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?
I am in a similar position, I work mainly with Christians, but there is a few Muslims. I think religion is quite different in the UK to the US, but at work I do have a large amount of colleagues from overseas.
I am an atheist and lean towards humanism. i had a situation a couple of weeks back with my ward manager. We were discussing Easter rota and I was only person working friday, saturday, sunday and monday. She asked if I was upset because I couldn't go to church. I told her that I didn't go to church because I wasn't a Christian. She then started quizzing me about how I believed we got here, what did I do when things were bad, did I really never pray etc. All questions I didn't really answer because I didn't feel the need to justify my beliefs/lack of. I told her I didn't think it was appropriate to discuss religion at work and got out of there quickly.
I'm fairly open about myself at work and generally, open about my religion (lack of), sexuality, history of mental health problems. I think that some people try to take advantage of my openness and ask inappropriate questions. an example, I am happy to tell you that the scars on my arms are from self harm (it is fairly obvious), but it's not appropriate for you to ask me what happened in my childhood to cause me the problems I have had.
Of course I did read...the things I posted came directly out of the link you provided. Seemingly now in contradiction to the things you now say. Your link says that every atheist is a weak atheist, and a weak atheist's most general concept is the absence of belief in any gods.
And an atheist (agnostic or not), by very definition does not believe that God exists. That's not my opinion.
And that's not the correct definition of an agnostic atheist, but it really doesn't matter how you label yourself...I respect your beliefs no matter how you label them.
I do think it's easier to express a position, however, when it's confined to academic definitions.
Dude...
Weak atheists and agnostics (agnostic atheists) are the SAME thing.
Also, my link states that atheists are either weak atheists OR weak and strong atheists.
Dude... READ IT... :banghead:
Also... That is merely a link for reference. One web page doesn't define an entire philosophy...
Are you enjoying yourself? Sounds like you really don't have an issue except the fact that you somehow think you are superior and if "they" all knew about you it would devistate them. I doubt it. You said the town is like that. What do you expect? It really doesnt sound like much about nursing here.
Um, nooo, I don't think I'm so important in their lives they would be "devastated" to learn I don't think like them.
Apparently, you don't understand small town politics.
And another thing, this has as much to do with "nursing" as several other topics I see here.
The TOS don't allow the self-promotion of blogs, I reported it to the mods and I removed it from my quote above.
I didn't know that. But don't you think "reporting" me is kind of childish? How else am I supposed to let people know? I guess I could just say I have a blog, and then people will go to my info and find my link if they want to. If the Mods tell me to remove it, I will. Thanks for telling on me. Thanks for being the snich you are. I'm not sure how the world would get along without people to "report" other people.
I can understand that God is an undeniable fact to you and it's inconceivable that someone would think otherwise. That I get. But are you also an American? What I don't get is that you honestly think she should be fired for being an athesist is she "comes out"? Unbelievable.
Specializes in Flight Nurse, Pedi CICU, IR, Adult CTICU.
My point is that starting an organization based on an organized belief in atheism is as silly as offering 'bald' as a color to dye your hair.
Kind of like "nude" pantyhose?
I think an atheistic organization would be a great idea; it might reduce the feelings that some atheists have about their position, and also show skeptics the great things that they are capable of.
It's kind of a tradition; people organize to show their strength, share their message (even indirectly), and accomplish great things as an organization.
And secular humanism is just another form of Atheism.
They are distinct concepts.
Atheism merely says one is "without theism" (literally). It's the same as saying I'm an a-leprechaunist or an a-unicornist- most people are a-leprechaunists and a-unicornists, but they don't self-identify as such because there isn't a large majority of the population that believes in either.
It doesn't say anything else about who I am and what I do believe. Enter secular humanism.
I didn't know that. But don't you think "reporting" me is kind of childish? How else am I supposed to let people know? I guess I could just say I have a blog, and then people will go to my info and find my link if they want to. If the Mods tell me to remove it, I will. Thanks for telling on me. Thanks for being the snich you are. I'm not sure how the world would get along without people to "report" other people.
Atheism merely says one is "without theism" (literally). It's the same as saying I'm an a-leprechaunist or an a-unicornist- most people are a-leprechaunists and a-unicornists, but they don't self-identify as such because there isn't a large majority of the population that believes in either.
It doesn't say anything else about who I am and what I do believe. Enter secular humanism.
They are all distinct but the all share one thing. A view of the world with out reference to a god which is what secular humanism is.
I think an atheistic organization would be a great idea; it might reduce the feelings that some atheists have about their position, and also show skeptics the great things that they are capable of.
It's kind of a tradition; people organize to show their strength, share their message (even indirectly), and accomplish great things as an organization.
Well, the best I've seen has been the Unitarian Universalist church. A good 1/3+ of their members are non-religious, but they provide the necessary societal interactions that make up most of the benefits of organized religion. Also, it's a decent place for both me and my wife (a wavering deist/pantheist/liberal Christian) to get along.
Of course, though, the central theme of the place is humanist in nature instead of being based on what one does and doesn't believe on a supernatural level.
The day the first UU hospital opens, I'll move there and sign up.
Well, the best I've seen has been the Unitarian Universalist church. A good 1/3+ of their members are non-religious, but they provide the necessary societal interactions that make up most of the benefits of organized religion. Also, it's a decent place for both me and my wife (a wavering deist/pantheist/liberal Christian) to get along.
Of course, though, the central theme of the place is humanist in nature instead of being based on what one does and doesn't believe on a supernatural level.
The day the first UU hospital opens, I'll move there and sign up.
Yeah but there has been a huge rift in the UU 'church.'
The infighting between the religious and nonreligious with regards as to the direction the church should take.
I see it splitting sooner or later. UU is basically people picking the best parts (or what they consider to be so) and trying to use that while accepting everyone and all their beliefs.
I didn't know that. But don't you think "reporting" me is kind of childish? How else am I supposed to let people know? I guess I could just say I have a blog, and then people will go to my info and find my link if they want to. If the Mods tell me to remove it, I will. Thanks for telling on me. Thanks for being the snich you are. I'm not sure how the world would get along without people to "report" other people.
Well, try to get your mind around it.
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.
Specializes in Flight Nurse, Pedi CICU, IR, Adult CTICU.
Dude...
Weak atheists and agnostics (agnostic atheists) are the SAME thing.
Also, my link states that atheists are either weak atheists OR weak and strong atheists.
Dude... READ IT... :banghead:
Also... That is merely a link for reference. One web page doesn't define an entire philosophy...
I did read it.
And weak atheists are not "the same thing" as agnostics. Even the link you provided doesn't say that.
An agnostic in an of itself does not deny the existence of a god. An atheist (and your link says all atheists are weak atheists...ALL OF THEM), by very definition, do not believe in the existence of a god.
And by simply putting those terms together, (atheist agnostic), you essentially say that you don't believe in the existence of any diety, but they don't make claims to any knowledge that a diety doesn't exist.
But I've yet to see an atheist who believes in the existence of a god...:icon_roll
:banghead:
sofaraway04
105 Posts
I am in a similar position, I work mainly with Christians, but there is a few Muslims. I think religion is quite different in the UK to the US, but at work I do have a large amount of colleagues from overseas.
I am an atheist and lean towards humanism. i had a situation a couple of weeks back with my ward manager. We were discussing Easter rota and I was only person working friday, saturday, sunday and monday. She asked if I was upset because I couldn't go to church. I told her that I didn't go to church because I wasn't a Christian. She then started quizzing me about how I believed we got here, what did I do when things were bad, did I really never pray etc. All questions I didn't really answer because I didn't feel the need to justify my beliefs/lack of. I told her I didn't think it was appropriate to discuss religion at work and got out of there quickly.
I'm fairly open about myself at work and generally, open about my religion (lack of), sexuality, history of mental health problems. I think that some people try to take advantage of my openness and ask inappropriate questions. an example, I am happy to tell you that the scars on my arms are from self harm (it is fairly obvious), but it's not appropriate for you to ask me what happened in my childhood to cause me the problems I have had.
I hope you find someway to be comfortable at work