Religious Handouts at work by Employer

[Silverplum]

Thank you for your kind remarks again. I am an ordained minister and the paraphernalia is offensive. Please do not mistake me for an atheist or anti-religious person. Perhaps you should start figuring out WHO you are talking to before insulting them. Regardless of WHAT religion it was on, it IS OFFENSIVE. I am respectful and have never said anything about any other religious material I have found there, no matter what religion it was on. I never batted an eye when I wasn't allowed to put up a paper on my own church. However, what was there this last month and a half is bloody, gory, disgusting and offensive.

For the record, the paraphernalia they have posted is Christian (at the very least they are citing Bible verses in it anyway). I am a Christian minister.

What. Ever.

 

[lantiis]

What. Ever.

I am so sorry. I was unaware I had to come with proof of religious affiliation before asking questions regarding religion and law. Where should I send my documentation?

 

[Silverplum]

I am so sorry. I was unaware I had to come with proof of religious affiliation before asking questions regarding religion and law. Where should I send my documentation?

Thanks for replying.



(To the Advisors: Why is it that, when posters receive their answer/s, many then crank up the story to include more details?

Is that a thing, wanting to talk MORE about an issue after it's resolved?)

 

[lantiis]

Thanks for replying.



(To the Advisors: Why is it that, when posters receive their answer/s, many then crank up the story to include more details?

Is that a thing, wanting to talk MORE about an issue after it's resolved?)

The conversation I was having wasn't with you but another commentor that flat out insulted me by calling me an Atheist. I clarified. You had no need to respond to it but clearly wanted in on the conversation - you had no need to respond in the manner you did either. If you don't want a reply to a conversation you aren't a part of, don't insert yourself. That should be fairly self-explanatory.

 

[CdwJava]

I am curious why, if you are an ordained minister, tracts/pamphlets/flyers/handouts of a similar religious nature might be offensive? Is it because they are from a competing sect? Perhaps they are JW or Mormon? I suspect that my denomination (a Calvary Chapel Fellowship) may differ from yours, yet I would never consider tossing flyers from yours or anyone else's faith into the trash. Instead of suffering angst on our differences, let us instead concentrate on what we have in common - Christ.

If we expect people to respect OUR faith, or our particular subset of the faith, then we must first learn to respect those of others. Ultimately, the employer will decide what is or is not appropriate to be placed in the workplace - as you have discovered.

The employer did nothing wrong, and you have now learned that this is permitted. Time to move on from it.

 

[TheGeekess]

The conversation I was having wasn't with you but another commentor that flat out insulted me by calling me an Atheist. I clarified. You had no need to respond to it but clearly wanted in on the conversation - you had no need to respond in the manner you did either. If you don't want a reply to a conversation you aren't a part of, don't insert yourself. That should be fairly self-explanatory.

Alrighty then.

 

[Silverplum]

The conversation I was having wasn't with you but another commentor that flat out insulted me by calling me an Atheist. I clarified. You had no need to respond to it but clearly wanted in on the conversation - you had no need to respond in the manner you did either. If you don't want a reply to a conversation you aren't a part of, don't insert yourself. That should be fairly self-explanatory.

I find it wildly LOL-able that the bolded is probably exactly what your employer told YOU.

 

[lantiis]

I am curious why, if you are an ordained minister, tracts/pamphlets/flyers/handouts of a similar religious nature might be offensive? Is it because they are from a competing sect? Perhaps they are JW or Mormon? I suspect that my denomination (a Calvary Chapel Fellowship) may differ from yours, yet I would never consider tossing flyers from yours or anyone else's faith into the trash. Instead of suffering angst on our differences, let us instead concentrate on what we have in common - Christ.

If we expect people to respect OUR faith, or our particular subset of the faith, then we must first learn to respect those of others. Ultimately, the employer will decide what is or is not appropriate to be placed in the workplace - as you have discovered.

The employer did nothing wrong, and you have now learned that this is permitted. Time to move on from it.

The religion itself wasn't the issue with the pamphlets. It was the direct nature of them. I wish I could have taken a picture but they are basically showing Christianity as being a monstrosity and using Bible verses out of context to prove points and then, at the end, saying to repent. While they are basically Christian, I am using the term Christian loosely as they are disgusting and offensive - at least to me.

At the time, I did not know it was the employer who posted them and thought it was an employee posting them to be offensive. Finding out it was my employer did not remove the offensive nature of them but, since I was told to never touch them again and it was eluded I could possibly lose my job over it, I thought they might be in the wrong which is why I went to the internet to do some research. Not finding anything, I asked the same question on two different forums. I am now aware that the employer has done nothing wrong and that is fine. What I am having difficulty with is some of the rude commentary and accusations made by people replying to me (not you - you are one of the good ones) because they think I am apparently out riding an anti-religious soap box.

FYI real quick, when I got back from lunch, the offensive and gory handouts are gone now and a new set is there with quotes about love and salvation. So issue resolved 100% Thanks so much for your concern and help! God Bless!

 

[lantiis]

I find it wildly LOL-able that the bolded is probably exactly what your employer told YOU.

It isn't but it's nice you are able to laugh a little. You know what my employer told me as it is in the original post: I was ordered to not touch them and that if they were that offensive to me, to just not look at them anymore. There, I saved you the time of going back to look.

 

[anteater]

...bloody, gory, disgusting and offensive.

Sounds like a pretty good general description of the Abrahamic religions.

 

[lantiis]

Sounds like a pretty good general description of the Abrahamic religions.

The entire issue I originally posted was done so generally. At the time, I was unaware I needed to present credentials of my religious beliefs and state every detail when posting a general question on whether or not it was okay for my employer to 1) post religious handouts for employees and 2) admonish me for throwing out the ones that were clearly offensive.

To be clear, the offensive ones have now been removed by my employer. I didn't ask why. I can only imagine that they weren't sanctioned by my employer as originally thought by my supervisor. So there is that at least.

 

[LeeHarveyBlotto]

From where did a fairly large number of people come up with the idea that we have a right never to be offended?

When did so many of us become so weak that we feel the need to invoke that "right"?

 

[lantiis]

From where did a fairly large number of people come up with the idea that we have a right never to be offended?

When did so many of us become so weak that we feel the need to invoke that "right"?

I was not posting because I was offended - tho the material was very offensive. It is pointless to dwell on the various things that offend us. I posted my issue because I was concerned my employer overstepped their bounds and wanted to know if they did and if so, what could be done about it. The material was religious, offensive and clearly out of place (as my employer has since removed it as my post states). My employer, I now know, did nothing wrong. No one here is claiming to have a "right" to be offended nor are they invoking said "right."

 

[CdwJava]

The religion itself wasn't the issue with the pamphlets. It was the direct nature of them. I wish I could have taken a picture but they are basically showing Christianity as being a monstrosity and using Bible verses out of context to prove points and then, at the end, saying to repent. While they are basically Christian, I am using the term Christian loosely as they are disgusting and offensive - at least to me.

Understandable. But, while I might find some deviant branches of Christianity downright offensive and hateful (Westboro Baptist "Church" for instance), I have no legal right to remove their tracts in my private sector employer's workplace absent the employer's permission. I might consider speaking my mind to others who wish to talk about it, but, I would have to hold my nose and try to ignore it or hope that others will see it for what it is - trash.

At the time, I did not know it was the employer who posted them and thought it was an employee posting them to be offensive.

Always ask. Better to let the management deal with it.

Finding out it was my employer did not remove the offensive nature of them but, since I was told to never touch them again and it was eluded I could possibly lose my job over it, I thought they might be in the wrong which is why I went to the internet to do some research. Not finding anything, I asked the same question on two different forums. I am now aware that the employer has done nothing wrong and that is fine. What I am having difficulty with is some of the rude commentary and accusations made by people replying to me (not you - you are one of the good ones) because they think I am apparently out riding an anti-religious soap box.

A great many people post here either praising faith - or their iteration of it, or, assaulting it. Yes, some may have made some broad leaps in their replies, but, your initial posts coul;d have been a little more clear as to the content of the flyers and the reasons for your objection.

FYI real quick, when I got back from lunch, the offensive and gory handouts are gone now and a new set is there with quotes about love and salvation. So issue resolved 100% Thanks so much for your concern and help! God Bless!

Glad to hear that!

 

[CdwJava]

Sounds like a pretty good general description of the Abrahamic religions.

And most of human history ... I can think of a few NON Abrahamic religions that wallowed in mass human sacrifice. So. let's not wander down that errant path, shall we.