Don’t Talk Religion at Work
It is best not to talk about religion or politics at work. Leave them out of all interactions. I KNOW this, really I do.
Religion and politics on social networks? They’re our bread and butter, right?
My new workplace, as is becoming common amongst big companies, has it’s very own social network where employees can post status updates, blogs and participate in discussion forums. It’s kind of fun and makes me feel like I’m part of a community where we all have something in common. I started a bit of a kerfuffle on our company’s social network this morning.
It was on a discussion board entitled “Customers Say the Darndest Things!”. You can imagine the content. I love the threads on the board. Some of them are heeelarious!
My post from this morning (which actually is an anecdote from my previous job doing the pretty much the same thing I’m doing now):
This anecdote seemed appropriate to share here on a Sunday Morning.
A well-dressed lady entered the appliance department and started looking at washers and dryers. I greeted her, started to discover her needs and we eventually narrowed it down to a mid-price top load set. I suggested that the pair fit her needs perfectly and she agreed wholeheartedly. The time had come to close the sale.
“Would you like put this on your store account today?” I asked, “You can save an extra 5% or get 6 months to pay with no interest.”
“Oh, no.” she replied, “I won’t be putting this on my store account.”
“So visa or mastercard then?” I continued.
“No, no. I won’t be paying with a credit card.”
“Okay, well our cashiers take checks or cash too. How did you want to pay for that today?”
She continued to look approvingly at the washer and dryer set and said quite matter-of-factly, “Jesus is going to pay for it.”
I gave her my card and managed to not tell her to have Jesus ask for me when he comes in.
___________
The first few responses were about how funny my post was. Someone used the words: “that’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard!”
Several others took this to mean that faith the Lord would provide is insane. They jumped all over the lady who made the comment.
Whoops. I didn’t mean to spur controversy, really!
Oh well. Remember that for next time.
And, no, Jesus never showed up to pay for the woman’s washing machine.
He did’nt show up…?
Your telling me that Jesus Christ did not show up J…..
Well did you look around the store,no I mean did you look good…?
Well thats a fine set of circumstances isn’t,I mean really now who can you really depend on to ever show up…..?
Nobody that’s who….
well that just isn’t right,are your sure she did not mean Jesus in SOME OTHER CONTEXT?.?
Um whatever context that could be…????
Your screwed now J.
:groovy:
I think that lady was my ex-wife!!
Great story, but you are right about some topics being taboo at work. I work for a company that employs Bosnian Muslims, Iraqi Muslims (Sunni Sect), Jews and whatever(the Christians all hide their faith because they are outnumbered).
There is a negative current that flows between the Bosnian Muslim crowd (70% of the work force) and the Iraqi Muslim crowd (20% of the work force)—the Iraqis pray everyday at work in the traditional way and the Bosnians deride them for it. The underlying theme is that the Iraqis are “real” Muslims while the Bosnians are “opportunists/fake Muslims” according to the Iraqis.
Some things are better left alone at work, for sure.
It gets to the level of shouting, pushing and shoving sometimes…
Hell, I cant even discuss politics with Likas family because they get uncomfortable about it.
they act like I found the holy grail and that I am ready to throw it into a pool of lava or something when I start talking about it…lol
Very sad. And some Chinese workers still can’t say certain kinds of things…and North Koreans, well how many of them know anymore that a world exists apart from the Dear Leader, or Der Fuhrer….
IN A WORD THEY DO NOT KNOW ANYTHING BUT WHAT THEY ARE TOLD TO KNOW,KINDA LIKE REPUBLICANS…OPPPPS o LOST MY HEad what was I thinking… 🙄
My favorite was always the pastor that comes in to buy $11,000 worth of sound equipment, demanding to know what “Jesus’ price” is. I had a pastor actually cuss me out once because I refused to throw in a $350 bass for free with his purchase of a $150 bass amp one time. It embarrassed the hell out of his son. When tax exemption on all purchases ain’t enough, you’ve got a serious greed problem.
😉 My experience has been Jesus left his wallet in his other pants….
When I worked for the State of Louisiana, I had many claim that God paid their rent and utilities.
well they wrote “in god we trust”on your $ bills..some took it too seriously lol
The Vatican has Jesus’s money; they are busy settling lawsuit with it, though.
Oh ye of little faith……….
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Awwwwww, I feel bad for the woman. I give her credit for her faith, though. And who knows? Maybe when she left the store a bag of money could have fallen from the sky, hit her in the head, and BAMMO! She had the money for her washer and dryer. But one condition of accepting the money was that she had to buy the washer and dryer from a Christian that believed. Hmmmmm??? Whadda ya think of my theory? It’s possible, right?
…but either way, you got screwed out of the commission in the end. Sorry bout that 😐 But hey, at least you did get some very interesting conversation out of it. 😉
you need to capitalize on that
maybe a big banner that says ‘WWJD? Buy a brand new front loading Washer/Dryer combo at our low, low prices!’
Best policy is to not talk about religion at all unless you are a believer. For some reason everyone gives them a pass, even the non believers. But if you are a non believer you should keep quiet.
Bless you my child, they know not what they do ….