LINK Atheist sues company that fired him for not coming to daily prayer meetings
A lawsuit filed Monday by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) claims that two employees at a North Carolina-based company were fired for not participating in the daily Christian prayer meetings. The complaint was filed on behalf of John McGaha (an atheist) and Mackenzie Saunders (an agnostic) against Aurora Pro Services, a company that handles roofing, plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and electrical services.
According to the lawsuit, Aurora Pro Services held daily prayer meetings where the boss read from the Bible and everyone had to recite Christian devotionals. There were prayer requests that called out “poor performing employees” by name. The entire thing resembled a church service rather than a contracting company.
McGaha and Saunders both worked there at separate times between 2020 and 2021, but both say the prayer meetings ran anywhere from 10 minutes to over an hour, and attendance was taken. Which is to say this was a significant portion of their work day.
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I would demand equal prayer time and hold a satanic service. I have no idea what that is but I'd make some shit up . Probably still get fired but the hypocrisy then gets exposed.
Shaggy2018
Level 7
June 29, 2022
6
Sounds like they have a clear case by Federal law. I'm so effing tired of people who use their position to force religion on people who don't share it, to me that's a sign of having no faith. They want to hold prayer meetings during work for whoever wants to join, whatever. Making it a condition of employment, well, as I frequently say: "Satan does his finest work in the name of Our Lord." These employers are acting in the opposite of Christ's teachings.
Druvius
Level 8
June 29, 2022
6
When I worked for a certain very well known health insurance company, I had to endure public prayers at meetings. I bowed my head and went over my grocery list while the rest prayed.
misstuffy
Level 7
June 29, 2022
5
Totally understandable on your part. Totally unacceptable on theirs.
@LovinLarge I never lost my job. I feel for this mans situation. What he went through would have been pure torture, I would have quit if it had been more than the occasional prayer the way mine was. It was not comfortable, but I did not see it as a hostile workforce. The man in the story, well that was an unimaginably hostile workplace for any non believer. One more reason I think we need our own town for non believers. No public prayers, people free to start a business without worrying about religious issues coming into play.
@misstuffy Yes, our own town, a very good idea. Count me in!
I tend to look up and see who is not really praying. People that are secretly looking around might be those you can befriend.
This same thing happened to one of our members VictoriaNotes.
JackPedigo
Level 9
June 29, 2022
4
It sure sounds like he has a great case, and his previous employer is amazingly stupid.
Alienbeing
Level 8
June 29, 2022
5
I'm so sick of christians believing they get to tell anyone else how to live.
I really hope these two guys prevail.
Realistically, I know it a fucking longshot.
KKGator
Level 9
June 29, 2022
11
They may prevail in the lower courts but in the end we will have a SCOTUS precedent that employers can force us to participate in their nonsense rituals. How fucking depressing is that?
@LovinLarge I'm not depressed, I'm fucking PISSED OFF.
@KKGator We are going to have to get creative to get around this type of bs. One thing I heard is that some DA's are going to refuse to prosecute doctors for performing abortions.
In this case, the employees may have had a slightly better chance if they'd been a different religion rather than nonreligious, but to me that just makes it worse!
@LovinLarge Like KKGator, I am pissed, and the SCOTUS we have now? They will more than likely side with the company. They sided with the football coach that he could hold/lead his players in public prayers on school property. Does he have a GoFundMe for legal fees to fight these asshats?
@misstuffy Good question, but in fact it is the federal government suing the employer for breach of the Civil Rights Act. On the downside, this will give SCOTUS the opportunity to strike down the Civil Rights Act leaving us even less protection against religious discrimination.
Good luck! With the current SCOTUS, if this gets that far, these two guys are doomed.
Barnie2years
Level 8
June 29, 2022
9
Exactly, and it will get that far because the church will finance the company's side. It may be better to lay low for now so no precedents are set, but I can tell you that there is no way in hell that I will participate in any prayer meetings under any circumstances.
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