AIBU to eat in front of my muslim coworkers?

[EmmbadTheBad]

So it's Ramadan at the moment. I was at a meeting at work recently and a muslim woman, who I don't work with directly, made a comment about how thoughtless the people she shares an office with are for eating in front of her while she is fasting (at this point everyone glances guiltily towards the biscuits in the middle of the table). There are a couple of muslim women in my office and, I'll be honest, it had not even occurred to me that it might be insensitive to eat in front of them while they are fasting.

We do have a kitchen at work but it's very small and a lot of people, myself included, tend to eat at their desks. Quite apart from anything - as an atheist - I don't want to be observing other people's religious beliefs. I know Ramadan is nearly over but I intend to continue eating at my desk. IABU? Would appreciate opinion from anyone fasting at the mo.

DP has muslim cousins.

When we visit them (in their country their homes) or take their kids out for the day, we do avoid eating in from of them. They don't ask us to. We just do.

There are also notices in the Day Surgery wards of our hospital asking parents not to eat on the wards as there are children who are nil by mouth pre surgery.

It can all be accomplished without a territorial battle of 'why should we' or huffarama.

I wonder whether any huffers or bosom hoikers got invited to an Eid party, or brought sweets? Muslim neighbours in our road are very generous.

I don't believe it either.
Short posting history.
Interesting foray into AIBU.

Pfft

Devere
It's true that these threads don't reflect most people's day to day experiences. I had a comfortable white MC upbringing and didn't properly appreciate the really insidious and pervasive misinformation and stereotyping that goes on until I married someone from a very different background.

I repOrted it a few hours ago but I gues MNHQ don't have enough to go on..

Newt, why would you report the OP for her alleged inflammatory thread when you are tolerating perfectly the perpetual and actual inflammatory nastiness from SolidGoldBrass? Why? Why would you make that distinction in your head?

So what if the protagonist in the tale is made up? Some of you would shrivel up and die if it weren't for OPs like this.

Greedy

SGB is an equal opportunities religion-hater.

I don't know how you can say that I have tolerated what she said. I regret that the thread has brought out any kind of intemperate speech, as I believe is quite clear from the comments I have made

And I don't undertstand your shrivel up and die comment

Nor do I.
So what if it is made up?
My reasons for disliking fictious accounts of PC gorn mad are made very clear in my posts.

HTH

I don't know how you can say that I have tolerated what she said...

Because you haven't reported her. You weren't prepared to tolerate an OP who you allege to be a hoaxer and yet you tolerate relentless nastiness from another poster, just because she has an equitable hatred for all things religious.

I think it is made up. I can't think of anyone who has expected everyone to join them or alter their usual habits. Often someone has given up alcohol, chocolate, biscuits etc for Lent and they don't expect everyone else to do the same in front of them.

Oh, and I also have a short posting history, but it doesn't take a genius - or a platinum mumsnet membership - to identify the chips on some posters' shoulders.

Ah. So just because you have not experienced what the OP has shared with us it simply must not have happened.

Greedy

I chose to ignore, and, feel free to report her yourself.

I don't wish to report her, just as I wouldn't report an OP whom I only suspected was a hoaxer because of their short posting history. Why do you care?

I think that has been explained.

I shall ignore you now.

No. The fact I have never experienced what the op has alleged is only one of the reasons I don't believe it.

Why on earth would I have a chip on my shoulder about Islam ?

I am not a Muslim, Asian, an atheist or anything that would cause me to have an axe to grind about this subject.

Being opposed to hate mongering is not having a chip on your shoulder. Its being a decent human being.

No. It hasn't been explained. You reported an OP whose post you believed to be inflammatory whilst choosing to ignore another poster's even more inflammatory remarks. Why?

The interesting issue is when discrimination against those who do not believe in God or who want equality hits up against religious freedom to denounce gays and damage the equal position of women. Whether men and women choose not to eat is not a problem for most people. Our Muslim cleaner has always cleaned up oven trays steeped in the daily bacon and the like.

I hope by our quiet example British atheist feminists can ensure all those of all religions realise the error of their ways and even if we don't that all of us can continue to expound our views and seek to help others realise religion is an invented myth. Luckily we live in a country where we are allowed to say God does not exist without being lashed or stoned or even just shut up.

Devere, I was not talking about you regarding any of the points you are referring to.

I hope those without religion can see the errors of their ways

I hope your not-so-quiet patronisation gets lashed.

^That was to Mother^

FFS why is this still here? I'm really fucked off with the goady fuckery of Mumsnet at the moment.

To be honest I've experienced where my local shop keeper didn't want to sell me ham, no big deal but things like this do happen so you can't just say it's being goady.

People seem to get up in arms when it's something to do with the Islamic faith but anything to do with Christianity it's fine

Precisely, Morphine.

Seriously, would you like to elaborate on why you think the OP is being merely goady?