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.

Oh, so somebody requiring Christians, Muslims, Atheists and all other belief systems to stop what they were doing so they could recite a brachot before a meal would be absolutely fine?

Eh, yeah.
Unless of course you're an uninclusive bigot.

Quite. They would've done the same as your company in my former (international, US-based) company too. UK employees, UK rules. However, it has been known for employees at some US-based companies to not quite understand the cultural and 'HR issues here and that what goes in the US is not necessarily global, nor can it be imposed globally (this goes for other aspects of company life, I found).

In the workplace??

No, this isn't a correct interpretation. Of either the law or basic etiquette in work-related situations.

This is a workplace event. It's most 'inclusive' to be neutral in expression about issues like religion and politics. This is not 'in your day to day life' outside work and in your private life, where you are free, as long as it falls within the law of the UK, to believe and express any religious or political views you wish.

It's about the circumstances, context and setting. Again, it is not appropriate or "inclusive" to expect workplace colleagues to pray in the way that you might with your own family or friends. As I say - this is basic etiquette.

Yeah.
Although was this scenario even in the workplace?

It was a company-related end of year event. Ergo - this counts as the workplace.

Were the colleagues also expected to pray? Or just sit quietly for a moment when someone else did? Do you think they would have been reprimanded in any had had they not?
Also, do you think all work Christmas parties follow strict work etiquette or are rules and expectations relaxed a little?
People will turn a blind eye to some harmless shenanigans at a Christmas party but dare someone say a quick Christian prayer and people are getting in a knot over it, give over.

You talk a lot about respect..
I have in no way suggested that people should think the same way I do about my faith. I wouldn’t personally pray in that situation, as I’ve said. If I was aware that there would be a prayer from a person of a different faith or none, I’d just behave respectfully towards that person. We may not share a faith, but we share a common humanity and I’d take pleasure in their words. I certainly wouldn’t be offended and going on about feeling disrespected. I’d actually think that complaining in that situation, unless something offensive was said, would be arrogant. It all feels a bit immature TBH.
I do however think that people should think hard about the culture that we seem to be embracing of being so offended.
The biggest respect that we could give each other is to stop being so outraged and maybe be a little more tolerant of things and of each other. There is nothing to be gained by this attitude of frequently being offended by things that actually don’t harm anyone. It’s becoming ridiculous. We generally teach our children tolerance, but what are they learning when their parents have attitudes like this?
Imagine what society would be like if we could all shrug our shoulders in situations like this, disagree inwardly, smile and move on. Obviously there are many things that we truly should be outraged about, but someone (perhaps misguidedly) saying a prayer of love and gratitude surely isn’t one of them. If it is, I think we have a big problem.

I've seen worse happen at a Christmas party than someone praying. Since when did expressing your faith become so controversial? In a mostly Christian country it shouldn't be seen as negative, why should it be. Were any non Christian offended do you think? Is multiculturalism not to be celebrated as a positive or is that only when Christians are excluded?

Kindly, get a grip.

Nobody is "offended". Nobody is preventing you from celebrating Christmas according to your faith with your own family and friends and community. We are talking about a workplace party, which means basic workplace etiquette applies here, and understanding that it is never going to be appropriate to try to impose religious beliefs on your colleagues, as this woman, who was on a microphone doing so, so it wasn't a private thing, did. Again, a prayer, or "saying Grace" is always going to be inappropriate in a work situation with colleagues who are unlikely to share your beliefs unless your workplace is a religious school or a church/place of worship. Are you so intolerant yourself that you can't accept or understand that or why it would be considered an imposition in that scenario?

It's not appropriate in a work situation, that's all. It's not "controversial" - it's been basic workplace etiquette for many, many years now. Not "new" at all. No religion or politics at work. Do and believe whatever you want in your private life.

Edit: And this isn't about "privately expressing religious views". This is about someone on a microphone expecting everyone at the event to go along with her beliefs. These were her colleagues, not a congregation. It is deeply inappropriate for the situation, and certainly would've been for, ooh, about the last 40 years or so?

Is drinking appropriate in a work situation?
Basic workplace etiquette for many many years not to drink no? Or are some thing that wouldn't be considered appropriate at work ok at a work party? People will extend that to getting drunk but not a quick prayer? Odd,

I would be equally irritated if someone of any faith took it upon themselves to impose their religious beliefs on a secular gathering, particularly at work which is supposed to be a neutral space.

Also it is disingenuous to call it a majority Christian country when only a small minority actively practise.

Or to put that another way, ‘Kindly get a grip’.

"Working from Luke...". Ha!

The gospels are hardly historical records! It's all hearsay and make up, written decades after the alleged events.

Most the things people do are pagan tradition.

Many people would think not. But nobody is forcing anyone to drink, are they, and anyone who doesn't is perfectly free not to. Certainly behaviour when "under the influence" at work parties is subject to workplace rules, which is why the basic advice is to remember where you are and who you are with and not get bladdered, for example. This isn't being out with your mates; it's your colleagues, manager, sometimes external people you work with.

I suggest you stop being disingenuous, tbh.

But it must have been Winter, because the shepherds were washing their socks by night, though they lived in a sunny Mediterranean country! 🤔

I knew from the thread title this thread would draw out all the religious nuts out of the woodwork 🤣

If Mavis got on the microphone and raised a glass an toasted a work colleague that I didn't particularly like or wasnt particularly popular, would that also be seen as expecting everyone to share her beliefs or just allowing someone to share how she feels?

Erm I think it’s “watching their flocks” not “washing their socks”.

Would you be so bigoted to complain is someone in your workplace said a few words to celebrate Eid?

I'm an atheist and I wouldn't mind. Surely you can just go along with it and give thanks for the food etc. and ignore the Jesus part? Sounds like a very American thing to do but meh couldn't get worked up about it.

Of course it wouldn't. But it also wouldn't be considered a no-no that most working adults understand.

You seem to think it's perfectly okay for an individual with particular religious beliefs to impose them on colleagues in a workplace situation, when it is common understanding that this is incredibly poor etiquette (and in some cases, may flout equality law and workplace regulations). Why? If you REALLY can't see the difference between these two scenarios I'd suggest that you too, perhaps need to get a grip. This is really not difficult for most grown ups to understand, but if your aim is to be disingenuous, well...