OH GREAT!! Some one save me....

[Tammy Sullivan]

Never mind they are lining up at work to save me! During the morning meeting this morning the boss says "Let's all bow our heads" and proceeded with a prayer of about 15 minutes.now don't get me wrong I love it when folks enjoy the rweligon they choose, I just can't stand it when they assume that I must think that way and believe that way too.Does it never dawn on anyone that there are other religons???? Just had to vent.;) I feel better now.

[Tammy Sullivan]

oh 'scuse the typos

[Danustouch]

Had this sort of thing happen to me. Is it possible for you to excuse yourself during these moments? Talk to your boss, privately, and say that your personal beliefs clash with his own, and that you'd prefer it if you could excuse yourself during "prayer". That would make me really uncomfortable. Other than that..pretty much, all you can do is just try to tune it out, and put your mind elsewhere, though it sucks. I'm not sure what the laws are governing such stuff, if there are any.

[Myst]

Just pray to your own god. It's not like anyone has to know.

[Rubi Waters]

I agree with Myst...that's what I do when something like that comes about!!

[WandererInGray]

I'm assuming you're not in a government job of anykind, right? It's a private company?

*makes face* Either way, though, it's kind of tacky.

[Illuminatus]

Sometimes when I am in that situation I take a deep breath, and yell out "Puh-RAISE JEE-SUS!" like the evalangical women on TV with the big puffy hair. It is very funny, and a good laugh is had by all. Except the dumbass who's trying to impose religion in the workplace.

[Fire_Crotch132074]

something like that happened to me at this FSPA meeting in Orlando for school. I was eating with a couple of my friends and they started to say grace, it didn't bother me at all, people praying to their god or goddess or what have you is a good thing to me. Just pray to your own god like Myst said. Hope this works out for you.

[Ganga]

I quite agree with Myst. But of course you could just silently get up, without making a number of it, and go to the washroom, or pull out a magazine from your purse and get a nice 15 min. reading break. Or write poetry while he prays. Or paint your fingernails. Or doodle on a piece of paper. Think of it as a creative break from work (it's out of your boss's pocket, anyway).

[Fire_Crotch132074]

Originally posted by Ganga
I quite agree with Myst. But of course you could just silently get up, without making a number of it, and go to the washroom, or pull out a magazine from your purse and get a nice 15 min. reading break. Or write poetry while he prays. Or paint your fingernails. Or doodle on a piece of paper. Think of it as a creative break from work (it's out of your boss's pocket, anyway).

perfectly said

[StarryDancer]

Weeelll...if you really otherwise LIKE your job, I wouldn't recommend painting your nails during "prayer" or any other time there! :smash: Talk about shooting yourself in the foot!

If the prayer time is out loud, I'd agree with the take yourself to the washroom for a stat nature call. Or in your head substitute "Goddess" for "God", or whatever deity you call upon for "Lord Jesus" if it's that sort of prayer.

If it's silent, use it to help your own inner needs! Meditate, or whatever.

[Tammy Sullivan]

I understand and agree with what you all are saying, I just was stunned really, and I do like the job. But I really don't agree with the politics of "employee prayer" at all. I realize they are paying me but my soul, religon and mind are my own. I guess I kind of felt like it was "forced" on me to an extent. It just really chaps my behind that I was not asked if I would like to pray but told to bow my head. IMO you pray when YOU wish to commune or talk to your diety. Maybe I took it wrong, but I was somewhat offended. Some people just don't THINK when it comes to things like that.

[Fire_Crotch132074]

ok what it really comes down to is do what makes you more comfortable. If you don't want to bow your head the you don't have to. You have every right (atleast I think) to just walk away and do your own thing. You could pray to your god or go in the washroom (first time I heard a bathroom called a washroom) but they can't force you to stay there or listen. Just do what you think suits you the best.

[Semele]

Whether we like it or not, in this day and age you run into a lot of situations where prayer is accepted and even expected. My work environment, a Catholic hospital, has prayers every morning and evening over a loud speaker. Sure everyone just ignores it and goes on about their business, but it is there for those who may wish to stop and listen or participate. Also at any given time I may walk into a patients room and find them in the middle of prayer, used to happen more when we had hospice on our floor. I always respectfully bow my head...respect for the others even if I am not participating.

Hockey games etc...many places where prayer is done. I have never thought of it as much of a nussance...just another part of life that is not worth fighting about in my opinion.

[Sequoia]

I personally might like a prayer session each day. . . boss payed for, 15-min break to pray to a deity. Tune out the jesus-talk. Meditate. Breathe. Zone out. Think about that video game you wanted to play. . . imagine your boss in his underpants praying to Jesus. *smiles* hey! Free time.

If he's really offending you that badly, just take him (oh, it occured to me - or her) aside and ask if you can avoid the little chapel session, or something. If it's your boss, you prolly don't want to annoy them by making them stop. And you don't have to say "hey, mr. man-who-signs-my-checks, I'm pagan and I really don't want to have to listen to all this jesus-talk. . . " You can just say you prefer to worship in private. A lot of people will respect that. And if he gives you any trouble. . . you have a few options. You can let it slide. You can try talking to your boss more. Or if he fires you or does something otherwisely bad, you can always look to that whole "non-descriminatory" thingie with jobs. I belive religion falls under there too.

Personally. . . I think Jesus-talk can be a cool thing, just so long as it's not "Jesus says you're going to hell if you don't listen to me" talk. Great for meditating or contacting your personal deities. Or just zoning. It might be odd to hear prayer in the workplace, but to me. . . it's just fuzzy tingles. I get a bit worried if I hear someone going on about evils of paganism etc etc. But if they aren't hurting me, and are perfectly good co-workers, bosses, etc. . . if they aren't being jerks about it, I figure, why even peep up? That's like going "hey mr. Nazi. . . not to be rude or anything, but I think you're a jerk for saying Jews are mean! I"m a jew and I think we're really cool. . . ."

It's one thing to be a tad annoyed at someone's presumption. It's a whole nother thing to step it up into a battle. Just ask yourself, is it worth causing a huge problem over? Or is it just some guy wanting God on his side with his business and the world? Prayer, imo, doens't hurt. Might even help. Unless he's "persecuting" you, I wouldn't worry too much about it. You have lots of options. :)

[SimplyStrange]

Just do what I do during the blessing of meals and thank the Earth for the food she provided me with, and the animals that had to their lives taken so I could live... wait... wrong type of prayer...

Anywho, I agree with Semele entirely. Sometimes you have to just smile and nod, at least out of respect for your fellow man. :)

(or you could just talk to your boss privately. You shouldn't have to feel uncomfortable in your workplace :))

[Phoenix Blue]

**Ponders** Taking it up with the boss after the meeting is the most professional option. Remember, you don't have to tell her anything about your religion if it makes you uncomfortable; just mention that public prayer in the work makes you feel uncomfortable. It may help to mention that, in the New Testament, Jesus tells his followers to pray in secret. Public "show-off" prayer was a hallmark of the Pharisees. . .

At the very least, you should have the option of being able to leave the room while the prayer is in session. At worst, you may have to take a stand and let the boss know you're not going to put up with having any religion shoved down your throat while you're in the workplace.

Yeah, I know, you have to be pragmatic sometimes, too. . . but what's the point of your faith if you don't stand up for it every once in a while? Ask yourself if your boss is afraid to reveal his Christianity. . . and then ask yourself why you should be afraid if she isn't?

[Azure]

I agree, you should let your boss know you're uncomfortable, but make sure you handle it in a professional manner. If your boss has an immediate superior, you might want to include that individual in the meeting, and just politely state that you find prayer to be a personal thing, and you are uncomfortable with it in a work environment.

Forcing office personnel to be part of a superior's religious expression is pretty much a no-no, but the reality is that when you're in a minority, people may not treat you as an equal if you disagree with them.

You might also take the issue up with human resources in conjunction with your boss. My sister does HR for a living, let me ask her what she would do about it.