Agnostic.com

10 0

Does anyone else work for/with a religious organization? How do you deal with that?
I work for a nation-wide Catholic health organization. Every single "team meeting" or any other sort of assembly begins with a prayer. Every morning over the PA system a prayer is read. Everywhere I look there are crosses and crucifixes.
I do pretty well with ignoring it, taking it in stride, etc but damn it gets old. I remind myself that I'm well-paid, and I can fake it, and it's NOT my life.

On the plus side, they provide a tremendous amount of charity care - far more than the secular health orgs - so I guess it's not all bad.
It's just.... yuck. Ya know?

JenM 4 July 22
Share

Enjoy being online again!

Welcome to the community of good people who base their values on evidence and appreciate civil discourse - the social network you will enjoy.

Create your free account

10 comments

Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.

2

I volunteer at a homeless shelter that is church run. Every one I've met there are very nice, and we get along well. I've actually met two other non-believers. I just usually avoid the whole religion conversations, although some do know that I don't believe and they don't care because we are all in the same boat, helping people.

2

I just left a company that began all their meetings with a prayer. They were respectful, though. They would announce tat they were going to pray and anyone who didn't want to participate wasn't required to do so, and/or was welcome to leave the room. In my 7 months there, I was never treated differently whether I stayed in the room and read my text messages, or left.

I left the job because of high pressure sales and stress, not the religious aspect. They were very respectful of me.

2

I teach at a private Orthodox Jewish high school. Fortunately, Jews don't try to convert others to their faith.

1

As long as you are getting paid and you realize what the actual truth is so what. Tough it out and keep going realizing that the people you work for are idiots. Even though they believe in the ridiculous if they are helping people there is nothing wrong with that. Unless they are trying to convert the people they are helping.

Yeah, one thing I do like is that they will treat anyone, regardless of belief. And if you can't pay, there is a good chance you'll qualify for a write-off (charity) of the bill, again regardless of belief.
Helping people is what has kept me going in this job 🙂

1

Being Charitable and caring is a basic human instinct. Love thy neighbor falls also in this accord as does thou shalt not kill, commit adultery, covet thy neighbors wife or goods. That they are passing these off as religious commandments and not cognitive recognitions is how they got started and molded the fold. They will not tell you of the perversion, corruption and fraud which they commit everyday and how they funnel most of the money elsewhere.
Your in a job which you do well and should be rewarded for. Your not required to undergo a lie detector to acknowledge your commitment as an employee as of yet, but just get prepared in case it comes about.

1

Nope.... engineering does not give a ratts ass about religion

1

I work with a hospital that isn't really religiously afiliated anymore (it used to be part of St. Theresas but now we are just a regional medical center) but there's still a lot of religion in the foundation.

However I can't really complain. It's a hospital. People are dying, family is grieving. If you want a Catholic Father to come in by goodness I'll find one for you. Heck you want an Imam I'll find one. (Sadly no one's asked for an imam yet, that'd be a fun challenge) I hate calling chaplains and pastors though, cause I feel like they just knowwww and judge, but I am 100% for doing whatever I can for grieving people. If that means I deliver last rights myself so be it.

Because I know what it's like to desperately seek comfort and wanting to believe your loved one is still alive somewhere else.

1

I work at a huge Christian conference center right now as a line cook, and I think about this a lot. I have gotten used to it. When I first started as a server, I didn't think I'd mind too much, but eventually it got really annoying when all the guests would only talk about is what church they're from or what god has done for them. So I moved to the kitchen. Although the religious aspect is still there, it is not as important in our work, as we have to worry about cooking, and not talking about god. From my experience, I wouldn't do it again. But if this job is offering a good salary and benefits, then by all means go for it. Just do your best to fit in, and let all the religious bs flow on through. You might also meet someone who thinks like you too, who knows!

0

I could never work for a company that does not share my values or tries to force (even gently) their views on me. It would be an unbelievably hostile workplace.

In the beginning I felt like it was enormously hostile. I learned to take advantage of it. For example, mandatory prayer before a meeting - I close my eyes and meditate and let my mind rest. I've no idea what's being said in the room 🙂
If I'm having a difficult day, the reprieve is welcome.
I never thought I could work for a religious org, but jobs with benefits and above minimum are few and far between where I live.

@JenM The prayers are mandatory? Do you live in the US? Don't they allow you to not participate if you don't want to?

@redbai Well, we're in a room, everyone closes their eyes or looks downward, so if I'm closing my eyes, who knows what I'm thinking? I'm probably thinking about the beach in Jamaica and how I wish I were there, or about the laundry that's waiting for me at home. It's just a thing. So no, we don't have to, like, recite the Lord's Prayer or anything.

0

How did you get the job with a religous organization?

I needed a job and applied for an entry level position and was hired. There aren't a lot of opportunities where I live which offer full benefits.
I've been there 7 years and during that time I completed a masters degree and have since moved up the ranks, somewhat.

@JenM Good for you!! Hang in there and keep your head down.

Write Comment
You can include a link to this post in your posts and comments by including the text q:136820
Agnostic does not evaluate or guarantee the accuracy of any content. Read full disclaimer.