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?
As the old country song goes; "If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything."
Perhaps you are more in doubt about your beliefs than you care to admit.
If you are truly an Atheist, and you truly believe in being an Atheist, then you won't experience any undue hardship by "coming out of the closet". Just stand firm in your convictions. Perhaps you can get a few Christians to become Atheist in the process, eh?
You would have great grounds for a lawsuit if you get fired shortly thereafter.
My point was that if I saw someone with a purple face, I must admit that my first reaction would be along the lines of, "My God, what is that?" Because purple is not a normal human skin color. On the other hand, I doubt any Christian would have quite the same reaction to an atheist; I'm pretty sure most of them are aware that atheists do exist.
Really? I've had some look at me like I'm the devil. Some look at you with pity. Some don't care at all.
Mostly though... It's a look of disgust and disbelief.
The point is that there is a historical and well documented pattern of behavior of Atheists being shunned, discriminated against and otherwise mistreated. Even if it would never happen in the OP's town the fear is still valid.
"By religious people"? Do you mean religious like me, or religious like the previous posters who jumped on board to try to convert the OP without even addressing (and, indeed, helping to fuel) her concerns about her workplace?
Religious refers to all religious people. Some are supportive and some are like that other poster that decided to start proselytizing and then run away.
it was rather ingenuous (or maybe disingenuous) of Pres. Obama to claim that this is not a Christian nation. BUT -- I've been reworking this sentence for about ten minutes now, and I think this is where my mind was trying to go -- how much of that distrust is based on beliefs/nonbeliefs, and how much of it is promoted by the thought that atheists are everywhere but hiding their true selves?
Obama was merely speaking the truth. We aren't a Christian Country. We are a 'Religious Freedom' country.
It was a loud and public repudiation of Bush's policies.
To me it means A LOT because he is validating everyone else's beliefs. Plus, he is doing so as a Christian. That makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.
Religious refers to all religious people. Some are supportive and some are like that other poster that decided to start proselytizing and then run away.
Well, see, that's what bothers me. By that definition, if I identify myself as Christian, I automatically get lumped into the same category as, say, the Ku Klux Klan, or Fred Phelps and his ilk.
Obama was merely speaking the truth. We aren't a Christian Country. We are a 'Religious Freedom' country.
It was a loud and public repudiation of Bush's policies.
To me it means A LOT because he is validating everyone else's beliefs. Plus, he is doing so as a Christian. That makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.
Oh, yeah, I think you misunderstood me. I do think it's fantastic that he's trying to acknowledge everyone, but I think his statement was less than accurate in terms of the reality of the situation -- considering there are still large chunks of the country with an atmosphere like the one described by the OP.
I think a lot of people here have no idea what living in a small, rural Bible belt community is like. I have been criticized/challenged/insulted numerous times over the years not even for being an atheist, but for being an Episcopalian -- many of the Baptists and Methodists around here don't consider Episcopalians and Lutherans to be "real" Christians (they consider us some sort of weird cults).
I sympathize completely with the OP. There are a surprising number of people in this country who believe that "freedom of religion" means freedom for everyone to believe the same as they do. I just keep as low a profile as possible and mind my own business as much as possible, and hope others will do the same ...
Well, see, that's what bothers me. By that definition, if I identify myself as Christian, I automatically get lumped into the same category as, say, the Ku Klux Klan, or Fred Phelps and his ilk.
Well, all three qualify as religious.
Heck, you are already lumped in with everyone since we are all human.
Oh, yeah, I think you misunderstood me. I do think it's fantastic that he's trying to acknowledge everyone, but I think his statement was less than accurate in terms of the reality of the situation -- considering there are still large chunks of the country with an atmosphere like the one described by the OP.
If you mean that the majority of people are Christian then yes but this 'country' isn't Christian.
The numbers don't matter at all. Everyone minus one person could be Buddhist and that still changes nothing.
Since everyone else is posting on here I feel like I should throw my opinion in there to boot. I am a Christian, I don't regularly attend church but I believe in God and in Jesus in my own way. I have a religious metal that I wear while I am at work (it is the patron saint of nurses) but I make no point in pointing it out or making a big deal of it. That being said I make a point of not discussing religion at work (as well as politics) because I believe that it just leads you to trouble. I don't discuss religion because I don't wish to come off as trying to convert anyone to my beliefs and I certainly don't want someone to try to convert me to their beliefs. I think there is a place for religion and personal beliefs but I don't think that the work environment is that place, it ends up causing too much conflict and hostile feelings amongst coworkers. To the OP, you don't need to discuss your theological beliefs with any of your coworkers (or is it lack of theological beliefs because your an Atheist?) because it is none of their business. If your feeling uncomfortable with their discussions then I would suggest that you politely say "I don't think its professional to discuss religion in the work place." if they ask why then I would say "Because not everyone has the same beliefs as you and may take offensive at what your saying." If you find that the religious discussions don't stop then I would speak to your human resources department about making a formal complaint and let the person or people who are making these comments know that what they say is offending. Unfortunately, if none of those options work then I'm not sure what else you could do. That's just my
I am a Christian out-numbered by Muslims, and non-believers; it doesn't matter to me what beliefs anyone has as long as it does not interfere with job performance. This is the USA and anything goes.
If you mean that the majority of people are Christian then yes but this 'country' isn't Christian.
The numbers don't matter at all. Everyone minus one person could be Buddhist and that still changes nothing.
You're talking about the ideal. I'm talking about the reality -- effectively, we are a Christian nation: public oaths are taken on Bibles, our currency says "in God we trust," non-Christian citizens feel that they have to hide their beliefs in order to fit in.
I am NOT saying this is how things SHOULD be (which is what you're talking about). I'm just saying, this is how things ARE. Ideally, yes, America should be a country that is equally welcoming of all, but -- as evidenced by this very thread, even -- we're not there yet.
Although this leads me to wonder, now, whether Obama was referring to the ideal when he made that comment. When I heard it, it struck me as startlingly out of touch with reality; I didn't think to interpret it the way you did.
Heck, you are already lumped in with everyone since we are all human.
Oh, I finally figured out what was bothering me about this poll. It would have been a different story if they came up with the percentage of self-proclaimed religious people that found atheists untrustworthy, because then you could get a sense of how many people in the sample were the type of bigoted individuals that I reject being identified with. But from how you described the poll, they assumed that all "religious" people held the same views regarding the trustworthiness of various segments of the population, and THAT'S what bothers me, because damned if I'm Christian the same way Fred Phelps is Christian.
I'll trust an intelligent, rational atheist -- such as yourself -- over an ignorant, or, worse, hateful Christian any day of the week. Heck, I dated an atheist that I wanted to marry and raise little Christian-atheist hybrid children with (he turned out to be an *%&, but for reasons entirely unrelated to his atheism).
APRN., DNP, RN, APRN, NP
995 Posts
As the old country song goes; "If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything."
Perhaps you are more in doubt about your beliefs than you care to admit.
If you are truly an Atheist, and you truly believe in being an Atheist, then you won't experience any undue hardship by "coming out of the closet". Just stand firm in your convictions. Perhaps you can get a few Christians to become Atheist in the process, eh?
You would have great grounds for a lawsuit if you get fired shortly thereafter.