... to be annoyed at the Muslim who prays next to me in work?

[Beethoven]

I share a small office with two other people. A new guy has started who's a muslim, and will roll out his mat and start praying behind me. I know it doesn't hurt me, but I feel a little uncomfortable for the few minutes that he does it.

Am I being an unreasonable bigot?

Appletrees, I accept that. I accept that it's significantly more polite for him to say 'guys, I need to pray; do you mind if I do that here, or where is the best place for me to do that?' and a conversation could then be had.

However, he hasn't done that (maybe he felt uncomfortable at a new job with strangers; maybe he's had a bad response before, maybe he is just arrogant and is the sort of person who'd open the window on a cold day without asking), and OP either needs to suck it up and accept that it's going to happen, or initiate the conversation herself.

I guess coming back to the premise; I don't think it's unreasonable to have an emotional response of whatever to whatever; that's also part of being human. I do think it's unreasonable, however, to let resentment build when there are some perfectly basic steps for dealing with it all.

I think if OP was to find a way of saying 'the praying; any chance we could discuss it because I don't half find it distracting' then it might move things faster to a situation that works for them both than just feeling worried that she's being bigoted.

(I don't agree, by they way, that politeness is particularly British!)

Bollocks Appletrees.

I never said the right to do anything, I said I believe we all have the right to worship and pray as we see fit.

If a person chose to blow up a tall building in the name of religion, I'd most certainly have a problem with that.

No, actually, we don't all have the right to worship as we see fit in an office.

Would you defend the right of a Buddhist to do sun salutations on a yoga mat in the office?

"Would you defend the right of a Buddhist to do sun salutations on a yoga mat in the office?"

I would if it made him more relaxed and better able to carry out it regular work duties and there was sufficient space, but then I'm all about a relaxed office atmosphere. I find that in the long run it aids productivity.

I agree with Riven about the Goat Sacrifice, but this would primarily be because of blood being an arse to get out of the carpet. If someone booked an hour off work to go and attend a Goat Sacrifice, and that Sacrifice was performed in accordance with the laws in this country and the time was going to be made up, then fair dos to them.

If someone asked to sacrifice a goat in the office, I'd say no, cite reasons of health and safety and this being emotionally disturbing to those people who do not like to see the death of an animal, and insist that he/she organised an alternative.

If someone turned up with a Goat for sacrificial purposes without asking, I'd intervene, remove the goat and then have the conversation as outlined above.

It's about finding the right level of response really, isn't it?

There's a church across the road from my office and they have loud speakers on during mass, so I can hear the singing and mumbling of the sermon and so on. I've been very tempted to call across and let them know that it's inconsiderate.

I would but would draw the line at goat sacrifice>>

On what basis? What gives you (or anyone) the right to decide if a religious requirement is acceptable or not?

If you accept one you must accept all. Goats. bells, chanting, ritual sex or whatever. Otherwise you are saying that someone's culture or religion is not so important as yours.

He is taking time off work unless it's in his break so it is immoral/dishonest, but if you see my previous post you'll see that I regard all this personal stuff in work (including posting all day on MN) as just as bad so he is no worse than anyone else in that respect.

well said, onagar. Who decides where the line should be drawn?

Personally I do think it's a bit odd that he's just assumed the right and hasn't bothered to ask anyone first. Seems a bit arrogant. Whatever their religion, I would find it distracting while I was trying to get on with my work if there was someone praying in the background.

YANBU, it's a workplace.

Riven - The problem here is that this guy is engaging in an activity that is distracting others from their work and has no place in an office. Like jumping rope or yoga. It does not compare with silent prayer while sitting motionless at one's own desk.

It is only slightly debatable because it has to do with religion. If it didn't, everyone here would agree with OP.

Last office I worked in, one of the guys insisted on using a handsfree kit on his phone so that he could pace around the office. Now that was distracting and annoying. Think I'd have preferred praying tbh.

It is not an either/or situation. I believe you that the guy pacing around was also distracting.

I think my point was that people do distracting things in offices. If you don't ever want to be distracted then you need to work in isolation.

As long as someone isn't actually stopping you working then there's no real point in getting annoyed by it.

Oh ffs - who cares who he is, where he's from or what religion he is.

He's doing something behind someones workspace that isn't routinely done in workplaces.

That's it. It would piss me off as I'd find it distracting. Someone praying around you is not a normal activity during office hours in an office so it's not at all the same as someone pissing you off by chatting.

But not at work.

If anyone needs extra help over and above what an office normally provides or is legally obliged to provide, that person should take the initiative and talk to their manager, not their colleagues. And whoever it was who suggested the op could take a break at that time thinks that the OP should schedule their breaks and work around a colleague - erm I don't think so.

My last workplace had a prayer room over 8 years ago. Your colleague might like to ask for one - all those ex smoking rooms that offices had could be redecorated and freshened up for this purpose. They are usually called quiet rooms.

well if my religion was to strip off at noon and pray to the purple shiny goddess then that would be alright would it? In the name of religion????? Hm?????
Of course it wouldn't
You have a right to be pissed off say something to your boss

Stripping off in public is against the law I believe - so not comparable.