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Help! I've just started a new job and found out that all my colleagues are devout followers of some God or other, while I'm a raging antitheist. Advice, please.

Godless12 5 May 17
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33 comments

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8

Avoid it. I know it’s hard to be surrounded by simpletons but you’ll just make life hell (see what I did there?) if you bring it up. Remember what Bill Murray said “It’s hard to win an argument with an intelligent person. It’s impossible to win one with a stupid person.”

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Walk softly and carry a big stick. ?

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Do not get involved in any conversations about religion and do not wear your atheism on your sleeve. Just live it.

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Do not engage with anything that is not specifically work-related. Don't participate in non-work-related activities. If the conversation turns religious, excuse yourself. If anyone asks about your lack of participation, simply explain you prefer to keep all interactions professional. Cover your ass.

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I just finished my first week of orientation at my new job and it was like a revival meeting at times. The Employee Health handbook LITERALLY referenced Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden not as metaphor but as real actual history we can learn good health habits from. I'm going to have to fly under the radar for awhile, for sure. I need this job. So incredibly awkward and uncomfortable.

Good luck. I have never had to experience anything like that. Keep us updated please

@Stealthbeard As much as I can! I think the young woman sitting next to me was equally disturbed by all the Jesus-y stuff being shoved down our throats. We just want to know how to access the portals and check our hours and schedules, for crissakes. This is a hospital chain run by the Seventh Day Adventists. They have hilarious cheesy wall art in the lobby of one of the hospitals with scenes of Jesus supposedly healing a sick person but he looks like he's a mugger or about to poke someone's eyes out. I wish I could take some photos of it without being spotted. They are unintentionally hilarious to me. Jesus looks like a cross between a young William Dafoe and a middle-aged Viggo Mortensen. White and beach blond, of course. The sick Judean looks like Joe Pesci. It's hilarious.

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Who cares? I've worked at the same job for going on 20 years, and 11 years in the Army before that and I've never known, nor cared, anyone's religious affiliation. Just pretend everyone's whatever you want them to be...

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It sounds like a non issue to me. There is no rule that you have to religious to work there is there? If they say they will pray for you, nicely say " Okay ". If they ask you to attend church with them, say, " no thanks, I don't go to church" If they ask you if you believe in god, say "no". If they ask you why not, or say they think you really do, or that you will go to hell, or they would like to share the bible with you tell them, " because, No, I really don't, I don't believe in hell, and no thanks" Just don't worry about it, be honest, respectful, don't be aggressive, rude, or nasty about it. If they are too persistent, and you can't deal with it, go to HR. If there is no HR, or there is, but they refuse to do anything about it, find another job. There are going to be religious people in any job you get, unless you get a job that is an atheist only job, so you will need to deal with it anyway.

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The best thing to do is avoid the subject entirely unless directly asked by a colleague who is open minded and seems receptive to the ideas of others

2

Piss them off by walking in bright and breezy each morning and telling them that they obviously all lack faith, for all in spite of their prayers for God to save you, another days has gone by and you still think their God is imaginary. 😀

2

Just STFU and do your job.

2

Hmm, perhaps dial down the atheist rage if you’d like to stay under the wire and keep to the objective subjective.

DEsk Level 4 May 17, 2018
1

Be quiet. Do not engage in discussion. Practice being evasive. They might get the hint. If they aggressively preach at you, tell them you are there to do a job. If they keep at you, go to HR and update your resume, in case HR supports the bullies and has no concern for you. I quit a couple of jobs because people preached at me, expressed hostility constantly and HR would not help. I finally took a job in the public sector where preaching is not allowed. It was a good choice. Been there for 27 years - there are some Fundies but they did not dare lecture and preach at me.

SKH78 Level 8 May 28, 2018
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When i worked at Albanese I got into a discussion about the big bang and god creating everything I was miserable from there since

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Wear a t-shirt with the quote “God is dead-Nietzsche” printed on the back.

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Wear headphones.

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Avoid , lol,. them, whatever...in one ear out the other

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Do you expect the work will be enjoyable? The environment endurable? If, "No," to either question, keep looking for work, get out as soon as possible.

I am rarely around those who regularly thank god for finding the pencil they just dropped on the floor. (Though, I am often thankful for divine intervention.) Yet, when asked to attend services i politely refuse.

When asked about what church i attend,... I politely say, I agree with jesus as he is reported to have said in Matthew 6 verse 5, I pray in private. And I don't talk about my .

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Full quote:::

“When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for. they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the. corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. ... In that era there were public prayers at the temple, and private prayers to be said on one's own.
Matthew 6:5

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I always find telling the faithful I have no faith in gods and demons tends to shut them up

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PS - Love your avatar. Outer Limits, original series.

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Best not to discuss in your work place. Some places of employment have religious requirements such as the evil Hobby Lobby (boycott).

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Is religion an integral part of your job? Are you able to interact with others who don't believe the same thing you do? Figure out where you stand on those positions and decide for yourself if this is something you can deal with or not.

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Don’t get drawn into religious discussions

KenG Level 6 May 17, 2018
1

Be tolerant and hope they are too.

0

Politely remind them that the topic of religion should not be discussed at work.

0

Headphones if you can, I know some jobs block streaming or youtube. Heck even ear plugs worked for me, when I worked tech support with the one sided headphone headset. The other ear I put in a ear plug so I could block out the banal conversations my co-workers were having.

Can't escape them all, have a co-worker that has that goddamned jeremiah 29:11 quote taken entirely out of context as their Skype status. Granted most of us don't like the guy, but that's because he's a narrow minded, disgusting, twit. Some plan eh? evil laugh

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