So I thought that my workplace was fairly immune to this kind of behavior. There's a wide variety of religions and cultures in our staff and in our patients. I had just started feeling comfortable with my coworkers.
Yesterday my coworker tried converting me to Christianity while on lunch break. It was completely unexpected and horribly awkward, all mixed in with terribly insulting. She started innocently enough by asking me what religion I was. From there it went into why I'm not Christian, why don't I believe in Satan, how the Bible is real, how Jesus will save non believers only if they ask. Then she asked me to promise her that I'd re-read the Bible and ask her about any parts I don't understand.
I'm angry. Embarrassed. I don't want to "rock the boat" at my unit. She's been there longer than I have. At the same time, I'm worried she's doing the same to other employees or even patients.
I'm just curious - what would you do if you were in my situation? I'm still trying to weigh my options before I act.
Let's see if you still believe it's 'a piece of fiction' on the day of your death and you are standing face to face with God, hoping to enter into Heaven. Sadly, that will be too late.
I don't sense any kindness in your message, instead to me it seems like a message of fear.
Why do you think that someone would hope to enter something that they are convinced doesn't exist and also at a time when they're convinced that they themselves will cease to exist and thus be unable to go anywhere?
It makes no sense to me.
It is sad Brandon, however, not MY choice....but the one who rejected Christ and those who tried to share Him. I mean..since we can't bring it up in 'polite society', what can we Christians do but to step aside and let you make your own decision?
Isn't that what you non-believers want?
Being free to make your own decision. Isn't that what everyone wants?
I've said it before and I'll say it again. When it comes to the question of religion I don't ever try to convince others that I'm right in my beliefs and I expect the same in return.
If someone were to try to convert me to their religion as extremely as fgreen, then I will also feel free to attempt to convert them to all other religions whether or not I follow them.
It has been very interesting to read the responses that have been posted. I thank everyone for responding - I've seem some very polite and firm responses that I plan to use if/when she starts up again.
I wonder if the varieties of responses are influenced by region/location. I was raised "North Dakota nice" where direct confrontation is discouraged and politics/religion is generally not discussed outside of the personal sphere. I was taken aback by her directness and inability to understand how uncomfortable I was.
Thanks everyone - you've given me plenty to think about.
In the past, I've found that if you don't shut people down they keep coming back. Maybe not every day, but since they feel like they're doing something good, they're not going to stop if they think there's any sort of chance.
I live way down South, and can relate to how being direct can be misinterpreted as being rude. I've had to have these conversations way more than once...I try to keep my tone light and keep a friendly expressions on my face, and I haven't had any problems recently.
This used to happen all the time at my last job. I put on my ignore face and started playing Trivia Crack at lunch when Religious Converter Wannabe was at the table.
Personally, I find it extremely offensive because these people have abused the country's political system to further their aims. In other words, they are very forcefully trying to use state power to impose their ways on others - be it abortion, gay marriage, school prayer, "faith-based" initiatives, whatever. If I have to put up with their ^&*( outside of work, I don't want to hear it when I'm there.
Christians are allowed to advocate their own viewpoints through the political process as much as any other group. Anyone who thinks differently does not truly believe in civil rights for all.
That said, proselytizing at work is rude and you've had many good suggestions for shutting it down. I once listened to a conversation that spanned most of a 12 hour shift, in pieces, where an Indian RN explained her Hindu beliefs to a Mexican LPN, but that was because he asked. I've never heard her discuss her religion before or since. I only tell people I'm Catholic if they ask. Work just isn't the place for talking religion with very few exceptions.
It is sad Brandon, however, not MY choice....but the one who rejected Christ and those who tried to share Him. I mean..since we can't bring it up in 'polite society', what can we Christians do but to step aside and let you make your own decision?
Isn't that what you non-believers want?
what I meant was you didn't seem particularly sincere when you used the word "sadly" to describe your coworker being smited by God on Judgement Day. In fact, I detected a bit of smugness, which seems ironic within the general context of Christian teachings.
Christians are allowed to advocate their own viewpoints through the political process as much as any other group. Anyone who thinks differently does not truly believe in civil rights for all.
That said, proselytizing at work is rude and you've had many good suggestions for shutting it down. I once listened to a conversation that spanned most of a 12 hour shift, in pieces, where an Indian RN explained her Hindu beliefs to a Mexican LPN, but that was because he asked. I've never heard her discuss her religion before or since. I only tell people I'm Catholic if they ask. Work just isn't the place for talking religion with very few exceptions.
It's Christians who don't respect separation of church and state that don't value civil rights. Nice try.
Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.
Insistant proselytizing and witnessing is not the same as talking about religion.
And BTW, God gave man FREE WILL.
Edited to add: If someone asks me about my religion or church, well I work on Sundays all the time, and Wednesdays as well, so I don't 'have' a church.
I will sometimes launch into this memorized tidbit (all true):
"My father was Lutheran, my mother was Presbyterian, the Congregational church across the street from my house is where we went as kids, I went to a Catholic nursing school, worked two and a half years doing private duty with a Jewish woman and took her to all the family holidays, and then I moved South and married a Baptist. That makes me a Bona-fide Ecumenical."
Christians are allowed to advocate their own viewpoints through the political process as much as any other group. Anyone who thinks differently does not truly believe in civil rights for all.
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Totally agree that Christians have just as much right to lobby for their goals as anyone else..... But, when those goals violate the constitutional rights of others, the Supreme Court has a clear duty to make sure those goals are not realized. A good example would be mandated prayer in public schools. Or banning public recognition of same-sex marriages. Your religious convictions do not override another individual's rights.
While religion/politics can make for interesting debates outside of work, most of us are far too busy to discuss these topics during work time. I find that some people are respectful, yet others attempt to forcefully push their convictions as the absolute truth.
It's the forceful approach that I don't care for, especially at work.
macawake, MSN
2,141 Posts
I don't sense any kindness in your message, instead to me it seems like a message of fear.
Why do you think that someone would hope to enter something that they are convinced doesn't exist and also at a time when they're convinced that they themselves will cease to exist and thus be unable to go anywhere?
It makes no sense to me.
Being free to make your own decision. Isn't that what everyone wants?
I've said it before and I'll say it again. When it comes to the question of religion I don't ever try to convince others that I'm right in my beliefs and I expect the same in return.