Question: I work for a company that is affiliated with a church, but does not

[beyurslf]

use the church name in its business. It is a 100 year old company that has long ties to the United Methodist Church. We contract with the state to manage family cases when children are placed in foster care. As such, we receive funds from the state and federal government.

Our CEO sends out a monthly newsletter, updating everyone on the the departments. Yesterday, she send out the monthly email and talks about our company's history and involvement with the church. I have been there a long time and I know we are considered a "faith based" organization; however, I also know that the "contract" side (the one that contracts with the state) where I work has never had any religious promotion at all. We long ago dropped United Methodist from our name. In the email, she says that we still have this affiliation but don't require our employees to be Methodist or even Christian.

Then, right after this, she says, "However, all employees are expected to have Christian values." Am I being hyper sensitive that this deeply offends me? I am not a Christian and I do not possess "Christian values." I wouldn't want to. I am not even sure how to address this at work. Hence, why I am still sitting at home dreading going in this morning.

Anyone with ideas?

[hobbit709]

1. Depends on the definition of "Christian values"

If they mean following what Jesus taught-help the needy, feed the hungry, heal the sick-I have no problem with that. If by "Christian values" they mean the drivel coming from Dobson, Falwell, Robertson and like ilk, then I have a problem.

[beyurslf]

5. I am sure they mean those things, but Christians don't own those values.

Gandhi had those values. I don't want to define my values as "Christian" just because they do.

[CrispyQ]

21. If you speak to her about this, say what you said in this post.

It is perfect! "Christians don't own those values."

[Fresh_Start]

14. does she mean bigotry and intolerance?

those seems to be the most commonly exhibited Christian values today.

[HereSince1628]

2. I spent many years teaching at private colleges with religious affiliations

If you use your managements' and executives' behaviors as models of "christian values" you'll find that you really have NO restrictions on your behavior at all.

If you attempt to make "something" out of this, you can bet that your supervisors will make something out of your making something out of it, too.

My advice is look toward an outcome you want and take the steps that move your there.

[beyurslf]

9. My biggest problem is my supervisor is very religous. I know she is a

Baptist and goes to church several times a week. I think her husband is like an associate pastor or something. He is also currently deployed in Iraq. She knows I am very much against the war as well. We have a good relationship, but I am not comfortable telling her why I don't want to define my values as Christian. There is no way to say, "I don't value the Bible or Christianity" without offending a deeply religious Christian.

[HereSince1628]

17. There are lots of questions, one is about the intersection of your values and

"Christian values." Almost every nonsociopath holds many values in common with "Christian values" simply because almost everyone lives their life as a member of a group and "Christian values" are actually mostly about getting along within a group. Sure there are whacky rwing partisan issues knotted on to these things, but mostly working within "Christian values" means getting along.

That raises another question which is just how high you want to stand above the rest of the "lawn?" If you not only stick up, but wave a flag to get noticed thereby proclaiming you aren't going to get along, you _will_ ,in plain and simple fact, get mowed down. That has less to do with any particular religious sect than it does with easily anticipated behaviors of groups. By manifesting you refuse to be part of the "us"/"in-group" that is, de facto, in charge of your continued employment you make clear your desire to be one of "them" the members of the "out group."\

It's about choice so make your choice wisely knowing it will have a consequence. Every journey, including detours, depends upon the placement and direction of the next step.

[PassingFair]

3. I sincerely would have said:

"I think we can do better than THAT, can't we?"

"Let's have Christian values without the pro-slavery,
the pro-child-beating and the women-as-second-class-
citizens, and NOW we're TALKING!"

:evilgrin:

[beyurslf]

7. I like that!

[youthere]

12. ROFLMAO....

"I think we can do better than THAT, can't we?"


:rofl:

[youthere]

4. Ask them to define what those "values" are...

Personally, I try to live a life of integrity, love, justice, compassion, forgiveness, and sacrifice-and I don't think Christianity holds the patent on those values.

[beyurslf]

6. That's exactly what I think. Not only does Christianity not hold a patent,

many, MANY Xians of the day don't even possess those values. They aren't very "Christ-like" so I call them Xians (taking the Christ out of Christian).

[youthere]

11. EXACTly.

[Hamlette]

18. you can read anything into the Bible. I've always considered myself a non-religious Christian

and I'm a pretty hard core atheist.

[BOSSHOG]

8. Good for you

What christian values do they want you to have? Lying, incest, pedophilia, spouse abuse, soliciting prostitution, blowing up abortion clinics, insisting that the United States kill non white, non christian people; feigning martyrdom??

[SheilaT]

10. What annoys me is the way

"Christians" use the term "Christian values" as if one had to be some sort of member of a specific faith community to have the practice kindness, charity, good treatment of others, and so on. First of all, just about all religions claim the kinds of values most of us would agree with. And lots of nonbelievers of all kinds also behave in good ways. I think many good, sincere Christians (by that I mean those who follow all of the best teachings of that religion, not the Bible-thumpers, the ones who condemn all who do not subscribe to their narrow view) honestly do not understand that one can be a good person without being a believer.

This is an example of why I personally have almost no use for organized religions. I tend to forget the genuine good they do, and focus too much on their bad. I, personally, need to be more tolerant, just as I want others to be more tolerant of me.

[JHB]

13. She sounds like she was speaking with that typical...

...obtuseness and myopia that some people have towards religion. Odds are, she just meant "decent, upstanding human beings", but is a tad slow on the uptake that those values are not uniquely Chrisitan.

[JNelson6563]

15. She's confused, it's Humanist values

But it's a common error.

Julie

[Horse with no Name]

16. My granddaughter goes to a Methodist pre-school

It is at the church, but it is not sanctioned by the church. The literature says it is non-dominational but the Christian values that they teach are explicitly named...such as sharing, being polite, basically "doing unto others".
In other words..the Christian values they espouse are the same values I would encourage with or without church sanction.
I believe it is called "civility and decorum".

[seabeyond]

19. outof the sects, i like methodist, least judgmental. i wouldnt be bothered

with her point. though not all hold christian value even as they posture themselves of doing just that, the definition of christian value doesnt change. charitable, nice, kindness, compassion.

i think the meaning of her comment is clear and good for her she isnt suggesting all need to be christian, to have like value.

if you want a sit down talk to her to help enlighten her how this is a jab, in kindness and respect (a christian value, that many christians cant do) then go for it.

my kids were in a baptist private school. definitely a christian fundamentalist environment. and whenever i ran into this arrogance in that crowd i was able to talk to the top dude about how such statements are arrogant, missing the true meaning and intent of christ and though there intent was to walk lite, reality, they were walking off the path. always i talked from the heart, always, he listened and always we resolved in love. another example to this man and the school of christian value.

[treestar]

20. They must be subject to the Civil Rights laws

So they can't fire anyone on those grounds - they have to spell out the "Christian values" better than that, in which case, said values probably are quite similar to regular good employee values.

I once worked for a company that pressured employees to give to United Way - that was ridiculous, I thought, you might not even think that particular charity was a good one.

[KatyaR]

22. I work for a company that expects its employes to have high Christian morals and values.

We participate in the "Character First" program, which I'm sure the majority of our employees don't realize is used in prison systems to pacify convicts. If they knew, they'd probably freak. I know I did.

We're also expected to do a certain number of community service hours per year--not that I think that's a bad thing, but it's framed as the Christian thing to do.

Shit happens all the time, and when it does, the muckety-mucks who founded the company can't figure out why such a thing could happen. They hire mainly on how the person is "connected" (who they know) and what church they go to. The CEO actually told us last week that "it doesn't matter if you have the skills, if you're the right kind of person, we'll train you on what you need to know." If you don't pass the interview with the CEO and COO, you don't get hired. And they wonder why our turnover rate is so high.

They think it's the best place to work in the state.

[janx]

23. You might be too sensitive or paranoid.

Ask her to clarify. If it's mainstream Methodist, chances are the "Christian values" part will be in line with the values of most decent people.

Don't let the fundamentalist movement of the last 20 years cloud your vision. Just ask her.