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Never had a client who insisted I participated in his/her religion.
I have clients who in the past asked me what church I attend.
I tell them I'm an atheist.....
LOL, now that's not true, but its priceless to see the look in their faces right after I say that.....
I'll tell them what church after that and sometimes it'll lead into a conversation....no big deal.
People are funny, and I know of people here who won't do business w/you if you're not of an "acceptable" religion....its a fact, I deal w/it in business...that's ok though... like ani says, you just have to know how to play the game when it comes to customers hot buttons.....
not surprised you go to that church.. i remember a post not long ago about elevation and how they try to change people. I see bumper stickers all over town with there logo on it.. how weird what a business they are running if i ever saw one. It certainly made me interested when I first came I looked them right up. The city of churches..never heard that one. I am not sure why it would have that nickname either. No one a believer or non believer is interested in anyone pushing religion or any radical views in their face.
I don't understand how having the nickname The City of Churches is pushing religion or radical views in anyone's face. Maybe I am missing something with that.
I might dispute that "title" though as when I was living in South Florida, you couldn't go more than a few blocks in most cases without seeing a house of worship.
I found the OP interesting and find no problem with a business owner expressing his beliefs. As long as that belief is not something that is forced on the consumer as others have stated.
I haven't seen it here because we are a small city, but in Chicago or Ft. Lauderdale you can go into many stores or businesses and see where the loyalties lie in sports. That's their right to express their opinion. That doesn't offend me either.
That's what is great about this Country. The right to express an opion or view openly without infringing on other's rights.
My problem with what I read in this article is this:
"Callahan and the managers at Dallas 1 Construction say they have hired non-Christians and non-churchgoers. They say they don't push their faith, though workers know they can get help - with Bible studies, invitations to church - if they want to make a life change"
This implies that those who do not share in their beliefs somehow need "help"...as if they are deficient in some way or another.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CouponJack
I have clients who in the past asked me what church I attend.
I tell them I'm an atheist.....
LOL, now that's not true, but its priceless to see the look in their faces right after I say that.....
Interesting how saying that one is an atheist can be seen as a joke. Maybe next time someone asks me about my religion I'll tell them that I'm a Jew (or maybe a Mormon, or a Baptist), just so I can have a good laugh about it.
I see religion as a personal experience - whatever faith / belief system / mythology works for someone - it is all good. I can respect your beliefs as long as I do not have to deal with someone belittling my views in an attempt to promote their own. And with these companies - I do not see that at all, and they have every right to advertise that fact if they like.
Although I wonder what the response would be if I opened a business here and made it a point to advertise my faith as a Wiccan. Or if Mrs. Tober started a company and promoted her atheist values (which is true in her case).
Interesting how saying that one is an atheist can be seen as a joke. QUOTE]
I didn't mean to offend you, Im sorry that I did.
I was just making light how a good majority of people are either baptist or methodist and if you mention that you don't believe in god, you are looked upon like an alien from outer space....I was just making light of the facial expressions...
Location: The place where the road & the sky collide
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tober138
I see religion as a personal experience - whatever faith / belief system / mythology works for someone - it is all good. I can respect your beliefs as long as I do not have to deal with someone belittling my views in an attempt to promote their own. And with these companies - I do not see that at all, and they have every right to advertise that fact if they like.
Although I wonder what the response would be if I opened a business here and made it a point to advertise my faith as a Wiccan. Or if Mrs. Tober started a company and promoted her atheist values (which is true in her case).
Tober, I have been wondering almost the same thing. What would be the reactions if a crew showed up to work, in robes, & announced that they were Wiccans. Would that be just fine? (or maybe a crew of Budhist monks. . .)
As I have said, I don't care what their religious beliefs are, as long as they don't try to push them on me, whether they are the same or different from mine. It is bothersome, because this economy means that job opportunuities are limited, when I read about the company requiring employees to wear clothing with the owner's choice of religious message.
Ok next time I'm at Chick-fil-A I'm going to scout everything out
It must be so subtle that I've just never noticed it. And no one there has ever told me to have a "blessed day". That would definitely have stood out in my memory.
not surprised you go to that church.. i remember a post not long ago about elevation and how they try to change people. I see bumper stickers all over town with there logo on it.. how weird what a business they are running if i ever saw one. It certainly made me interested when I first came I looked them right up. The city of churches..never heard that one. I am not sure why it would have that nickname either. No one a believer or non believer is interested in anyone pushing religion or any radical views in their face.
Is that directed at me? And if so, what do you mean by that?
Interesting how saying that one is an atheist can be seen as a joke. QUOTE]
I didn't mean to offend you, Im sorry that I did.
I was just making light how a good majority of people are either baptist or methodist and if you mention that you don't believe in god, you are looked upon like an alien from outer space....I was just making light of the facial expressions...
again, sorry about that..
Not offended by your comments per se Jack. No worries. I like to mess with people too sometimes.
I'm more offended by, as you say, the fact that there are people who look at you like an alien, or who would somehow look down on someone, if they actually were of that particular bent, as exemplified by the type of response that you actually get. That and the fact that some religious beliefs are seen as less valid, or less correct, than others.
Well, I have been skulking about on this thread, interested to see what would happen; and even more interested to hear the references to Chick fil A. (I was a manager at the store in Matthews for 4 years and also my son worked there for 10 years).
You see, I am a Bible-believing Christian and for many years, I, like Loves, would be excited (thrilled) to frequent businesses that exhort the name of Jesus. One business that I had years ago had Bible verses on each invoice (it was an auto-repair shop held with my then-husband). That is also what attracted me to Chick fil A.
Then I learned. (the hard way.)
Many times, businesses DO do this as a marketing ploy. Sometimes, they are just inclusive. And, yes, sometimes, they are genuine. But, this has now gotten to the point that their outward display of "religiousosity" is a red flag to me. I tend to do a little more research to verify the genuine-ness of the message and if it really refers to their business practices.
Yes, Loves, it is good that we can display our religion a little more openly here than in other parts of the country. But, sometimes that outward display is more of an offense than what we intend.
As far as Chick fil A is concerned, the owner (founder), Truett Cathey, is a strong Christian man, a Southern Baptist, if I remember correctly. The individual operators are not necessarily Christians, nor are they required to go to church. The corporate culture is decidedly Christian, however. In my experience, they could be rather inclusive and tended to follow some of the legalistic thought processes sometimes found in that denomination. That was offensive to me (a fellow Christian) because of some differences of opinion. That's not to say that it was a bad place, just, the experiences of myself and some others dispute the fact that it is (always) a great place to work.
Employees there are not required to say "have a blessed day" unless their particular operator requires it. And, I really don't think that corporate Chick fil A would agree with that. So, that might be the choice of that particular employee.
I tend to agree with mullman, many times I despair over the fact that Christians can be the only ones to shoot their own wounded.
In the end, I think that the conversations that we have been having in church lately pretty much sums up how I would like to display my beliefs...not by words or by the fish on my car. But, by the fact that I am viewed as being a person that is known by my love for others. That is my goal. period.
And, simply stated, that was Jesus' greatest command.
I'm going to be honest, if an atheist were to openly display his beliefs like that, people would be in an uproar, to me, fair is fair. I belive on the Bible as well, but a lot of times, it just gets to where it's suffocating being down here in the middle of "Bible-Belt" North Carolina.
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Is that directed at me? And if so, what do you mean by that?
