Workplace Discrimination: Is Religion a Cross For The Rest of us to Bear?

Some great and good things have happened in the name of religion, but sometimes over-enthusiastic religious devotees are at best a nuisance and at worst dangerous.

Recently I was invited to dinner with some friends who are practising Christians. I’m not, but live and let live and all that. Entre nous, I did feel a bit irritated that between the main course and dessert they went in for some evangelising. My hostess (who is otherwise a delightful lady) referred to a remark I had made some time ago to open the conversation. I had said I had concerns about the psychotic nature of a request from a god who asked a man to put his son to death to prove his love of god (Abraham and Isaac). It’s every bit as bad as the mythological Greek gods who played all sorts of nasty tricks on humans. She tried to tackle my objection, failed and then fell back on the usual explanation that we shouldn’t take the stories of the Old Testament too seriously. Hmm. Not sure you’re supposed to adopt a cherry-picking attitude, but let that pass.

Believers from all religions are convinced that they are right and say they know they’re right. Well, they think they know, which is somewhat different, but they can’t absolutely know and have no proof. We did have the usual conversation about God speaking to them, usually though the putting of “unusual thoughts” in the mind. My view is in these days of pens, paper, phones, email, texts, skype, video links etc why on earth can’t deities be a bit clearer in their communication? (And I wish the said deity had taken the time to put the thought into my hostess’ mind that vegetarians don’t eat beef casserole, a point she had rather overlooked).

When religious issues come into the workplace, employers have to tackle them. It can be challenging. Quite recently, I had to deal with a devoutly religious employee, another Christian as it happens, who had departed from all the known religious standards of good behaviour and was giving her employer some real trouble. She showed no charity or reasonableness and was simply Hell-bent (yes I did use that word deliberately!) on trying to get her own way. Indeed she demonstrated that she was a thoroughly unpleasant little munchkin and the employer, who had treated the employee with great kindness and given her every opportunity through the period of employment, was horrified by the woman’s selfishness and stupidity. It took some time to sort out, but it has been resolved now.

For Muslims, the holy month of Ramadan is almost over. After a month of fasting, prayers and reflection, the holiday of Eid al-Fitr will start on the evening of Wednesday 7th August. This holiday celebrates the arrival of the new moon the day after Ramadan ends. Eid celebrations begin with the recitation of the prayer Salat al-Eid and visits with family and close friends. Homes are decorated festively with lights and banners and gifts of clothes or money are exchanged.

Tips for dealing with requests for time off for religious observance or holidays:

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