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| Open Forums for ExChristian.Net > Rants and Replies > dealing with religious people at work |
| Posted by: atheist_ewtcoma Jan 25 2005, 11:22 AM |
| I have read many post from people here that have dealt with chistains and some are frustrated, feel antagonized, and threatened for their non-belief. I have a simple solution to this problem. After all reasonable discourse has failed, after being nice and paying patty cake, a simple fuck off always works. They never expect it. All we have to do is stand our ground. Don't let them push you around. When you stand up for your self you also stand up for others to. I have a co-worker Steve who used to bug the crap out of me and everyone else. He was a typical skinny pasty white, weak minded, ass monky, christain male. He used to come over now and then and bug me about finding christ. I tell him that I have my own perceptions of life and thank you for your concern. Well one day he sends me an email inviting me to his church and I politely declined. After several emails and no thank yous in response he comes over with some pamplets and laid them down on my desk while I was working. Now that just pissed me off. I told him that I was working and not interested in his theology. We got in a debate and then I got carried away, I gave him a piece of my mind and threw his pamplets in the air. "well why don't your god just send all the zebras to hell for having strips!!!!!" Now I made a big scene and the cat is out of the bag with my atheism. At the end I stood up and told him to "fuck off" and a "don't you ever fuck with me" threats. Also told him how would you like it for some one to do to you what your doing to me. This stoped his harassment. Now he goes out of his way to avoid me. On top of that he has stopped bugging other people with his religious BS. |
| Posted by: Reach Jan 25 2005, 11:28 AM | ||
I'm glad to see that your behavior paid off. I hope the work environment has greatly improved for you. |
| Posted by: SmallStone Jan 25 2005, 11:45 AM |
| For whatever reason, some people are just too thick to get the hint unless you're nasty to them. Glad it worked for you. |
| Posted by: atheist_ewtcoma Jan 25 2005, 11:45 AM |
| I made a couple of allies in the process. Maybe I should have used better judgment in my words and intensity but it all worked out. Do what you gotta do. |
| Posted by: Reach Jan 25 2005, 11:49 AM | ||
Sure, but your work environment need not be someone else's mission field. Period. |
| Posted by: MalaInSe Jan 25 2005, 11:54 AM |
I don't know what an ass monkey is.  However, at minimum that guy's conduct would have taken me to management. Completely inappropriate. Clearly your polite responses had no effect, so I don't see how you could have avoided being rude. It was likely better for him that a complaint lodged with the boss. Ren |
| Posted by: The Acid Washed Messiah Jan 25 2005, 11:54 AM |
| Me and Mo Biggsley (we work together, for those who didn't know) were accused by a fundy of "religion bashing" when we dicussed the Pope's obvious enjoyment of watching fat chicks sing during a Christmas concert a couple of years ago. We decided to let him see what "religion bashing" actually consisted of during the next few days. We were unrelenting in our discussion of "taboo" topics and our frank analysis of the fundy's lack of intelligence, obvious hypocrisy, and latent homosexuality was a little more brutal than it probably should have been, but we both really resented being called on the carpet for discussing a television special. Since then, we've successfully chased off that fundy and no more have made their presence known to us... well, except one girl in our department who does not proselytize and is therefore left alone. |
| Posted by: Mo Biggsley Jan 25 2005, 11:56 AM |
| I guess that means we persecute Christians, huh? |
| Posted by: AggieNostic Jan 25 2005, 11:57 AM | ||
He's probably washing his hands of the whole thing. I understand the frustration and may have done the same thing myself. However, being an ex-fundy, I'm guessing this guy now believes he has been "persecuted for Christ's sake" and feels good for doing the best he could to save you. But, your heart is hardened. Etc. This fundy will likely feel as though he will get extra rewards in heaven for his efforts in the face of such hostility. Which, in my opinion, re-emphasizes the importance of nipping proselytization in the bud rather than allowing resentment to build up to the point of losing one's cool. P.S. In the future, you may want to report the use of company property (email) for personal use. |
| Posted by: atheist_ewtcoma Jan 25 2005, 11:58 AM |
| Oh yes I fully aggree, there is a time and a place for everything. Work is not a place for debate or shouting. It came to me and I dealt with it nicley then I put my foot down. I knew I could get away with it becaous I work for a company that employs other people of different cultures. Every one is not a christain. |
| Posted by: The Acid Washed Messiah Jan 25 2005, 12:08 PM | ||
If I could throw the loud ones to the lions, I would... but that's just me. |
| Posted by: notblindedbytheblight Jan 25 2005, 12:25 PM | ||
No way...I don't believe it! Not you two!  |
| Posted by: atheist_ewtcoma Jan 25 2005, 12:32 PM |
| Well as far as making a complaint I'm not sure How far I would have gotten or if it would have been worth my effort. The people I work with pretty much keep their views to them selves and as they should. Making a formal complaint may have stired up something more then I have intended to. It may backfire on me. I do not know the admin people to well and they may be religous fanatics and see me as a trouble maker. Once your labled as a trouble maker at any place then your future is in doubt. I don't rock boats at the work place. |
| Posted by: The Acid Washed Messiah Jan 25 2005, 12:46 PM | ||
I know, I know... it's hard to imagine two more easy-going, meek, don't-rock-the-boat type people  , but I guess having our boss round us up in front of everyone like third graders and bring us to a "Come to Jesus" meeting wherein we were told that our opinions didn't matter, because Human Resources would take the side of the religious person, was a little more than even a couple of turn-the-other-cheekers like us could stand. |
| Posted by: notblindedbytheblight Jan 25 2005, 12:53 PM | ||||
I think I would have offered them my other cheeks to plant a big, fat kiss on. That's what I don't get...is it okay for some businesses to promote a certain religion? There is a roofing place by my mom's house that always has christian passages on it's sign. Can businesses discriminate based on religion? Does the law only apply to government offices? I didn't think so, but how do they get away with this shit? |
| Posted by: MalaInSe Jan 25 2005, 01:11 PM | ||
The way they do it is by having another reason to terminate the person for complaining (I'm sure we've all, say, logged a few too many hours on the internet), or they turn it around and say that it is was due to that person't inappropriate conduct in going off on the religious person-- especially if they don't follow "proper procedure" and complain to management first. No employers aren't supposed to discriminate on the basis of religion, unless they are a religious organization, but the lawsuits are expensive and frequently unsuccessful. Ren |
| Posted by: The Acid Washed Messiah Jan 25 2005, 01:39 PM | ||
A good case in point is Chik-Fil-A. I no longer eat there, though I loved the food. I was preached at by a cashier once and when I complained, I was told that Chik-Fil-A was a "Christian Oriented Company," whatever the hell that means. |
| Posted by: The Acid Washed Messiah Jan 25 2005, 01:43 PM | ||
I found this at http://www.chickfila.com/Company.asp
|
| Posted by: Mo Biggsley Jan 25 2005, 01:43 PM |
| It means they are owned by the 1st Baptist of Jacksonville. |
| Posted by: atheist_ewtcoma Jan 25 2005, 01:52 PM |
| Before I got my big bucks IT job I worked for a little redneck locksmith company. They had 5 employees and was a pretty cool job. Now all the people there were devout and went to the same church, everything was cool as I thought. I did my job, I worked till it was time for class, and we all got along. Until the boss asked me about jesus. I said me? I don't believe in that stuff, I think to each his own. Well it got real quiet and I did not make nothing of it. They asked me do you believe that we came from monkey? Well not technically but we came from the same lines. There whole way they talked to me changed after that. I felt that they were hiding something from me. Well 2 weeks later I was asked to leave. They were having money problems. I said BS you have a bunch of cash cow contracts. I week later I drive by and there is a new car in the parking lot and they got a new guy driving one of their trucks. Well no big loss. I was making only 6 bucks an hr and can make more sitting on my ass collecting unemployment. The 2nd time was I was working for a IT company and only been there 2 years. I did my job and went to class after work. I think some of the people there were envious about me going to school or something. Well any way it was during the time that AL was having a vote to put in a education lottery. We would talk about it and told them I think it would be good to have some money for the schools. I got a bunch of wide eyed stares. I got one response about god not liking gambling. I told him you do the same thing every sunday when you give your tithes to the church. You betting that god exsists and that when you die you will get a better chance to get in heaven. It's a slot machine with no payout. More eyes and evil stares. BLA BLA BLA. I asked him what kinda car does your preacher drive? I bet it is a brand new car? Well he drives a navigator. See. Again people treated me differently and a week later I was out of a job for no reason. I was there for 2 years and was let go because of different religious views. Now I'm at this site. Its funny how you can get along with people but as soon as they know about your views that go against the grain, they will go out of their way to screw you over. How christain of them...  |
| Posted by: Zoe Grace Jan 25 2005, 02:21 PM | ||
heh christians are always persecuted. If you are polite to them but say no they are being persecuted...if you finally get fed up and refuse to allow them to harass you...i.e. self defense...they are being persecuted. They are being persecuted unless you are taking it up the ass for jesus with a smile on your face. |
| Posted by: Amethyst_Moonstar Jan 25 2005, 02:53 PM |
| The guy who works the cash register in the cafeteria at work is very much an ultra-conservative fundy who will eventually push his beliefs onto you if you talk to him for longer than 5 minutes. I usually just try to ignore him. I've learned long ago that arguing with ultra-fundie types is not good, because most of them will never change their minds no matter how much logic is thrown at them. Just look polite and walk away slowly. |
| Posted by: atheist_ewtcoma Jan 26 2005, 08:19 AM |
| Yea, Im real good at spoting these people, I avoid them like the black plauge. |
| Posted by: AggieNostic Jan 26 2005, 08:28 AM | ||
I'm wondering if a little Al Franken-style humor might be useful in disarming them and shutting them the hell up. |
| Posted by: nonni Jan 26 2005, 12:47 PM |
| Regarding fundy coworkers: I had one, although he no longer works there. He was 22-ish and kept talking about how before he got saved, there was something that he did, something huge. I didn't ask, because I didn't think it was any of my business, although I did know that he did some time. When trying to witness to me, he stated that when he was in jail, he wanted to die for what he did, so I just figured he killed someone- why else would you want to die unless you have killed someone?  Time went on, and this girl I work with started to develop a crush on him, even though she was engaged. Her fiance was in Iraq, though, so she started hanging out with this born again kid on the side until her fiance came home from Iraq. This friend of mine has a 4 year old daughter. The born again coworker however, couldn't have anything to do with "dating" because he needed to focus everything on the lawd. That was okay, since my friend was engaged anyway- to her, they weren't dating, they were just "hanging out". This born again kid, however, made a big to do about being a virgin and being proud of it. I said, really? You're 22 and a virgin? And a guy? (Usually it's only women who wait that long). "Yup" he boasted. Later on, I checked out the police department in the township where he lives and entered his name in a search engine- and bam, he came up. Apparently, he's a registered sex offender. He didn't kill anyone. He did time for "Aggravated sexual assault on a child" and in the profile it said, "Age of child at the time of the attack: 3". His picture was on there and everything (mugshot). I was shocked. I always thoughtthat this big thing he did was an unintended murder, or that maybe he was drunk driving or something. I did a lot of thinking after that- that my friend had him over at her house a lot and everything (with her 4 year old girl there). then I started thinking about the "virgin and proud" thing. Yeah, right, some virgin you are and you raped a three year old.  |
| Posted by: I Broke Free Jan 26 2005, 01:08 PM | ||
I suppose he thinks he is a "Born Again Virgin." Disgusting, I can't believe he even went so far as to give you that much information. I bet his new found ethics did not keep him from lying about his past to get the job. |
| Posted by: atheist_ewtcoma Jan 26 2005, 02:38 PM | ||
Hey, can you go into any police department and look people up? I'm not surprised that he is a sex offender. So many christains are. I bet that is really the tip of the iceberg. I bet aot of them get away with it and do it by hiding behind religion. If sombody ever did that to my daughter I would not hesitate to think of scenarios to administer vigilante style punishment. The hardest part is that I would have to take in every consideration of what tactics to take so to get away with it. |
| Posted by: nonni Jan 26 2005, 02:42 PM |
| Yes, you can. Just go to the police department's website and "search". In some cases, you might have to pay a couple bucks, but you can see who's a registered sex offender, and if there's any living in your vacinity. |
| Posted by: notblindedbytheblight Jan 26 2005, 02:56 PM | ||||
Thanks Ren. I thought it was applicable to all businesses but it appears as if they get away with it. Reminds me of when slavery was first outlawed but not practiced. |
| Posted by: Amethyst_Moonstar Jan 26 2005, 03:24 PM | ||
Nah, they'd just throw the ol' fire & brimstone at me. Or get me in trouble with my supervisor, which I don't need because I applied for my temp job that is going perm. I will probably get the job, but I still don't need to get in trouble because of one fundy type. |