Can I fire people because they are Christian?

[princehal]

If it's ok to fire people because they are gay, why not?

[dsc]

1. because Christians are real citizens

and we aren't.

[EstimatedProphet]

2. If you have your own private company, yes.

[dsc]

6. No he can't

Religion is a protected class. You can't fire people for being Christian unless religion is rationally related to the job like in the case of a pastor.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

12. Teachers in religious schools, too...

Even if they don't "teach" religion.

But the larger point is that belief systems (which you can change) are protected and sexual orientation (which you cannot change) is not protected.

How about if I joined the First Reformed Church of the Flaming Homo? I might be protected then...

If L. Ron Hubbard can start his own church, why can't we? I could become a pastor and then we'd have this huge scandal, see, when it's discovered that I'm actually straight. I could go into rehab and claim to be cured...

The more I write, the more I can't believe that they protect this shit...

[princehal]

19. Good Point

If I cannot fire them because they are Christian, can I fire them for worshiping graven images? Anyone in my opinion who worships graven images is a sinner, and therefore should be fired.

Conversly, what if homosexuality is an avowed PART of my religion, like the cross fetish?

[TX-RAT]

31. Sure you can.

Just don't use that as the reason for dismissal, it's done all the time for various reasons. If you don't want to go that way, then just give them the shittiest most demeaning job available and wait until they quite. Happens all the time.

Sucks don't it?

[EstimatedProphet]

37. Actually, I was trying to make a point like #31

Worded it poorly.

[Canuckistanian]

3. Don't see why not

You could say that it's against your deeply held beliefs.

If anyone protests, scream something about the First Amendment.

[htuttle]

4. Whether you could fire someone because they are gay would depend on your locality

As far as I know, you can't fire someone because of an attribute that is classified as a 'protected characteristic'.

Religious affiliation, like race, "creed" and ethnicity, is considered a protected characteristic pretty much everywhere. Sexual orientation is only considered protected in just a few places, and even in those, it might only matter in regards to getting municipal and state contracts, etc...


edit: speling

[Kolesar]

5. 60 Minutes show had a business owner who fired all the smokers

He gave them several months to quit smoking. Those who could not quit were fired. TS Eliot.

[CabalPowered]

36. Scotts is facing several lawsuits for that move

It should be an interesting case to watch.

[BOSSHOG]

7. There was a recent court ruling

stating that it was fine to hire only christians in some sort of endeavor. That should be the basis for firing people based on their religious beliefs. Christians are only concerned about THEIR constitutional liberties. They don't deserve their citizenship if they spend so much time and effort attempting to use the constitution as a weapon against people they hate in the name of Jesus Christ. That nonsense has no place in the workplace.

[Norquist Nemesis]

34. Exactly! Congress has been trying to push the 'Christian only'

with federal grants for churches in their hiring practices...at least the Cons have been doing it. This week's debate with Head Start had the Cons in agony over it saying that they were being discriminated against and denied federal funding in 'another attempt to take God out of the public sqaure'. :eyes: Democrats told them, No...they can have the funding if they follow the law not to discriminate in their hiring practices.

That ruling had a flip side to it opening the door for non-Christian only hiring, too. An interview question that is along the lines of "Is there any day of the week including Saturday and Sunday that you have an objection to being scheduled?" can start to weed people out fairly easily.

[princehal]

8. Ger then fighting!

We should get all Christians sects to start fighting with each other. Catholics can fire Protestants; Jews can fire Mormans.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

15. And EVERYBODY can fire the Scientologists!

Kidding. Just Kidding...

[taterguy]

9. Because it would be a really bad idea

News flash: Some Christians are great people and would be valuable assets to any organization

Jimmy Carter
The Berrigan Brothers
Martin Luther King

Along with several others I know personally

And doing something stupid just to prove a point is well, stupid

[mmonk]

10. That's the point.

[taterguy]

13. So to demonstrate a behaviour is wrong you engage in the behaviour?

I guess I haven't had enough coffee because I must be missing something

[mmonk]

20. Could make the clergy that promote discrimination

aware that the discrimination they seek could be a double edged sword and force them to moderate or promote separation of church and state.

[taterguy]

35. That would only work if the bigots were rational and clear-thinking

The people you're upset about are neither. They won't be afraid because they know that God will provide for them.

They'll just get even more pissed off and hateful.

[mmonk]

38. Enough good pastors would be pushing politicians

to stick with separation of church and state. Suppose you were the victim of such discrimination. Would you feel if the law is going to allow for discrimination against you, the law should also allow for the discrimination of those that pushed it whether all of them were bad or not? Remember, people accept this discrimination based on this belief. Why not subject all people to legal discrimination in the workplace based on belief? Sometimes, the only way to teach the lesson is to make it apply both ways.

[taterguy]

39. Discrimination is wrong. Period.

I would feel that way regardless of whether or not I had ever lost a job due to my gender, skin color or bedroom activities.

If firing Christians guaranteed that gays would no longer be discriminated against then I would consider it but I don't think that's what would happen.

[princehal]

16. Yeah

I know some really nice Christians too.

But until the community as a whole gets a taste of their own medicine, I fear that my rights will continue to be trampled on.

I just don't want people bringing their religion to the workplace. I have reason to doubt the morals of Christians. So, I should be able to fire them. Except Quakers, since I am one -- I will hire them. But all other versions, forget it.

Give them a taste of their own witch-hunt.

[elocs]

11. Right, because Christianity is this giant monolith where all of its people think and believe alike.

I realize that Christianity is not popular here (I'm not one), but I would reckon that there are probably thousands of DU members who are Christians. The original question was evidently posed in an effort to be clever. Try painting with a little smaller brush. All Christians are not alike, neither are all Muslims or all Democrats. Stereotypes hurt everybody.

[Dhalgren]

18. To paraphrase mmonk, "That's the point."

[mancandy]

23. Well said, and ditto......

What baffles me is that the same people who defend the GLBT community from right wing bigots stereotyping us have no problems stereotyping all Christians. As liberals, we're supposed to be better than that.

[Freddie Stubbs]

14. No, because there is a federal law forbidding it

Also, keep in mind that it is not ok to fire people for being gay in many states and cities which have laws against it.

[Philosoraptor]

17. I was fired because I WASN'T a Christian

Many years ago I applied for a job, was hired, and halfway through the day the boss told me that this was a Christian shop and that he'd be playing Christian radio all day and that he really hoped that I too was a Christian and we'd get along just fine. Told him I was an atheist and he told me to leave immediately, with half a day's pay.

[dsc]

24. You should have sued

and you would have won.

[Philosoraptor]

26. I should have...

...But I was just happy to get some cash and get out of there. I do regret it.

[dsc]

27. I understand

[SoCalDem]

21. Apparently the car wax guy (Maguire) fired a CFO for being jewish

It's in court now, but Maguire is an evangelical super-christian, and he did not like the fact that his CFO would not promise to be Christ-like with the company..

Jeez.Louise.. just make carwax...or become a preacher, already

[pink-o]

28. Chief FINANCIAL officer...?

IOW, he fired a Jewish accountant. What an idiot! Didn't he hear what Tommy Thompson said about my people and how good we are with money???

:sarcasm:

[SoCalDem]

33. If ONLY "you people" would embrace jesus

as your lord and saviour, you might amount to something ..:evilgrin::sarcasm:

[Lilith Velkor]

22. No, but you can hold Satanic prayer breakfasts and then fire them when they freak out

:evilgrin:

[gollygee]

25. Wow. People in this thread aren't getting it.

You're right - it isn't any more fair to be allowed to fire people for being gay than it would be if people were able to fire people for being Christian.

[seabeyond]

32. we arent talking fair anymore. people seem to not recognize fair anymore

if it is an issue one has, then that seems to be a valid reason to be "unfair" and it is working on both sides of the isle, now a days

[bryant69]

29. Yes the existence of bigotry against gays certainly justifies bigotry against Christians

and don't get me started on Black people.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[seabeyond]

30. i would imagine. you can fire them because they smoke at home

seems to be the way we are going in this society. seems to be what many want. so if we can fire because you swmoke, or fat, or gay, i dont see why not firing someone because they are christian. now... you will probably have to pay out on unempoyment for firing for that reason, and that costs the company.