? Personally my Muslim colleagues have said they don’t give a crap (their choice to fast etc) but I’m intrigued by the virtue signalling. I’ve been on a diet the past few months. I haven’t been offended by anyone eating cake at their desk in front of me, or if another colleague brought brownies in.

What does ‘banging on’ constitute? We eat lunch at our desks habitually. Does continuing that during Ramadan mean it’s a problem?

Of course. I would avoid eating or, especially drinking in front of a colleague who was fasting. If possible, I would avoid scheduling events like parties during Ramadan. As a manager, I would try not to ask a member of staff who was fasting to take on particularly heavy or physically arduous tasks.

It’s more like not banging on about food when fasting colleagues are around

Well with that attitude OP I can’t imagine why you’re workplace needs to tell people to have compassion 🙄

Rather than moaning, how about having a conversation with a Muslim person about their various celebrations? I promise you nobody will be forcing it on you. You might even learn something

And if you don’t want to do this then you’d better button it come Christmas, and never speak of your plans, excitement and what you’ll be up to