Religion in the workplace

[Whatothink]

For the last month we have been sent messages email, background screens and management briefings for a particular religion.

the following messages to

”showing visible support,
encouraging meaningful conversations, and deepening our understanding of the experiences of those of observences”

as well as being told to be considered with meetings etc and thoughtful and supportive!!!

oh so because you don't think its Lent, its not Lent

I agree with you OP, religion should be kept out of the workplace. It can make people feel uncomfortable. Your opinion is valid and you’re entitled to it

Exactly! Talk about disingenuous!

So you randomly go up to Christians and tell them you despise all religions? Is that a hobby of yours?

And I’m sure your poor neighbours were delighted to see you too. It’s interesting that I have been able to have many conversations about religion, politics, ethnicity etc etc. in my time and have never been labelled as racist. I mean, that might have something to do with the fact that I’m not an actual racist but who knows? Maybe you’ve just been unlucky because you seem to be very worried about being labelled as racist in every potential interaction you might have with someone of a different ethnicity to you. Why is that?

Then maybe start by suggesting it in your workplace? You could start a whole movement.

No - it's definitely Lent. I just think you'll not find the same level of engagement amongst Christians - or certainly not in the way that would require workplace adaptations (fasting) or colleagues needing to be sensitive to other aspects of observance.

It’s not really a minority religion though, is it? It’s second largest, with Christianity being the largest worldwide.
At my workplace there are announcements about lots of different religious celebrations / occasions and information about them. I’m not in any way religious, but have no objection to others celebrating theirs.

I think you might need to read up on your own religion a bit to be honest. Lent is an important and significant event for millions and millions of Christians the world over.

For most of the Christians I know, Lent's a time of spiritual reflection rather than strict observance of fasting rules.

Oh FFS. It being acknowledged that there is a religious event of considerable significance to (chances are) a fair few of your colleagues going on does not amount to that religion being 'forced' on you. Shake off your persecution complex and grow up. Where I work has had made a reasonably big deal about Ramadan and I'm all for it. I've learned something from it, and it makes me feel good to know that the mouth-breathing, knuckle-dragging, roundabout-painting cretins that are doing their best to make the UK inhospitable to Muslims and brown people in general at the moment are not welcome in my workplace.

And I'm talking about the UK - which I guess the OP is too 🤷

And the spiritual importance of Lent for the individual is not relevant if no one actually needs to do anything to accommodate it in the workplace.

exactly this
I was also told by a colleague, when I apologised for eating in front of her, that I shouldn't put myself out when she was fasting, it was for her to manage.
I once went into a room and found her praying, I backed out apologising profusely, and when she finished she made a point of coming and finding me and telling me I don't have to avoid her when she is praying, the challenge is for her to stay focussed , not me to stay out of the way.
Having said all that, I still think it would be thoughtless to schedule a work event that revolved around eating and drinking while colleagues were fasting.

Don't be disingenious. I would object if someone tried to push their religion on me as in OP's workplace.

I have many friends from different countries. It was my Tunisian friend who told me that they will try the racist card because I complained about noise due to Ramadan. She's fed up with people using it when it's not motivated- it makes it harder to get your voice heard when there really is a question of racism. And that goes for everyone- if you look for reasons to take offense due to your religion, origin, gender or whatever you will surely find some.

I've listened to several colleagues be openly critical of Christianity at work.

I don't think anyone should have special treatment. But I know for a fact that those who were speaking rudely about Christianity would never ever ever dream of making equivalent remarks about Islam

So what does “pushing” a religion onto other people look like in your opinion? What should we be on the lookout for?

And you have a whole Tunisian friend?! Good for you! I didn’t realise your Tunisian friend was the global authority on race relations - how did she get that job? Sounds like a sweet gig.

When we get public holiday days off for Jewish, Muslim & Hindu religious days, I'll enjoy not working then too. I don't discriminate.

How do you know that? Have you asked them? Maybe they feel there is more to critique with Christianity than there is with Islam?

"showing visible support,
encouraging meaningful conversations, and deepening our understanding of the experiences of those of observances”

I agree with you, but nothing here is pushing a religion onto others. If you were told:

• "please leave the desk by the door free for your colleague who uses a wheelchair" would you reply with "I can't do that because if I do. I might loose the ability to walk"?!
• "please don't talk in a homophobic way as we have colleagues who are homosexual" would you respond with "I can't do that because if I'm not actively homophobic, I might become homosexual"?

In the same way, respecting your Muslim colleagues fasting and praying and understanding what affect that might have on their needs in the workplace, and organising meetings involving them, say when they aren't praying won't turn you into a Muslim!

From talking to Muslim friends the rules are quite straightforward- pregnant, breastfeeding women and on period are not obliged to fast (I don’t know if it’s actively that you should not fast).

If due to an illness you cannot fast you are not obliged to, so you might with a cold, but any serious illness that means it would be detrimental stops it.

Im a Catholic and I’ve mentioned it in passing, sometimes as part of being asked what I’m doing at the weekend or over Christmas which for me involves services. I may equally mention a film I plan to see or DIY. If someone asks more I will answer questions but I would not volunteer generally.

If someone mentioned that they are an another religion, humanist or atheist I’m not bothered. It might not be as likely to come up as a Muslim or Hindu may be talking about a holiday they are having. Atheists unlikely to mention unless they actively participate in meetings about it.

Oh honey this thread is not the space for talking sense - you take that logic and humanity elsewhere!

What gave you the impression I’d be arsed doing that. Anyway I live in Ireland but I’m not a practicing Catholic so because of our history with the church being so entwined with the state until recently i just don’t agree being with religion being mentioned at work. I don’t agree that Christmas which is basically an over commercialised joke and not a religious festival anymore as being in the same league as mentioning Lent or Ramadan .

Almost all religions have a festival that involves fasting. Do you honestly think that Ramadan is the only festival of any religion that could demand some sort of accommodation?

This thread makes me wonder what all these posters who are concerned about Islam being “pushed” onto them at work think about all the equity-focused initiatives that centre women in the world of work? I wonder if men worry about forcibly being turned into women when the sex pay gap, maternity rights, IWD, the menopause etc. are discussed at work? I wonder if they feel it curtails their comfort levels in being able to tell women they despise them without being called misogynistic?