Speaking of the work place and religion..

I recently received this email regarding my employers position on emails of a religious nature.

"While there is no separate policy on distributing religious messages, I believe that it falls under the heading of creating a respectful work environment that recognizes the diversity of our employees and does not create the impression of favoring one group's religious preference over another group's.

As a Company, we're committed to making COMPANY NAME HERE a more inclusive organization based on mutual respect and appreciation for the diversity that all people bring to our Company. That's why I believe it's important to restate and reaffirm the Company's policies on non-discrimination and harassment in all aspects of business.

Each and every one of us has the responsibility to respect the integrity and dignity of co-workers, clients, vendors, and anyone else with whom we come in contact through the course of business. It means maintaining a work environment that is professional, with language and behavior that respects people of diverse backgrounds."

OK, great, right? I thought it was nice to see someone taking this position because I have received my fair share of religious emails from other employees. As the policy states, sending those emails is of a "discrimination and harassment" nature. I have never filed a complaint about the emails I have received, even though I have asked them not to send them to me, as I feel I was being HARASSED.

So, this morning I send this email reply on the matter:

"Thank you.

As an atheist, I appreciate this every much. On the other hand, as for being in the field, I have received my fair share of religious emails in my work email account. Even after stating my position on the matter via email and even face to face, I continued to received them.

Thanks again COMPANY NAME HERE for recognizing, as well as acknowledging, the fact that not all people subscribe to the same religious ideologies or even any religious ideologies."

Now, I get a response from one person saying "You're not alone." and I also get a response from someone in the office saying:

"Please review the original policy below. It is very broad and I think it very likely that your e-mail has violated it."

What I think the person is attempting to do, is to say that by my response I am some how being "discriminatory and harassing". He can stretch it as much as he wants, but after re-reading the policy, I have NOT violated it...

Any thoughts....

All I can suggest, if you really want to find out what they meant, is to send an email to that person asking them why they think that. But that may not be a conversation you want to get into.

If you violated the policy, then the mail outlining the policy also violated the policy! Let him make a complaint if he wishes: chances are it'll be rejected, since there's nothing in your message which is disrespectful of others' beliefs, and you were just reaffirming the diversity which the policy claims to support. But, in the meantime, you should probably not respond to his whine, because that'll just needle him further, and increase the chances that HR might decide in his favour. If he's one of those persecution-complex Christians, he'll overstep the line sooner or later without your urging.

So, he was not sure if I had violated it, which according to the policy I had not. I am correct and he is on the other hand, in correct.

They think that if you mention that someone does not believe they are trying to force their viewpoint on others.

But from reading the policy you seem to be well within its rules. Both in the letter and the spirit.

because a cornerstone of their cockeyed belief system is their divine right to impose it on unwilling people.

The word "atheist" just sent them into complete overdrive, raising blood pressure, engorging cerebral aneurysms, eroding the digestive lining, and generally setting up the conditions for them to expire with curls of steam exiting their ears.

My own inclination would have been to leave the original email alone or to respond without a cc to all.

Then I'd have forwarded all the proselytizing emails to HR with a reference to company policy and a complaint about a hostile work environment.

As I said in my reply, if anyone has been harassed it has been me.

Why did I do what I did? why the reply to all? Well, some one has to stand up. I feel that if I take that first step and show others that they have the right to do so , it would help to show them that they do have not be intimidated by others.

I say the 'A' word with vigor and without hesitation, I wanted to show all those people that I replied to all too, that if they do not believe in invisible friends, they are not alone and I am willing to kick the door in for them/us.

When it comes to religious whack-job emails. That really gets them pissed off. Oh well. That can't say shit about it because they weren't supposed to send me their religious crap at work in the first place. Dumbasses.