Religion Makes Inroads in Corp. Arena: Believers Carving Workplace Niche

[DeepModem Mom]

Los Angeles Times:
Religion Makes Inroads in the Corporate Arena
Believers, mostly Christian, are carving a niche in the workplace. Even with company limits in place, the office atmosphere is shifting.

By Faye Fiore, Times Staff Writer


....Pushed primarily by evangelical Christians, faith is finding a growing presence in corporations that for years have been resistant to religious expression, including such giants as AOL Inc., Intel Corp., American Express Co., American Airlines Inc. and Ford Motor Co.

But it is an uneasy, risk-prone experiment. An evangelical movement emboldened by its strength in the 2004 presidential election, and pressing hard to advance its agenda in the battles over abortion and same-sex marriage, is finding that it must accept limits to secure a place in the corporate world.

Companies are allowing employees to sing the Lord's praises only according to strict rules — at lunch and on breaks, and only to those who want to listen — to minimize the threat to workplace harmony. Proselytizing, which can be seen as intrusive and a possible violation of harassment laws, is not permitted.

In return, some companies let workers share Bible verses on the company listserv, advertise religious events on the company intranet and invite inspirational speakers like (Reggie) Evans to read Scripture in the corporate auditorium. In that case, AOL went so far as to provide sandwiches and pizza.

Even with these limits, however, the introduction of religion is changing the workplace atmosphere. Though it frees Christians like (Jack Clark, an AOL employee) to bring their "whole selves" to work, it troubles many who are unaccustomed to seeing a Bible on a desk or hearing a supervisor respond to a casual "How's it going?" with an earnest "I'm blessed."...


http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-adna-religion15may15,0,638473.story?coll=la-home-headlines

[cornermouse]

1. And for those of us who don't want to be proselytized...

This isn't going to work. It is harrassment.

The pressure whether overt or subtle, will be there, especially if the person involved is a superior in the workplace. And in the case of superior involvement, the real or false perception that one must accept harrassment in order to advance within the company ranks will exist.

You don't have to think about this very long to realize how wrong it is and that although they may be trying to dress it up, it is still proselytization.

[Ratty]

25. Ignore it

Yeah, we had somebody leaving pamphlets in the restroom for awhile (men's AND women's), plus there was a maintenance guy who'd always bring up Jesus in just about any conversation, a few people who outright proselytized. It was annoying but hardly harassment any more than other annoying behavior (of course a supervisor has to adhere to stricter standard). As long as I can leave my pamphlets for the Church of Satan in the same restrooms and pepper my casual conversations with "All Hail Satan!" I can live with it.

I just don't see it as wrong. It may be annoying but it's not wrong. Some workplaces are way too uptight enough as it is.

[athenap]

31. This gives us all an excuse

to host, "how to disprove wingnut Biblical claims" education. Call the fundies on their Biblical theory and watch nine out of ten heads explode. It's a bad business decision because while I have no doubt that many Evangelicals do honestly believe they are doing you a favor by trying to save you, and are honestly concerned for your soul, there are those out there looking for conversion notches in their Bibles, and there are those who won't take a polite, "No thanks, born once is okay for me" for an answer. A lot of workplace time is going to be wasted by people trying to recruit for their churches, or getting into extended cubicle-debates over your soul, and HR is going to be tasked with the nightmare of trying to determine more of what is considered "reasonable expression."

The biggest problem is, as the above poster stated, the participation or sponsorship by management in these kinds of things. You can't ever get 100% assurance that the boss isn't letting his or her religious leanings, or any other differences you share, get in the way of the job you do. But having that difference underscored will start to have an effect one way or the other. There are a lot of people (like me) who don't advertise their faith one way or another, and by not attending a fellowship or joining a club, those folks are going to be set up to be questioned, even if it's completely innocent. "Would you like to come to our Bible study? Oh? Why not?"

[lostnfound]

2. What bothers me is that this will be used for political mobilizing

and no counterweight is likely to develop from the left because we are more dispersed in our religious views, and because we believe in separation of religion and politics.

[IndianaGreen]

12. Jesus is the bait

The switch is when they tell their mark that in order to be like Jesus they must persecute gays, put women in their biblical role as baby factories, and vote Republican.

[Demit]

3. "the unspoken pressure to join a prayer group that a supervisor leads"

"...But those wary of bringing faith to the workplace worry more about the potential for subtle abuses, such as the unspoken pressure to join a prayer group that a supervisor leads, or the awkwardness of knowing the colleague at the next desk is waiting for you to see the light and ask to be saved.

Even if the urge to convert others is restrained, Christian employees say they regularly pray for their colleagues' salvation. That characteristic sets them apart from, say, ethnic or gay groups. ..."


That's the two most wrong things with bringing religion into the workplace. The tacit pressure to please your supervisors, and the imposition proselytizing makes on everyone else's rights (gay people don't try to convert you, but Christians do).

[cyberpj]

17. not to mention supervisory favoritism in promoting Christian employees.

Oh. And do we think that wouldn't happen? Join Jesus and He'll (I'll) reward you.

[Stinky The Clown]

4. "bring their "whole selves" to work"

I'm sure the gay co worker would also like to be free to bring his whole self to work.

Affrontery of the highest order, these whining fucking extremist asshats .......

[Solly Mack]

6. thank you

[Ian David]

5. Member of Church of Body Modification sues to wear piercing at work

Apparently, some religions are more equal than others.

But go easy on COSTCO, they're big Democrat donors.

Woman Sues for Being Fired for Piercing

Wednesday, April 20, 2005 7:36 a.m. ET

WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) -- A woman who was fired by Costco in 2001 for refusing to remove her eyebrow ring has accused the company of religious discrimination, saying she is a member of the Church of Body Modification.

Kimberly M. Cloutier said she wears her eyebrow ring as a sign of faith. She has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to consider hearing the case.

The church, established in 1999, counts about 1,000 members who participate in practices such as piercing and tattooing, according to a December ruling by the First Circuit Court of Appeals, which upheld a trial judge's finding in Costco's favor.

Lynn A. Kappelman, a lawyer for Costco, declined to comment. The company has argued that Cloutier's beliefs are political or social instead of religious.

More:
http://wireservice.wired.com/wired/story.asp?section=Breaking&storyId=1022031&tw=wn_wire_story

[Stinky The Clown]

8. "But go easy on COSTCO"

Actually, I'd tend to side with Costco in this case and discourage this young woman from going forward. This kind of case will do far more harm than good to our side. No matter what you believe, when this kind of thing gets attention, our side looks bad and become easy targets.

Yeah, yeah, I know .... this is another group that some DINO (me?) is suggesting we toss overboard for political expediency. And if you think that, I suggest you reconsider the moral equivalency between a 'church' of 1,000 members with an agenda that is, at the very best, a far fringe position, and, let's say, gays, who are real, here, and deserve our full support. There simply is *no* moral equivalency.

Looked at another way, some people are very well intentioned, but through their actions, words, or very personna, fail to really help. Instead they set us up for derision by example. Gloria Allred is one like this. She's always on the right side of women's issues, but *she* is a lightening rod for all the wrong reasons. I mean, come on .... the Scott Peterson thing?

So no. In the end, I think Costco is the stronger of these two legal combatants. Of course, this is really a minor issue .... a side show ...... but wait .... if the 'media' picks this up ..... who ya think's gunna win?

Not us.

[anitar1]

29. Have been hearing more angry remarks lately

from aquaintances who are not political but do attend churches. They are angry about the way religion is being forced on people.They feel it gives all of them a bad name. And they are asking questions about what is going on. They remark to me because they know I am political. So the real extremists may be in for a fight with other Christians. The people I know belive in separation of church and state. I am happy to give them information, when asked. Some had no idea how widespread this is.So there is another side to this type of bleating. They are very busy creating resistance to their Mafia tactics.

[athenap]

16. Minority religions will always have a harder time of it

It's harder to determine legitimacy of a practice with fewer adherents. Also, religions which are not scriptural in nature (who don't have a Holy Book to list the tenets and taboos and such) are charged with a more difficult task in identifying their tenets and taboos.

In this lady's case, I would think there may be hygiene issues - IE if she worked in the meat department or something, then health dept regs override her practices, for safety and health reasons. Or if the policy on jewelry is even for everybody, without regard to whether or not their jewelry is religious.

[mhr]

7. Every Time I Came In Contact With Workplace Religion

I'd be down at HR with a formal written complaint.

The next step would be a civil lawsuit claiming a hostile workplace.

Finally, we'd see media exposure painting the Christians and the company in a negative light.

I would not tolerate this bullshit.

You want to do religion - do it on your own time not mine!

[devinsgram]

10. Yes, doesn't it say somewhere in the Bible that if you

want to pray, do it in private. So where do they get off constantly trying to push in your face.

Being from PA and living somewhat close to the Amish, that is one thing the Amish never try to do. They do not try to force their beliefs on others, and for that I really admire them. Amongst themselves I am sure they do, but outsiders, never.

[area51]

13. You may be referring to a verse in Matthew.

devinsgram said:

"... doesn't it say somewhere in the Bible that if you
want to pray, do it in private."

Matthew 6:5-6 says:

"And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men.... when thou prayest, enter into thy closet and when thou has shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret...."

-------------
"Prosperity is just around the corner." — Herbert Hoover
"The economy has turned a corner." — GW Bush

Herbert Hoover = GW Bush

Neither man cared about the Depression their economic policies created.

[genieroze]

19. Matthew 6:5-6 says:

"And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men.... when thou prayest, enter into thy closet and when thou has shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret...."

As a Christian, I say Amen.

What these faux Christians are doing remind me of those people who sing the loudest at church and then step over a homeless person on the street or go home and go on the Internet into a pedophile chat-room. These are the ones who cheat on their spouses yet condemn premarital sex or make laws against gay people, yet are gay. They make holy wars for oil against brown people of different religions. Their only real religion is the religion of holy hypocrites which they do very well.

[Ian David]

23. Matthew 6:5-6 Can we hold it up on signs at football games? n/t

[dArKeR]

9. Fundimentalist Christians have had a hold of Lockheed upper management

since 1982, I have first hand knowledge. Worked there.

Also had election posters of Reagan all over the faciliites.

Also MADE all employees watch a "Vote for Reagan" video on company time and charged it to the American taxpayers. I called Boxer back then, her aide called me back but nothing every hit the news.

The way Lockheed did it. Every Lockheed employee must have a charge number for any work they perform, (salary Adm. and factory worker the same.) So you must start off the day with by charging a "Project". But you still can go to the bathroom, get a cup of coffee, go to the Roach Coach... because you don't have to change charge numbers if your task is under 15 minutes. You just continue charging to the current charge number even if you start doing another project's work, as long as it's under 15 minutes then you return to the original charge number.

Well, Lockheed made this "Vote for Reagon" film that was timed at fourteen minutes. Every employee was rounded up and made to watch this filth in their local conference room.

I remember Boxer's aide saying, "Ms. Boxer is getting this info second hand and I'm not sure what will be done but thank you." I'm not sure why nothing was done since having several hundred thousand witnesses! I guess it's that Liberal Media. I'll still swear in a court of law if asked to testify.

++++++++++++++++++

More about the Corporate Christian Beast.

SAN FRANCISCO -- The California Supreme Court has blocked a class-action lawsuit on behalf of 800 Redlands residents who claim they were exposed to toxic chemicals in their drinking water.

http://www.uswaternews.com/archives/arcrights/3coubar3.html



13 of 16 Cabinet Members Have Ties To "Class Action" Targeted Companies

Washington, DC -- A new report, "Class Action Cabinet," released today by the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights (FTCR) shows that 13 of 16 Bush Cabinet members have been employed by, served on the board of, or have significant financial interest in corporations that have been targeted by consumer class-action lawsuits. Deliberations on the bill could start as early as tomorrow.

Condoleeza Rice and Andrew Card, top advisors to President Bush, though not part of the Cabinet, were also found to have ties to companies targeted by class action lawsuits as was President Bush himself.

http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/corporate/pr/pr003746.php3



Red-Light Class-Action Lawsuit Filed

According to 10News, more than 150,000 red-light camera tickets have been mailed out to drivers whose cars were photographed by the cameras.

The suit, filed Thursday in San Diego Superior Court, names as defendants, among others, the operator of the program, Lockheed Martin, and the city of San Diego.

http://www.thesandiegochannel.com/news/942962/detail.html



EEOC SEEKS TO JOIN CLASS RACE HARASSMENT SUIT AGAINST DEFENSE GIANT LOCKHEED MARTIN

NEW YORK -- The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) today moved to intervene in two private class action lawsuits filed against defense contractor Lockheed Martin Corp. The suits, brought on behalf of hundreds of salaried and hourly African-American employees, charge that Lockheed harassed black workers, denied them deserved promotions or wages, and retaliated against them for complaining about the discrimination.

http://www.eeoc.gov/press/12-5-00.html




Silicon Valley African-American wins case against Lockheed

In May, 1996, Jeff Heard won his appeal in his race discrimination case against Lockheed Missiles and Space Company in Sunnyvale.

Heard was rated an outstanding employee for years. In 1991, he got a new manager, Joseph Parisi, who against the advice of Human Resources, changed Heard's job duties, and re-ranked Heard from the top to the bottom of 49 employees. The new manager also re-ranked other African-American employees lower. At trial, Heard and other witnesses testified that at Parisi's first meeting with the supervisors of the department, he said that "minorities in the organization are low performers." He said "the management of the organization was all screwed up," referring to a manager who was African-American. Parisi never attended the award ceremonies recognizing Heard and other African-Americans, but he did attend them for Caucasians. Parisi told Heard he was lazy. He told racist jokes at work.

http://www.fairmeasures.com/whatsnew/archive/spring96/new06.html

[Roland99]

11. Dominionists expanding their realm

[Ian David]

14. My wife once accepted a job from a fundie who kept trying to convert her

It was a job as a receptionist in the office of a temporary placement agency. I was working as a temp for that company myself.

The owner, a woman named Latha, kept harping on her about Jesus all the time and eventually let her go for "budgetary reasons."

I stopped temping for that company and kept telling them I didn't want jobs from them anymore. They bugged me for assignments for two years until they (thankfully) went out of business.

[KittyWampus]

22. Why Not Just "Accept Jesus" & Then Come To Work Gangho To The Point

that every third word out of your mouth is "praise Jesus".

Take a memo? Yes Boss, Praise Jesus, I will.

Type that report? Yes Boss, Praise Jesus, when I'm done praying.

I hope you get my drift there.... :)

[Vickers]

15. "emboldened by its strength in the 2004 presidential election"

How in the holy fuck can an almost evenly divided election be seen as anything but the barest majority?

These folks mistake electoral votes for something else.

[DeepModem Mom]

18. I've had that same thought reading countless articles --

50-50 is no mandate for anybody.

[reprobate]

20. Because that's how the media told it. Lie, spin, fake.

[PassingFair]

21. I find that a rousing rendition of Mark Twain's

"War Prayer" usually quells this nonsense.
They want prayer in MY workplace? In the words of GWB,
BRING IT ON!

[reprobate]

24. Mark these words well. Christists will destroy the United States.

I believe that it is up to the rest of you christians to bring an end to this attrocity. Unless this is done, I'm afraid that there truly will be a serious persecution of chrisians.

It's up to you. Do you want a free america? Or are you willing to settle for a christist america. You can't have both.

Just answer this question: If you are ok with the christists praying in public or at their employment, are you also ok with Wiccans doing the same? If not, you're a hypocrit.

[EVDebs]

30. Left Behind eschatology is Biblically incorrect.

Probably the biggest weapon truthseekers have right now is a book called End Time Delusions by Steven Wohlberg.

To summarize it: the 'futurist' eschatology of the Left Behind crowd, who are expecting a 'pre-tribulation' rapture, a Third Temple (where antichrist will sit), etc., is Biblically WRONG.

What's weird is that the end times eschatology of a Counter Reformation Catholic priest name Ribera, a Jesuit, has been adopted by mainly Protestant denominations nowadays.

In the 70s Hal Lindsey's book Late Great Planet Earth pushed this. Now the Left Behind novels do too. Oddly, Lindsey is a consultant to the CIA, and the CIAs early leadership was mainly Catholic Knights of Malta: Donovan, Casey, McCone, Dulles, Angleton, etc. etc.

With Opus Dei being born in fascist Franco's Spain, you can see how this can be politically manipulated...or can't you ?

[HockeyMom]

26. Public Schools

There was a law which was passed (part of another bill?) that not only must public school employees be free to practice their religion on their free time, but the school district must PROVE that they are complying with this.

Couple of years ago, the principal of our elementary school came into break room holding a sheet of paper and read this legislation to us. He then asked if anyone was interesting in reading from the Bible. The staff just sat there in dead silence staring at him. Then, he said with a WINK, "I didn't think so. Will you all please sign this form saying that I offered you a prayer break, and you declined to participate."

Welcome to the wonderful world of George W. Bush and his underhanded way of establishing religion.

[Sparkly]

27. Whatever happened to the idea of churches?!

Or even the idea that your religion is personal within yourself? "Though it frees Christians like (Jack Clark, an AOL employee) to bring their "whole selves" to work"... Otherwise, what? He'd leave his religious beliefs at home on the dresser?! :crazy:

[enki23]

28. not that there will ever be pressure to conform. of course.

.