That prayer to Jesus is inappropriate at a company party?

[Kate8889]

I went with my husband to a company Christmas party and before we started to eat a woman came to the microphone and said a short prayer in the name of Jesus as thanks/blessings for the food. Everyone was expected to bow their head.

This is the first time I've been witness to something like this, it is a secular company with many Jewish, Muslim and agnostic people. We have been going to this Christmas party for 7 years and it's never been like this.

Unless the company is run by a religious organisation, this is a bit strange. Work should be a neutral space as regards people's private beliefs.

Not religious at all

But a Christmas party is esssntially a celebration of the birth of Jesus. Why is it inappropriate to honour his birth at a party in his name?

Because not everyone believes that he was the Son of God.

That's a bit unusual (and I say that as a Christian).

Where was the party? Possibly if it was in a fancy building owned by a church she might have done it to be polite (though I can't really imagine a work party in a church hall!)

Company Christmas parties have zero to do with Jesus, they're a way to thank employees and get drunk.

You’re right they don’t. It’s weird how those people engage in a festival dedicated to him and in honour of him.

If I were your DH I’d be wanting to know who authorized that and in what basis. It wouldn’t have bothered me; I’d have been aghast at the balls on whoever authorized it to think everyone would be fine with it. Uncharitably maybe, but perhaps reasonably in the current climate, I’d conclude that it was actually a message about what the leadership’s politics are.

If my DH were your DH he wouldn’t bother and tell me to stop being so cynical or causing a fuss.

I'm not religious but Christmas is about the birth of Jesus so it shouldn't be surprising that this happened.

You can't really have a party in honour of someone without mentioning the birthday boy.

You are correct this is what Christmas has turned into.

Love it ‘ the birthday boy’ exactly!

As a renounced Catholic. Our christmas has zero to do with religion. We use it as a jolly time of year to see friends, family and be happy.

Yes exactly my view and my husband's view, respectively

No one is saying I'd be offended.

No, a Christmas party it isn’t a celebration of the birth of Jesus! Christmas is a season and has been for hundreds of years. Anyone can be religious and devote themselves to celebrate the birth of Christ if they so wish but that’s a private matter for them. A party is a party. Currently the name that everyone uses at this time of year is “Christmas” but that doesn’t mean that they are obliged either to celebrate the birth of Christ or to hold a mass. Nor do they have to be Christian.

No and neither did I. I am talking about the OP!

I went to a conference once where there was a prayer before the conference dinner. Utterly bizarre.

I would be confused when it was happening. Would think it is slightly inappropriate and then figure it is a Christmas do in the end and leave it be.

Agree OP. Christmas work parties are a way of bringing work colleagues together in the spirit of fostering good relationships with each other. Not about ‘othering’ large groups of employees.

you know Christmas is about Jesus don’t you? anything else is commercialism
If other denomination prayers are being said I just don’t join in them 🤷🏽‍♀️
YABU

Christmas is a largely secular festival these days.

Also, it's origins aren't Christian.

I would say that enforced prayer has no place in the workplace.

Christmas started as a religious holiday to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

Yes, it may have evolved and has become a seasonal celebration which many people chose to celebrate in their own way but that doesn't change the fact that it is primiarily a religious event and some people will celebrate it traditionally.

I'm all in favour of people chosing tbeir own a la carte Christmas but it's a religious event, started for religious reasons and is unreasonable to try to remove the "Jesus" element of it when it's the entire reason for its existance.

I have had this happen once and yes I found it inappropriate. It was a small social services office. I excused myself but others were happy to partake. I think some people become entrenched in their faith they don’t realise it’s not everybody else’s norm.

(my example was not a Christmas party though - it was a prayer before a work event).

I’m an atheist and to me it’s not a big deal.
Christmas was originally a religious festival and there are some people who prefer to remember that rather than the alcohol-fuelled, vomit-splashed, commercial and chaotic money grabbing excuse to eat, drink and buy crap that it’s become.