Ever work with people who talk about church all the time?

[Nola009]

Does it get on your nerves? If so, how do you deal with it?? I'm no devil worshipper, and I see my self as being pretty tolerant of others, but I work with some people who seem kind of smug about their church attendance and often find a way to work that into many a conversation. Completely unrelated conversations.

[macawake, MSN]

But that post wasn't about you or your religion. It's about one person's experience with a family member who entered that religion. Nothing in that post was globalized to include an entire religion.

That’s how I interpreted it too. I wouldn’t have “liked” it otherwise, I detest stereotyping no matter what group of people is targeted.

[liberated847]

Religion is intrinsically divisive, there's so many and let's face it, they are not all true (any IMHO) so the end result is divisive, even if people accepts and respects other religions, in their heart they will see it as wrong. Why can't we all be just human without labels?

[SWM2009]

I sure do. There is one particular co-worker who seems to bring religion into almost every conversation. My experience with religion growing up was not good and and it left a bitter taste in my mouth. Not the fault of the nurse I work with, but it is now my policy not to have religious discussions with anyone, at work and in my personal life. I routinely remove myself from the religious conversations by walking away.

[Nola009]

I am talking about PEOPLE who act haughty or rude because they go to church in general, or a certain church in the community. I'm not against religion per se, but I really don't want to be made to feel bad or excluded because I'm more of a uh, Swedish type of person :)

[richardgecko]

I live in the South, so yes, I hear it all the time. I just chuckle silently and let them ramble.

[HappyWife77, BSN, RN]

Yes, and I also work with people who talk about their loser abusive boyfriends, their alcoholic husbands.

They keep going back to them then come to work telling everyone that will listen... including patients about their personal lives.

You say these people think they're better than you.....is that how you ARE feeling? Or how you are letting them make you feel?

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. Said Mrs Eleanor Roosevelt

[PacoUSA, BSN, RN]

If you had to deal with people constantly saying something negative about something important/personal to you, you would understand. What usually happens is when one person says something bad about JW, it turns into a dogpile. There have been threads that had to be edited heavily by the moderators (and I appreciated that) because of things that were said.

It certainly was about my faith; I've never made it a secret that I am a JW. Even if it were a post saying something negative about another faith, I would still find it offensive. This is supposed to be a site where everyone feels welcome. Badmouthing a religion runs the risk of offending others.

I have to assume you're referring to my post, and I sincerely apologize if you took offense to that. It was NOT my intention to bash an entire religion and I feel that I did no such thing in my post. Thankfully, other posters recognized that as well.

My sister could have been any other religion for all I care, but the "my life is better than yours" attitude and shooting down everything my life what about because her religion was not part of my life is what caused me to cut ties with her and her family. I have no regrets about that and really don't care to renew a relationship with her. She was pushing the envelope way too much with me and she would not stop.

So that you know, I have several friends and a coworker who are Jehovah's Witnesses and I adore them all, they don't judge me or my life or try to pronounce their faith as superior to mine. I respect their religion and beliefs as they should respect mine.

Please don't condemn me for specifying my sister's religion in my story, as this is how I am used to telling it generally. Perhaps I may be more sensitive to this now that I know it might be taken heavily by some. By the same token, I've never used that story as a license to stereotype the entire religion, because I know people are different despite religious beliefs.

Just don't use your religion, any religion, to tell me how better your life is than mine or how guaranteed to hell I am ... only one Being can tell me that. Otherwise, we can be great friends! ?

[LouBean]

To echo another poster here, yes, I have worked with people who talk about church all the time.

I have also worked with people who talk about their dogs all the time, their mother-in-law, their grandchild, their kitchen renovation, their study abroad semester, their medical problems, their new diet...

[macawake, MSN]

You say these people think they're better than you.....is that how you ARE feeling? Or how you are letting them make you feel?

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. Said Mrs Eleanor Roosevelt

I don't get the impression that OP feels inferior. Possibly like others treat her as if she were though. It's perfectly possible to be annoyed or feel excluded if someone or several "someones" looks down their nose at you (for whatever reason, religion or something entirely unrelated) or treats you condescendingly, without having any self-esteem issues. In this particular instance I believe that Mrs. Roosevelt's quote is irrelevant. In my opinion there's no need to psychoanalyze OP or any soul-searching required by her.

[ktwlpn, LPN]

I am a firm believer in leaving religion and politics OUT of the work place. We do have a group of staff in an ancillary dept who are what I call "holier than thou" and oddly enough they are mean as snakes. Mean to new staff,stirring up trouble between the rest-carrying tales and such.Talking back to authority figures.Go figure.

[cd365c]

I am very religious, but I chosoe not to blabber about it. I think it is much more effective to live a life that resembles your change in character.

[toomuchbaloney]

People talk about the things that are important to them or that they are passionate about.

I listen politely or run and hide when I see them coming dependent upon their personal topics of discussion.

Honestly, I would rather hear someone prattle on and on about their "church" than about their last drunken date night or similar.