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]

All of what you say is reasonable, but the last sentence.

Agnosticism is not weak atheism. Not my opinion.

It's fact.

Otherwise, you'll have to explain to the Christian Agnostics how they are simultaneously denying the existence of the very God they believe in.

Right before you posted I noticed my error.

I've been putting weaking atheism = agnosticism. I should be putting agnostic atheism. My bad.

Yes there ARE agnostic theists.

I am an agnostic atheist. I make NO claim on the existence of god though. Science specifically states that nothing is impossible. Only highly improbable. I run with that.

Heh.

I used to be an Administrator on (at one time) the largest atheist discussion board on the internet and what you two are arguing was at least a weekly multi-page event. All the labels give me a headache, personally. It breaks down into semantic quarrels typically and you end up with tongue twister labels.

Like, if you wanted to break my particulars down, I'm an agnostic that is atheistic towards any known and proposed supernatural constructs and highly skeptical of any unknown or yet-to-be-introduced supernatural constructs, yielding to empiricism.

But that takes too long to say and digest.

[Atheos]

I tried to go to a UU church with a friend and I was just kind of weirded out.

They said they had atheists that went with them.

I just can't dig the whole church thing. I can't see it ending well. No one is THAT open minded.

[Honnête et Sérieux]

Right before you posted I noticed my error.

I've been putting weaking atheism = agnosticism. I should be putting agnostic atheism. My bad.

Yes there ARE agnostic theists.

I am an agnostic atheist. Actually I should try to avoid labels... I have felt differently at different times. So, some post reflect one feeling and another reflects another.

I make NO claim on the existence of god though. Science specifically states that nothing is impossible. Only highly improbable. I run with that.

As to my quote. It is by Hugo Wolf about bipolar disorder.

Well, by my observation, you are simply agnostic...minus the atheist part...in spite of the straightforward post I originally read identifying you just as an atheist.

But it matters not.

We can call ourselves what we want.

[herring_RN, ASN, BSN]

Unitarians do a lot os good.

Some of my best friends...

[Atheos]

Heh.

I used to be an Administrator on (at one time) the largest atheist discussion board on the internet and what you two are arguing was at least a weekly multi-page event. All the labels give me a headache, personally. It breaks down into semantic quarrels typically and you end up with tongue twister labels.

Like, if you wanted to break my particulars down, I'm an agnostic that is atheistic towards any known and proposed supernatural constructs and highly skeptical of any unknown or yet-to-be-introduced supernatural constructs, yielding to empiricism.

But that takes too long to say and digest.

To be honest. Some of the branches don't make sense to me. The difference between one and another is so small it would be like having 2 cube but on has an extra electron out of trillions.

They get way to cerebral about it sometimes.

[hypocaffeinemia, BSN, RN]

I completely agree...I see so many people gain substantial benefit from their organized worship, and I would find it disingenuous to discredit or demean their practice.

It's just not for me.

And I hope it's not offensive to say that I would find it even more difficult to bring myself to participate in UU 'worship?' (I don't know what to call it). I feel like it would be akin to attending a Stop Smoking support group when I don't smoke...I'd be asking, 'Why am I here?'

The typical answer to 'Why am I here?' is 'To humor the wife'.

Okay, I joke. It was fun getting to sing Beatles and other hippiesque songs instead of hymns and they actually had a decent afternoon scientific study review group combing over recent findings in evolution, medicine, astrology, and physics.

edit: And free donuts.

[Atheos]

Well, by my observation, you are simply agnostic...minus the atheist part...in spite of the straightforward post I originally read identifying you just as an atheist.

But it matters not.

We can call ourselves what we want.

Sometimes I DO believe there is no god. There is more than one of me.

I need multiple labels to be moved in and out at various times.

It's actually a war I have fought for awhile. Started life believing in a Christian god. Moved to the extreme side of atheism and have been balancing out somewhere in the middle lately.

I have been atheist longer than anything though and am comfortable in it. Age is mellowing me though so perhaps I do mislabel myself now.

[Atheos]

Free donuts? I'm there!

[Honnête et Sérieux]

Like, if you wanted to break my particulars down, I'm an agnostic that is atheistic towards any known and proposed supernatural constructs and highly skeptical of any unknown or yet-to-be-introduced supernatural constructs, yielding to empiricism.

But that takes too long to say and digest.

That actually makes sense to me...of course...not, I'm not going to say it.

Wait, yes I am...!

An agnostic who is atheistic toward any known supernatural constructs, and skeptical of any unknown or YTB introduced constructs is really just an agnostic because the gods as people currently claim to know them actually haven't let themselves be definitively known materially, BUT therefore could one day be actually introduced empirically...!

*going to get a tylenol*

[Atheos]

I might have to give this one to H&S.

Semantically he is right.

Maybe agnostic with atheistic tendencies is more accurate?

[Flightline, BSN, RN]

I have a blog, too. I bet you'll never guess the url. :)

I posted it once before without reading the Terms of Service and I soon after removed it.

That said, I read your blog.

Thank you for wanting to fire people based on the status of their religion. I can recommend to you, my friend, a number of countries where you won't have to deal with pesky things like freedom of religion.

Hope you have a good weekend.

OK, so it seems the TOS are quite clear on that. Sorry for my faux pax, or forepaw, or whatever. My link is in my personal information area, and I suppose that's where it belongs.

Nevertheless, I'm a professional nurse, and I don't think I should get into the debate on atheism/theism in a nursing forum. As a nurse, I'm tolerant of all kinds of foolishness. As a philosopher, I debate it.

[Atheos]

OK, so it seems the TOS are quite clear on that. Sorry for my faux pax, or forepaw, or whatever. My link is in my personal information area, and I suppose that's where it belongs.

Nevertheless, I'm a professional nurse, and I don't think I should get into the debate on atheism/theism in a nursing forum. As a nurse, I'm tolerant of all kinds of foolishness. As a philosopher, I debate it.

Faux Pas

Though I would say that the faux pas wasn't posting the blog link. Rather, it was telling a whole bunch of us that you see us as willfully ignorant.

That would fit the definition of faux pas.