Working in a christian place while being an atheist?

meanmaryjean, DNP, RN · Sep 3, 2012

Why would you not just say "I prefer not to discuss my religious beliefs"?

Jack245 · Sep 3, 2012

That's good advice, but every time I lie about things like that, I start stuttering, or I sound way too excited and it sounds phony. I remember at my last job this guy came in and asked me if I believe in Jesus, and I said "Yes, love him" really stupidly, I could tell he knew I was full of crap, and I was just saying it, cause he gave me a bible and told me to read it he said I have to follow the word of the bible to get into heaven. I didn't mean for it to come out sounding fake, but it did.

If he was a coworker that's terribly offensive. I'd even go so far to say it might be against regulations. Everyone's entitled to their opinion on faith, but to hand you a bible and make a statement like that crosses a line in my book.

mindyfromcali · Sep 4, 2012

I have all kinds of people try to talk about religion and politics at work, and to me those are both taboo with people I don't know so well. I just say "oh that's interesting", if they are just talking about it but not asking me anything. If they ask me directly what my thoughts are, I just politely say I don't like to talk about that type of thing at work. People are usually pretty understanding if you're nice and professional about it. I don't think I could get in trouble for not wanting to talk about that. :)

tomc5555 · Sep 4, 2012

You've gotten some great comments. It reminds me of my last assignment husband and wife were staunch in support of their political party. I never took offense to their praise of the party and candidate and I never shared my own political beliefs.

tomc5555 · Sep 4, 2012

You've gotten some great comments. It reminds me of my last assignment husband and wife were staunch in support of their political party. I never took offense to their praise of the party and candidate and I never shared my own political beliefs. I was there to perform a job and when pressed I would say 'I never discuss my beliefs at work, it keeps things less complicated'.
Good luck!

MedChica · Sep 4, 2012

I'm starting cna classes next week and when I find a job i would like to find something close and that pays good. The best thing I could find in my area was a place called christian living communities, they start at 12 or 13 depending on the shift, and they have many different shifts. I would love to apply there, the only problem is I'm an atheist and don't believe in god or jesus. Is that something they would ask? I don't have anything against other people's beliefs, and usually keep things like that to myself, but if they asked I don't think I could lie and go against my beliefs. Has anyone here worked at a christian based place and did they ask someone their religious beliefs. I'm not planning on working there forever either, just while I go to nursing school. Sorry for such a weird q's

I'm an atheist. It's not a big deal.

I've prayed with pts. Read the psalms. I've jammed out with one of my clients to Amy Grant.

Not a big deal. It was about giving the individual a degree of peace.

Besides, the place is ran by Christians. Odds are good that it's probably well-run.

Why would they discriminate against you, anyway? You're an atheist.

The dream convert! LOL

You want to talk about having your tolerance tested?

At my facility, this church comes over (as they do every 3rd Sunday to give sacrament). So, this Sunday, everyone caught the spirit. They were so filled with the Ghost that they led a praise session by the nurse's station. They marched throughout the building in a single file line.

i'm not making this up.

There was hand-clapping.

They had tamborines!

*****

It was very distracting.

Like, "Ok, hey - guys...yes, yes - you love Jesus. They love Jesus. We love Jesus. I scream for ice-cream...whatever. Great. How about we move this procession a-way from the nurse's station, please?"

It's annoying because it's done without respect to those in our facility of a different faith. Everyone in our facility isn't Christian. Some lack faith, period. But...what about our muslims, Buddhists and followers of nature belief systems?

What about THEM? You know as well as I, had those believers been MUSLIM?

Someone would've filed a complaint.

"Hello? Yes - I'm at a nursing home facility and there's some suspicious activity going on. There's mooslims everywhere whooping and hollaring. Think I heard a plane overhead, too..."

So, anyway, some pts will ask. They just want to talk about their religion. "Are you catholic?" No.

"Oh...." They're not trying to preach. It's Ash Sunday and they wanted to talk about it. Sometimes, they have a crisis of faith and want to discuss.

I've listened.

I'm not one to talk about religion with most believers. So, when people press to know what I ACTUALLY believe?

I'll usually lie. LOL

"Do you know Jesus...?"

"Yes." With a complete straight face.

Moving on...

LOL

While I can hold my own? You really don't want to tangle with 'The God Warriors' unless you have to.

rivershark2005 · Sep 4, 2012

Try being an Atheist in a Catholic hospital. I worked at a hospital for almost a year, first as a security officer, then as a PCT in psych. While I was a PCT, we were encouraged to have "religious conversations" with the patients. It was grueling. We had one frequent flyer that, when on her meds, was very spiritual (but a stripper when she wasn't). One day, out of the blue, she begs me to pray with her. I didn't know what to do, so I held her hand and stood there with my head bowed. She said the prayer, said amen, I said amen, and she was satisfied.

I was asked about my religious beliefs several times throughout my time there. I found the best thing to do when asked if I believed in God was just to smile and walk away. I think most of the people got that I was not comfortable talking about these things. Only one person in the entire hospital knew my true beliefs. She was also the only person there that I would consider a "friend" at any given time. She still prays for me, which is fine by me. She never tried to convert me, never asked me to attend church with her, anything to that effect. We are facebook friends now. She doesn't work there anymore, either.

Butterfliesnroses · Sep 4, 2012

I'm a Christian and this is slightly off topic but it reminded me of one time I had a resident ask me to pray with her. I said sure and asked what she wanted to pray about. She stated she ate 6 cheese sandwiches and wanted to pray that they wouldn't constipate her. I prayed with a straight face even! LOL

Maybe you could scratch some co-workers back and they could in turn scratch yours. I worked with an atheist nurse who didn't feel comfortable praying or reading the bible. I do, so often times she could convince me to pray with someone or read them Bible and she would in turn do a task for me. It worked for us.

mls4455 · Sep 4, 2012

You've gotten some great comments. It reminds me of my last assignment husband and wife were staunch in support of their political party. I never took offense to their praise of the party and candidate and I never shared my own political beliefs. I was there to perform a job and when pressed I would say 'I never discuss my beliefs at work, it keeps things less complicated'.
Good luck!
Yes, these comments have been very helpful

mls4455 · Sep 4, 2012

Why would you not just say "I prefer not to discuss my religious beliefs"?

That's simple enough, thanks!

mls4455 · Sep 4, 2012

I am an atheist as well, and it's tough feeling like you are trying to swim against the flow. I try to simply be respectful. However, I would never willingly apply at a facility known for being a Christian organization, simply because it will be assumed that I agree with their doctrine. I have a hard enough time being asked by the random patient to pray for them, but I would fear that it would happen on a daily basis.
People go to these communities, I feel, to live out their days in like community. It's not fair to them for me to come in and disrupt their little world they have built up for themselves.
Furthermore, I do not want to be asked my opinion in every day conversation on the latest doctrinal ideas or deal with the "good christians vote this way" diatrabe. I would want to scream eventually.
Where I work is rough enough with the majority of them identifying as Christian. However, we are in a secular facility and I can at least pipe up when someone is all "I talked to patient Z about Jesus today!" and say, "well, let's just hope Patient Z is not an atheist eh?"
The assumption that all our patients want to talk about the Bible makes me want to hit people, but at least I know that all my patients don't want to talk about it as opposed to an environment that is clearly advertised as such.

I'm wondering about that also, would I be able to handle the pressure if it was thrown in my face all the time? Someone else mentioned saying I prefer not to discuss my religious beliefs, and I thought that was good advice, but if I did get a job there, who knows I might not, would I still feel the same way once I started working there.

Kathiegolden · Sep 10, 2012

I have worked in nursing homes for many years. I am not very spiritual, but my patients are. The main goal in nursing is the quality of life you can give to your patients. At the time of passing, many patients are only waiting to be told that it is o.k. and that Jesus is waiting. I cannot tell you the number of times I have held a person that I have cared for and about that it is going to be o.k., Jesus and their loved ones are waiting. I am telling them what they believe and that is what counts and that is more important. The norm for nursing homes is not to demand or expect you to go to religous events or activites that are going on in the facility. If you cannot talk to patients about God or their religion, refer them to anouther co=worker. That is acceptable.