An Atheist Outnumbered by Christians at Work (an ethical dilemma)

[Jo Dirt]

We have gotten a new administrator where I work (nursing home) who is apparently very religious. We had tornado warnings at work yesterday and when news came of a touchdown the next town over he (kind of jokingly) said if anyone's not right with God they've got about 15 minutes. On top of that, they've started praying at inservices and drop Christian slurs all over the place. The DON is big into the church, the ADON is religious. Most of the doctors are big into church. This is a small southern town and it's gospel music, neatly cropped hair, button down shirts and Hush Puppies all the way. They think I'm so meek and sweet as sugar, the patients love me and I love them (and I do!) I wonder what they would think if they knew. I make these natural hippie soaps and so many people scramble to buy them (even though these soaps are very expensive to make I sell them super cheap just because it makes me happy that I can make something other people like and I like to see them happy). They probably think I'm a Christian like them.

I just wonder what they would think of me if they knew. Maybe it shouldn't be a big deal to me, but it bothers me. I think they may feel a combination of disgust, pity, anger and frustration and I'm afraid they would even fire me. Of course, they can't discriminate on religion, but you know how the cookie crumbles...I have a big heart and I really care about other people, but I'm as atheist as Carl Sagan. I fight hard to respect them with their religion, but I somehow doubt the favor would be returned.

Ever dealt with or seen this? What do you think the outcome would be if a small, devoutly religious southern community who was all about appearances found out a valued employee held such an abhorrent (to them) view of the world?

[hypocaffeinemia, BSN, RN]

Let's take this to the philosophy forum, shall we? I would love to debate this with you.

I started a thread to debate this without continuing to derail this thread:

https://allnurses.com/philosophy-and-debate/any-armchair-philospher-384096.html

(Requires premium membership to participate).

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

I realize that as an atheist you must constantly reassure yourself that you are right. That's because you are wrong. If you were right, you'd be comfortable in your philosophical skin, but as it is, you like to say you're an atheist, and then live like God is watching you all the time. I realize you all think you have this great moral code absent of any belief in God, but you don't. No moral code exists without authority. Basically, if there is no God, there is no good.

And I'll tell you this: nursing doesn't make any sense whatesoever if atheism is true. Nursing is by its very nature, anti-evolutionary.

Many of us nurses are science based in our practices, but we do have within us human feelings of love, compassion, empathy, just to name a few, and nursing makes perfect sense.

I don't necessarily try to be a good person because I believe God is watching me all the time and that I'll be punished if I'm not good. I strive to be good, because I'm a good person and it's the right thing to do. Human beings collectively and individually can be good based on their own human nature and ideas. I don't need God to tell me to be good, or for me to find good in the world, or to appreciate life.

People who beleive in God don't have the market on goodness.

All of the above is just a humble opinion of course. :)

[Jo Dirt]

But that's what atheism is: it's willfull ignorance. It has to be. Any armchair philospher will come to the conclusion that there is at least some kind of God of the universe. Then, anyone with a New Testament will come to the conclusion that what we call Jesus Christ must be the greatest possible revelation of God.

I realize that as an atheist you must constantly reassure yourself that you are right. That's because you are wrong. If you were right, you'd be comfortable in your philosophical skin, but as it is, you like to say you're an atheist, and then live like God is watching you all the time. I realize you all think you have this great moral code absent of any belief in God, but you don't. No moral code exists without authority. Basically, if there is no God, there is no good.

Um...gee whiz, I don't know what to say except...you sound like an atheist, just switch the words around.

[Atheos]

Um...gee whiz, I don't know what to say except...you sound like an atheist, just switch the words around.

Bravo!

[firstyearstudent]

I am an atheist, but also a Quaker and not anti-religious. I really don't bring it up at work, but if staff (not patients) say anything to me about God directly, I always tell them that I don't believe in God. I feel this important so that others can see that atheists are decent, ethical people, and so they know that not everyone is a believer.

[Flightline, BSN, RN]

Let's take this to the philosophy forum, shall we? I would love to debate this with you.

My mission is not to convert you to Christ. My mission, if I have one, is to show people how to love nursing and be happy doing it. Like Tweety said below, and I agree, I don't think the owner would like a lot of religious debate in the forum.

I can't speak for the mods, but as a former mod I can say there really isn't anything wrong with giving your opinion as long as you're not making it a personal attack, which you aren't. However, the owner doesn't like a lot of religious debate in the nursing forums.

I do hope people are respectful and don't attack you back, because there is much to argue with you about here. :)

Yeah, probably. My experience has been that the debates go nowhere. Atheists protest; Christians jump out of their skins to be "tolerant":barf02: even though, probably, the least tolerant human being to ever live was Jesus Christ. I mean, he was like: "Believe I'm God or you'll burn in hell." He never actually debated the existence of God with anyone.

It is an addictive debat though. :argue::argue::cheers:

[sirI, MSN, APRN, NP]

Thread closed for review.