Coronavirus related

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ThomasJ

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Hi. First time poster here.
I am a healthcare worker and our hospital is in the early stages of fitting us out with masks for coming into contact with Coronavirus patients.
Now I am a Catholic and bearded, and I am conscious that as a Catholic the presence or absence of facial hair is fundamentally not important one way or the other.
My hospital is making noises to suggest that we will be asked, possibly mandated to shave in order that these masks are effective.
However an exception is bring made for those who for religious reasons don’t wish to shave- essentially Muslims. Sikhs also, I guess. These will be provided with hoods, not masks.
Now it fundamentally upsets me that my employer might be about to mandate one group of staff to shave and another not to on the basis of religion.
I believe everyone should be treated the same, irrespective of religion.

My question-metaphorically, as a Catholic, is this the hill I should chose to die on?

Thanks
 
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ThomasJ said:
Now it fundamentally upsets me that my employer might be about to mandate one group of staff to shave and another not to on the basis of religion.
I believe everyone should be treated the same, irrespective of religion.
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I just have to ask…if Catholics were mandated to wear beards for religious reasons, wouldn’t you feel that the hospital has made a reasonable consideration/exception? Beards do make proper mask fitting nearly impossible and hoods are a perfectly acceptable alternative that respects the sincerely held beliefs of others.

Everyone IS being treated the same as being required to have a PPE. It’s just adjusting to the problem of beards on those that cannot religiously shave. I’m very glad to see this option available.
 
Are you in favor of religious exemptions in any other situation? If so, why not in this case, so long as it does not endanger the health or welfare of others?
 
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ThomasJ said:
My hospital is making noises to suggest that we will be asked, possibly mandated to shave in order that these masks are effective
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Another thought. Don’t jump the gun on what the decision will be. They may very well request it, not mandate it BUT, if they do mandate it they very well may allow exceptions for personal, not religious, reasons. Be patient and see what actually happens. 😇
 
I have heard the beard issue already discussed. I did not know it was because of the masks that people might be asked to cut their beards. I thought there might be some other rationale.
 
It’s a fair point. I believe that people should be free to follow their beliefs. Although their beliefs, of course, may well be wrong. If someone’s belief is that they should not shave I have no objection. My belief, my strongly held belief, is that all employees should be treated equally and that I should not be forced to do something to my body which another colleague does not have to on the basis that the employer has made a value judgement based on whose beliefs are more worthy,
In this circumstance my belief in the right to be treated equally in what I do with my own body leads me to be inclined to refuse the employers request/ instruction.
 
Thanks Pattylt,

I note that Catholics are required to attend Church every Sunday and yet all across Italy churches have been closed because of this virus. I note traditional Catholics strongly believe that communion should be received on the tongue and yet the church has instructed that because of the virus communion should be received in the hand. I note fonts are empty and the sign of peace has been suspended.

As to whether the employee exempts certain religious groups from shaving I don’t have an objection in principle except inasmuch as my belief that all employees should be treated equally and have the equal right to do what they please with their own bodies (within Christian limits) is of equal validity.
 
I imagine that the masks are less expensive than the hoods, and the hoods are less expensive than lawsuits for religious discrimination.

Maybe if you offer to pay the difference in price between a mask and a hood, you will be able to keep your beard.

While I understand that this is not the point you are making, there is a difference between a religious ok obligation and a personal preference. If we Catholocs want our religious freedom to be taken seriously, we must take seriously the religious freedom of others.
 
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ThomasJ said:
My question-metaphorically, as a Catholic, is this the hill I should chose to die on?
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This isn’t even a hill. Employers not only have a right to allow religious exemptions, they are legally required to do so. It’s not about your feelings, it’s about justice and the law.
 
No, don’t take a stand on the matter of shaving your beard. You are where God intended you to be to use your knowledge and training. Undoubtedly lives depend on your care.

I look back (at age 70) at bad decisions that I have made and wish that I could have a do-over to do things correctly. I wish there was some one-line zinger to come up with to get you to shave.

"please"
 
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