Would you apply for a job that you morally disagree with in my situation?

[Beezknees]

Was made redundant not long ago. I'm a single mum, living in rented accommodation. Don't have a huge amount of savings and I'm now having to claim full UC and JSA. DS is 15 so childcare is not an issue, I'm applying for anything and everything that's suitable as I really don't want to be out of work for long. I've got no qualifications or specialist knowledge, I was a lone parent by 18 and have always worked whatever fit around DS, so I can't really afford to be fussy and the market is tough right now.

I have my CV up on various job sites and had a message from somebody who likes my CV and has invited me to apply for a job. The money is probably better than anything I'd get elsewhere but I'm not sure if I could do a job where I morally disagree with some of the fundamentals (it is a charity but there is a religious element to the organisation without being too outing) I am not religious and don't really agree with the notion of organised religion.

Would you apply?

I worked for a Christian church and charity before. Outside of the organisation everyone sees them as a charity, but within the organisation it’s very much a church.

To be honest I didn’t know about the church side until I started working there but I didn’t agree with their views on things or the way the church was run. It actually felt very cult like and it was an interesting experience, not always in a good way. It gave me a good grounding for my career but at the same time, I’ve lost all respect for the organisation and will never donate to them.

So it ultimately depends on what their views are and whether you personally could manage working there.

Interesting - why do you think that?

My very first job out of college was working for a fianna fail td/mp in dublin whilst at the same time my dad was very involved with the labour party and would canvas for a labour td regularly. It was funny at the time and just involved plenty of slagging from his mates. There was a big recession going on at the time and he was just delighted that I had a job at the time.

I also used to be very involved and did voluntary work for a charity which was very Catholic. I hadn't been to mass since I had been a teenager but loved the work. So absolutely I would have no qualms about taking the job.

I suspect they are young and not worked their way up the ranks yet.

i worked for a private hospital
did not really agree

have teacher friends who refuse to work in private education.

@TimesRwo - thats interesting you say that as I had a similar sort of experience. I was assigned to consult on a Christian charity. Before I went I was pretty ambivalent about it. After 4 months I came away pretty horrified. They promote themselves as a poverty relieving organisation but the reality is they will only go to countries in need with a high % of non christians. They would not help Christians in need as it didn’t advance their true aim, conversion. The staff held prayer sessions every morning and afternoon and would stand wide eyed and smiley around me inviting me to join them. When I was there they found out the HR person wasn’t Christian. She was out within a month. No thanks.

This charity do? Or C of E members?

I'd have thought that the CofE barely qualifies as a religion these days. Incidentally one of the best employers I ever worked for was BP.

If you disapprove so heartily of helping those in need, fine, stay on benefits

It's not one or the other as a choice. If I was looking for work in the charity sector I wouldn't touch Oxfam, for a start.

Hi OP. I work for an org that many wouldn’t agree with, it’s difficult (I work on admin too) because so many people I deal with are really aligned with the cause (it’s nfp but not a charity). Also I try not to let people know where I work as I know so many are against what they do, which I hate as I’ve never felt this way about any of my previous jobs. I am looking for something else, and morals don’t pay the bills so I’ll be here till something else comes along. 😃

If it's a scammy cult no, if it's a well known organisation with proper structure and some secular hiring then yes – but temporarily as charities, and especially religious charities, internally all tend to be a bit messed up anyway (from lots of experience)

Totally OP. Go for it. Your own financial security trumps anything else.
I've worked in an industry with a bad rep. The amount of head tilts and "Are you really OK with how you earn your living?" that I had from people who worked in lovely low paid, morally robust lines of work, who's mummy and daddy contributed to their mortgage, bills, holidays and car!

I worked for a CofE charity for years and was openly (vocally) atheist without issue. They tolerated me and I tolerated them! I was generally embarrassed about telling people where I worked because it was so at odds with my own attitude. However the organisation was morally in the fence about everything. Had they been more proactive about issues I disagreed with on ethical grounds I couldn’t have remained long.

There is a world of difference between someone or an organisation disagreeing with abortion and as the OP suggested they do, standing outside abortion clinics harassing people.
The latter is very much an extreme and minority view in the UK.

When I was younger I held lofty ideals of not working for employers I found morally disagreeable. Now I have bills and a life to pay for, unless it was a job/employer that would prevent employment elsewhere ie porn or MLM I would consider it as a potential.
The CofE is not what I would consider morally disagrable. I have previously worked for a company which was owned by a religious man. It was fine, and employees were treated much better than the family run business I came from that liked to talk about how nice it was but had awful p&c.

It entirely depends on what the organisation is. I know Christians Against Poverty for example is a great charity which does amazing work and doesn't try to force any kind of religious angle on the people it helps, or even mention it at all. I wouldn't work for an organisation that tried to influence people's beliefs.

You’re unemployed and claiming benefits, I don’t think you have the luxury of principles like this

I work for a Christian charity although am not Christian myself. It hasn't been a problem. They are the nicest team of people I have ever worked with and genuinely want to do good work.

I'd say go for it!

I was also going to mention Christians Against Poverty, give free debt advice. A vary good charity.

Under Universal Credit rules, you're probably expected to pursue this job and to accept it if offered. I doubt your vague dislike of religion will be considered to make the job unsuitable.

But you're not very enthusiastic about it, so however hard you try, that's always going to come across in the quality and effort made in your application 😉

Gaming the system? Maybe.

This

^This

@TimesRwo I bet you're talking about the Salvation Army... It is cult like. I attended as a child and what I experienced there is still affecting me 20+ years later. I also know of others in my position. It isn't talked enough about- very difficult to find people willing to talk about the negatives of the organisation and how it takes over people's lives.

If it's not them and I'm barking up the wrong tree, I do apologise.

Atheist here but I agree with @Babdoc. There's a fundamentalist wing of there C of E but the mainstream church is very woolly and middle of the road on most issues. Never heard of it picketing abortion clinics - far too radical. It could do with getting to grips with gay marriage (doesn't want to come to blows with the African bishops) but there's a lot that goes on under the counter. The Rev Richard Coles confesses to conducting secret gay marriages when he was a vicar. To be honest I never think of the C of E having much to do with religion - not when I was brought up in it anyway. More about the flower rota and the leaky roof and who's going to run the tombola. Not for nothing is it called 'the Tory Party at Prayer.' It does do excellent charity work and I'm fond of Justin Welby.

I was approached during lockdown and just after when I was reasonably desperate for work with several betting firms.
A very firm red line I found.

Thanks everyone for the responses, some food for thought. I'll think it over tonight.