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one_voice Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-11-11 06:02 PM
Original message
Need DU opinions...
My son is working as an intern at a bank. He says they have prayer meetings once a week during company hours. No one has ever said anything to him about not attending--it's completely voluntary--but he says he feels like he's being judged on some level.

There are two employees that keep Bibles on their desk. My son has no problem with religion, he just questions it's appropriateness in the work place--at least in this situation.

What do you guys think? Appropriate or inappropriate?
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Sparkly Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-11-11 06:03 PM
Response to Original message
1. Completely inappropriate.
This is why we have laws.

And unions.
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one_voice Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-11-11 06:05 PM
Response to Reply #1
5. My husband was completely blown away...
by it. He's in management where he works, and he said no way would this happen there. He said it was illegal, but I wasn't sure.
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monmouth Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-11-11 06:04 PM
Response to Original message
2. I hope it's not Wells Fargo. Of course it's not appropriate, at least
to me...
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one_voice Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-11-11 06:07 PM
Response to Reply #2
8. No it's not Wells Fargo. n/t
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Ohio Joe Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-11-11 06:05 PM
Response to Original message
3. Inappropriate
I feel bad for the kid because if he does not go he will certainly be judged.
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Curmudgeoness Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-11-11 06:05 PM
Response to Original message
4. Inappropriate. But then again,
there are so many inappropriate rituals at so many companies that you have to choose your battles. A private company willing to pay it's employees to pray sounds incredibly stupid.

And if anyone ever made the least comment about him not going to the prayer meetings, I would just say that I prefer to do my praying in private. Let them sort out what that comment means.
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one_voice Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-11-11 06:15 PM
Response to Reply #4
12. That's what I told him...
to politely decline. I agree with you about picking your battles, that's true for life in general. Thanks for your input.
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Tx4obama Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-11-11 06:07 PM
Response to Original message
6. If it is a branch of a larger bank
then he should go to the local library.
create a dummy email account,
and send an anonymous email to the corporate office to let them know what is going on.
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CBGLuthier Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-11-11 06:07 PM
Response to Original message
7. He should just politely decline and go about his business.
For some workplaces it is OK for others not so much. I would think that would mainly be up to the EMPLOYER.

I can not really believe I live in a world where someone whines because someone else keeps a bible on their desk. I am happy to be an atheist but the antitheist movement leaves me cold.

And if others do not like what they do they should take their business elsewhere. It's all that simple really.
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one_voice Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-11-11 06:13 PM
Response to Reply #7
11. Well thanks for ASSuming he whined...
it was a casual conversation. He was concerned he'd be judged for not attending the prayer meetings and that made him uncomfortable. He just mentioned the Bibles, he didn't say he had any problems with them being there.

And he's not an atheist, so he's not part of any movement. He's 20 years old and this is his first "real" job, not fast food, or Kmart and he doesn't want to screw it up since it could turn into a job after he graduates college.

Excuse him for being a little confused on how to handle the situation..
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marions ghost Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-11-11 06:22 PM
Response to Reply #7
15. The same crowd
would not appreciate a Koran out on somebody's desk. A Bible is not a neutral object in this context.
A bank is a very public place. It's highly insensitive of others to do this.
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one_voice Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-11-11 06:25 PM
Response to Reply #15
16. Thank you!
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Wait Wut Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-11-11 06:59 PM
Response to Reply #15
24. True.
It has less to do with the Bibles on the desks than the prayer meetings. I don't care what someone has on their desk, but I agree that having a Koran on someone's desk would probably be cause for an exorcism.
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Wait Wut Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-11-11 06:57 PM
Response to Reply #7
23. Prayer meetings during work hours is a bit different...
...than a couple of employees having bibles on their desks. It creates an uncomfortable situation for a non-Christian. It's obvious he's concerned that if he doesn't attend, he'll be judged. That's a genuine concern, especially in a right-to-work state. The boss only has to come up with some bizarre excuse to fire him so he can hire a "real" Christian.

I do appreciate your opinion on the antitheist movement. I agree, but I think in this case you may not have realized this young man's situation. Harmless faith stuff at work? No problem. Prayer meetings during work hours? Say what????
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Ineeda Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-11-11 06:12 PM
Response to Original message
9. Totally inappropriate.
In this jobs market, as long as there's no pressure to join in, he should probably ignore it all. In another world, I'd be prominently, but silently, displaying a copy of the Koran on my desk. (Or Mao's Red Book, or something.)
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LeftofObama Donating Member (158 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-11-11 06:13 PM
Response to Original message
10. If he feels like he's being judged on some level it's because he is.
This is absolutely inappropriate.

I'll be curious to know when his internship is over if he is offered a permanent position with the bank. I would also like to see his evaluation when the internship is done. I would be willing to bet that he will be seen by the higher ups as "not being a team player" or some such nonsense.

These kinds of people are batshit insane and they tend to stick together.
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SoCalDem Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-11-11 06:21 PM
Response to Reply #10
14. ..."not being a team player"... spelled team-prayer
Edited on Thu Aug-11-11 06:21 PM by SoCalDem
The blurring of lines is amazing these days..

If the bank is the "First National Jesus Bank" it makes perfect sense, but as a public business it's entirely RUDE to impose one's own beliefs (overtly or covertly) upon unsuspecting customers...might as well put up signs.."No <fill in favorite here> wanted"
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marions ghost Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-11-11 06:52 PM
Response to Reply #14
20. "team-prayer"
}(

If people want to wear a small cross or some other religious symbol, OK. But the rest of it, no.

I'm not sure how many states still use swearing on Bibles in courtrooms, but I think in many states they do not use it anymore.
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marions ghost Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-11-11 06:17 PM
Response to Original message
13. Tell him to put a Buddha on his keychain and
on days when the stock market drops, he should tell em, "it's not working, pray harder."
On days when it rebounds, tell em, "Good work!!"

Seriously he should try to ignore this and be strong against enforced praying. It's totally wrong in the workplace. The bank manager knows better.

Some days I think "The Handmaid's Tale" really is coming true in this country.
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one_voice Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-11-11 06:27 PM
Response to Reply #13
17. That Buddha idea is funny...
he's young and unsure how to handle a situation like this. He thought he should just ignore it, but wasn't sure so he brought it up at dinner.
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marions ghost Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-11-11 06:44 PM
Response to Reply #17
18. The fact that he brought it up
means he knows it's not right. Good. I'd advise him to continue to avoid the prayer meeting. If he really doesn't fit in at the bank, it will come to the point where he will make the right decision. He can still leave in good standing. Advise diplomacy while not compromising his principles. We all have had to work in situations that were less than optimal. It might be a blessing in disguise if he has to move on. Advise, but let him decide.
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Wait Wut Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-11-11 06:49 PM
Response to Original message
19. Very Inappropriate.
I would suggest he start looking for a new job. Carefully and quietly. If it's a small town, yuck.
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Starry Messenger Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-11-11 06:54 PM
Response to Original message
21. If the banks think prayer is going to fix the economy we're really in deep yogurt.
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Demonaut Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-11-11 06:56 PM
Response to Original message
22. mebbe it's the foxhole mentality, no atheists in a foxhole
you guys been robbed before?
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