Atheist worker fired after refusing to attend company’s Christian prayer; EEOC suit filed

[Blade]

what happens when you know "A home repair company’s mandatory daily Christian prayer sessions for its employees".

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

The daily prayer sessions involved workers gathering in a circle as the company’s owner or another individual would pray, the complaint said. Occasionally, the leader of the session would ask for prayer requests. Sometimes, these requests were “offered for poor performing employees” who were called out for mistakes in front of their colleagues, according to the EEOC. When it came to the meeting’s Bible readings, the former customer service representative said it came off as “ranting” and eventually, her boss began having everyone chant “the Catholic version of the Lord’s Prayer in unison,” the complaint said.

Read more at: https://www.newsobserver.com/news/state/north-carolina/article262957338.html#storylink=cpy

This is not Christian. It is religiosity with a "christian" badge. A truly Christian business would have prayer times for staff who wanted them, and others not aligned to Christian faith would be exempted out of respect for them. Being forced to adopt religious practice does not save anyone. Jesus gave the invitation to come to Him, but He never forced anyone to accept His teaching.

When I was at secondary school, we used to had a hymn, Bible reading, and prayer every morning at assembly. Before starting, opportunity for Catholic students was given for them to leave the assembly and participate in their own observance elsewhere.

I think that for every business owned by Christians, it should be built into the employment agreement for each worker that prayer is offered, but voluntary for those who wish to participate, and those who choose not to be involved are not discriminated against.

It is sad that the atheist who was fired will never be responsive to any approach for Christian workers in the future. And the owners of the business may have to answer to Christ in the judgment why they, through their actions, shut that person out of any future opportunity to receive the Gospel and perhaps come to a point of actually believing it and turning to Christ.

 

[Bradskii]

Maybe they would be small, simply as a means to fly under the radar of national attention, but it would be beneficial for Christians to look out after each other first in the professional arena rather than non-Christians equally.

You know you are advocating breaking the law, don't you?

 

[essentialsaltes]

You know you are advocating breaking the law, don't you?

It must be so liberating to be this type of Christian. You can discriminate when you're the majority because you're the majority. And then if you become a minority, you can still discriminate because you just hafta for self-preservation.

 

[Ignatius the Kiwi]

You know you are advocating breaking the law, don't you?

If the law is wrong and not in one's interest, why would I or someone care? As a matter of survival and keeping the Christian community together, that is more important than maintaining American society. For non-believers like yourself obviously not.

 

[Ignatius the Kiwi]

While we are favouring Christian particularism, we should consider more than just the workplace. What about shopping? Stick to Christian shops, buy only goods made by Christians. We could insist on guarantees. Only eat food from Christian farms.

Then there is transport. Should we fly in non-Christian air-lines? Should we insist on Christian bus drivers? And health care. Only Christian nurses and doctors.

Go for it!

I mean we could go that far, but I find that when it comes to commercial activity buyers often don't care about who makes the product or where it comes from. Consider all the Chinese made stuff we have in our homes. Was all of that ethically made? Or what about an entertainment product like a Disney show? Made by the most progressive people from a company that supports causes many Christians and other people of faith find offensive.

I don't think one has to only sell to an ingroup like they have to maintain the workplace of an ingroup. Mainly because anyone can be a potential buyer. When it comes to producing something, you have to work with someone directly.

 

[Ignatius the Kiwi]

It must be so liberating to be this type of Christian. You can discriminate when you're the majority because you're the majority. And then if you become a minority, you can still discriminate because you just hafta for self-preservation.

Why is it wrong for Christians who own a business to want to run it according to a certain set of Christian principles and have likeminded people? I agree it's discrimination, but considering that no field is free of discrimination and people chose their preferred work partners why do you expect Christians alone to be unable to discriminate intentionally? Do you think there needs to be partial representation in every business of every group and every ideology? That simply cannot work.

 

[Ana the Ist]

(Maybe not after SCOTUS gets its hands on this!)

I'm pretty sure it's already ruled on.

 

[Ana the Ist]

If you're a Christian business owner you probably shouldn't be hiring non-Christians.

Why not?

 

[Ignatius the Kiwi]

Why not?

Well I suppose it's not about hiring non-Christians in of itself. Rather it's about hiring friends who will work with you and help you towards the ends you are seeking. If you have an explicitly Christian company why risk hiring an Atheist who will not want to participate in the whole? If you want the company to pray and you consider that essential, you should not hire an atheist. In as much if you're an Atheist who hates or despises religion you probably shouldn't hire a Christian.

 

[Ana the Ist]

Well I suppose it's not about hiring non-Christians in of itself. Rather it's about hiring friends who will work with you and help you towards the ends you are seeking. If you have an explicitly Christian company why risk hiring an Atheist who will not want to participate in the whole? If you want the company to pray and you consider that essential, you should not hire an atheist. In as much if you're an Atheist who hates or despises religion you probably shouldn't hire a Christian.

If you want to avoid hiring atheists....I would suggest posting a sign that says "We consider prayer an essential part of our business model".

 

[Ignatius the Kiwi]

If you want to avoid hiring atheists....I would suggest posting a sign that says "We consider prayer an essential part of our business model".

Well I think in a free society you should be able to disclose this up front and honestly. As others have suggested it's probably illegal to have that as a company policy.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Why is it wrong for Christians who own a business to want to run it according to a certain set of Christian principles and have likeminded people?

Because it's illegal.

I agree it's discrimination, but considering that no field is free of discrimination and people chose their preferred work partners why do you expect Christians alone to be unable to discriminate intentionally?

My workplace has graduates of Bob Jones U. and, well, me. We don't discriminate on the basis of religion (because that's illegal, if you did not get the memo.)

Do you think there needs to be partial representation in every business of every group and every ideology? That simply cannot work.

Haha, what a childish strawman. Of course companies don't have to represent every religion, but they have to be open to every religion without bias.

 

[Nithavela]

One hour of just sitting around at full pay? Where do I sign up?

 

[Nithavela]

If the law is wrong and not in one's interest, why would I or someone care?

Because there are penalities for breaking the law.

 

[Nithavela]

I'm pretty sure it's already ruled on.

You mean like Roe v Wade?

 

[Ignatius the Kiwi]

Because it's illegal.

Something being illegal is not in of itself grounds for considering something wrong. It's illegal, sure (though there I understand there are potential legal challenges to how broadly your standard could be enforced) but it doesn't mean it's right.

My workplace has graduates of Bob Jones U. and, well, me. We don't discriminate on the basis of religion (because that's illegal, if you did not get the memo.)

Alright, how does that demonstrate that the owner of the Christian business actually did something wrong?

Haha, what a childish strawman. Of course companies don't have to represent every religion, but they have to be open to every religion without bias.

There's nothing childish in it. If you want universal equality, you have to police business places to make sure they have adequate representation of every aspect of the population. Any business with too similar an employee base should be subject to persecution on the grounds of discrimination. To me I just think it's impractical, nor should one be forced to be open to every religious or non religious person in their business. But I take a very hard freedom of association angle here because I err on the side of freedom, not equality.

 

[Ana the Ist]

You mean like Roe v Wade?

No I mean that basically the same circumstances have already happened, been ruled on, and set legal precedent. The "right to choose" was never codified into law. You need a new amendment for a new right.

It's OK though....I'm sure it looks complicated from afar.

 

[Ana the Ist]

Haha, what a childish strawman. Of course companies don't have to represent every religion, but they have to be open to every religion without bias.

I thought you were in favor of Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity? DIE for short.

 

[Ana the Ist]

Something being illegal is not in of itself grounds for considering something wrong.

I couldn't agree more....and since I think you're a swell guy, I'm gonna let you in on a little secret...

My atheist brethren have almost completely gained the reins of power and we plan to eradicate all religion. We don't have any morals...you know how it is....

We gotta look out for ourselves n' stuff.