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.

Its really not

It’s a work Christmas party. They aren’t engaging in the religious element.

I’d expect her to be spoken to and asked not to do it again. It’s inappropriate in the workplace

Yep and I would agree except it’s a work Christmas event. Which are only ever celebrating the secular aspect.

The clue is in the name Christmas - Christ is religious.

I didn’t say they had to! I said it’s not inappropriate to say a prayer at a Christmas doo! If people didn’t want to join in that’s their choice. But they were weak and went along with it and now moaning like wet lettuces.

making a complaint is peak intolerance.

@Kate8889 , if there was a small prayer or some such said if the company had a party to celebrate Eid would you be equally put out?
Im an atheist but neither would bother me and would seem to me to be entirely appropriate under the circumstances. It doesn’t appear to me that those who regard Christmas as a religious festival in your company dominated the event but just wanted to mark its actual meaning. I think you are being deeply unreasonable. Sorry.

A work Christmas event is secular. If it was not most companies would not have them.

And expecting everybody to bow their heads is ridiculous

A bit extreme?
If we turn all these little things into big deals how are we going to advocate for tolerance and forbearance when something truly extreme happens.
Honestly, no one was hurt or injured in the making of this Christmas party.

To be clear I would not make a complaint. I would just find it weird and not take part in the prayer

Speaking to someone isn’t extreme.

“mavis, you can’t take it upon yourself to lead a blessing at the work Xmas party you made people uncomfortable please don’t do it again”

I could not get excited about this. It’s good to remember every now and then what Christmas is actually about.

It’s highly unfair to OP and a projection to suggest that was what was going on at the party in question. Christmas is a midwinter festival. There is no other name for it at the moment which is widespread enough to be commonly understood and accepted.

Fortunately, since the change of calendar in 1752, it neatly coincides with the winter solstice, which is a good reason for a party.

Nevertheless, this party was at the beginning of December. I’m surprised that the religious fanatics on here haven’t taken objection to the fact that it is, therefore, held in Advent, a period of penitence and waiting. It is therefore highly inappropriate, if you are a Christian, to attend a party at all. You should be fasting. Apparently Advent is of no importance to the Christians on this site.

Having said that, insisting on ramming the religious element down peoples throats is a good thing, as far as I’m concerned, because it turns people off religion.

I think you're making too much fuss over it.

A short prayer by a Christian at a Christ's Mass gathering - how very dare they 🙄

But lots of people's Christmas's aren't anything to do with Jesus. So its not really about it is it

I want to know who the woman who said the prayer is in the company!

Even Christian groups do not agree on the necessity or propriety of public, group, or enforced prayer. Heck its right in the text! “Don’t pray on street corners” or loudly in public. Quakers wouldn’t do it. Lots of people wouldn’t do it.

If I were working in a company and there were an enforced social event I would not expect to be coopted into a religious event. I would leave. Which is the opposite of the team building goal of such parties.

Rather odd but actually a logical thing to do. As a Christian, I do think the person offering the prayer should have introduced the prayer by saying something like 'As Christians, we celebrate the birth of Christ. I'm going to say grace to thank God for our gathering today.'

It sounds like Grace before a meal, rather than a specific prayer before a Christmas party. Still inappropriate but more comprehensible.

i’m a practicing Catholic and celebrate Christmas as a religious festival at Mass. I don’t expect it to be forced on people at a work party at Christmas, Easter or otherwise. It’s totally inappropriate. Is the company American by any chance?

I agree with these points. I feel really very comfortable celebrating christmas as a winter festival, as an athiest. But also, OP, I come from a very religious family (so religious in their christianity that they don't celebrate christmas) and whenever they pray, I don't bow my head or even close my eyes. I listen to and look at the one doing the prayer, and am just thinking about the message they're giving in the method they feel most accurately communicates that.

Imagine being offended by Jesus.

Oh no!! Anyway…

The intolerance on here is astounding. Next you will be saying Muslims can’t take time out to pray during the working day. So many intolerant people on here

If Jesus did exist, hasn't it been suggested that he was actually born in September and it was the Romans who superimposed it over a previous 'pagan festival', that occured at the end of the year, when they adopted Christianity?

(I think I've attended Christmas parties that were far more pagan than Christian!) 🍷🍾😜