Dealing with Protestant Bosses at work

[LUVMYFAITH]

There are a total of about 8 employees in the small office where I work and the owners as well as 2 of the employees all attend an apostolic church. They address eachother as “Brother John” or “sister Mary” never just by their name. They also say god be with you when they greet eachother but not to me. I know not everyone is perfect but it gets really annoying when the owner is preaching to people on the phone loudly more so when I am around. I don’t think it is a bad thing to say god be with you I think its wonderful but I get annoyed when I hear the preaching and then an hour later I hear the boss treating someone disrespectfully. I just do my job and ignore him but sometimes I want to tell him that he doesn’t have to shout out how much Jesus means to him for everyones benefit and to please not preach when he can’t even follow it . God can hear your most inner thoughts and being humble and private about your relationship with god is sacred to me. I do attend mass every sunday but I don’t announce it to the world. Has anyone ever experienced this at work?

 

[Mannyfit75]

There are a total of about 8 employees in the small office where I work and the owners as well as 2 of the employees all attend an apostolic church. They address eachother as “Brother John” or “sister Mary” never just by their name. They also say god be with you when they greet eachother but not to me. I know not everyone is perfect but it gets really annoying when the owner is preaching to people on the phone loudly more so when I am around. I don’t think it is a bad thing to say god be with you I think its wonderful but I get annoyed when I hear the preaching and then an hour later I hear the boss treating someone disrespectfully. I just do my job and ignore him but sometimes I want to tell him that he doesn’t have to shout out how much Jesus means to him for everyones benefit and to please not preach when he can’t even follow it . God can hear your most inner thoughts and being humble and private about your relationship with god is sacred to me. I do attend mass every sunday but I don’t announce it to the world. Has anyone ever experienced this at work?

You need to address the issue to your boss that you feel left out and completely disrespected. The irony is they don’t seem to live out their faith. They treat you like an outsider rather than treat you as a fellow brother in Christ.

Remember Jesus told us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.

You said your boss disrespected someone. That is not Christian love. That is hyprocrisy.

 

[mchale]

Just a point, but they seem to walking a very fine line with respect to legal work place practices. It is ok for them to talk about religion at work, it is not ok if they do not treat the workers who don’t belong to their church the same as those who do. It could ultimately be construed as creating a hostile work place. Now I am not a lawyer, so take what I am saying with a grain of salt, but it seems to me that they could be opening themselves up for a lawsuit. (I am of course assuming that the business is not related to the Church).

–
Bill

 

[graceandglory]

I do attend mass every sunday but I don’t announce it to the world. Has anyone ever experienced this at work?

Hello luvmyfaith, I agree with mchale above, but I also want to suggest to you that you take this as a challenge to get to know this faith that you love. We are not called to be silent about our faith. How will others know your faith, unless you live it out loud?
I’m not talking about being brash and tacky, “praise the Lord, Sister Sue,” at work, but I am talking about bringing your faith into the same dialogue. Don’t be ashamed of your faith. People have lived and died for it for 2,000 years. It really is the best one out there.
But you need to know what you believe as a Catholic and why you believe it. When you know your faith, you will be able to be more bold. Always speak the truth with love.

Don’t be so easily offended by evangelical protestant types. They are better than many Catholics at sharing their faith and evangelizing. But Catholics are supposed to do that too. We seem to forget that.
:knight1:

 

[jrabs]

Just a point, but they seem to walking a very fine line with respect to legal work place practices. It is ok for them to talk about religion at work, it is not ok if they do not treat the workers who don’t belong to their church the same as those who do. It could ultimately be construed as creating a hostile work place. Now I am not a lawyer, so take what I am saying with a grain of salt, but it seems to me that they could be opening themselves up for a lawsuit. (I am of course assuming that the business is not related to the Church).

–
Bill

Here’s the thing. It’s great to talk about the legal ramifications of what Mr. Bossman is doing in an 8 person office. Yep - it probably is a hostile workplace and it does stink.
Yep - she could probably take them to court. But at what price? We can talk legal action all day long but at the end of the day, what does she have even if she wins?

They know what they are doing.
My advice? If you are unhappy, update your resume and scoot.
Sometimes we need to be responsible for our own happiness and move on.

 

[pnewton]

They know what they are doing.
My advice? If you are unhappy, update your resume and scoot.
Sometimes we need to be responsible for our own happiness and move on.

I agree with this. It is their business and their money in it. Make do or move on. Now as to how to make do, one thing you could try is to engage them on their own terms. Bless them in the name of God at every reasonable opportunity. Offer to pray for their needs when a personal problem strikes. If you hold yourself out as a fellow Chirstian, you might take down a wall or two. In the long run you will have to realize that you will never have the connection with them that those who are fellow Church members have.

 

[THurifer2]

being the antagonist that I am… I would start calling them brother bill (or whatever their name is) I would be OVERTLY talking about how much I love Jesus as loudly as they do. In fact I would do it to the point of becoming an annoyance. Really really wear your faith on your sleeve with a HUGE smile and be HAPPY!..Avoid debate just act HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY. I did this with a fellow “apostolic” pentacostal co-worker of mine and I think I got under her skin (unintentionally).

KNOW you faith and how to defend it but DO NOT engage in debate. You are not there to debate but to work.

 

[BrianH]

Thats called the real world Brother LUVMYFAITH.
Don’t worry so much about it. Be the best you can be, show them Christian love and understand when you start finding hypocrites it is a never ending search. We all fall down.
The lawsuit suggestion is way off, that hardly constitutues a hostile work environment…even in California
BH

 

[Church_Militant]

Here’s the thing. It’s great to talk about the legal ramifications of what Mr. Bossman is doing in an 8 person office. Yep - it probably is a hostile workplace and it does stink.
Yep - she could probably take them to court. But at what price? We can talk legal action all day long but at the end of the day, what does she have even if she wins?

They know what they are doing.
My advice? If you are unhappy, update your resume and scoot.
Sometimes we need to be responsible for our own happiness and move on.

I have to agree with jrabs on this.

When you turn in your resignation, attach a copy of Pillar of Fire Pillar of Truth.

 

[Returnee]

There are a total of about 8 employees in the small office where I work and the owners as well as 2 of the employees all attend an apostolic church. They address eachother as “Brother John” or “sister Mary” never just by their name. They also say god be with you when they greet eachother but not to me. I know not everyone is perfect but it gets really annoying when the owner is preaching to people on the phone loudly more so when I am around. I don’t think it is a bad thing to say god be with you I think its wonderful but I get annoyed when I hear the preaching and then an hour later I hear the boss treating someone disrespectfully. I just do my job and ignore him but sometimes I want to tell him that he doesn’t have to shout out how much Jesus means to him for everyones benefit and to please not preach when he can’t even follow it . God can hear your most inner thoughts and being humble and private about your relationship with god is sacred to me. I do attend mass every sunday but I don’t announce it to the world. Has anyone ever experienced this at work?

Remember that a “witness for Christ” isn’t always someone going around shouting from the mountaintops how Christ “saved him” and can “save you too” (although Christ does save us from our sins) Truly, witnesses for Christ are those that follow His words, and demonstrate humility when it’s called for; rest assured your witness is just as powerful in this situation as any loudmouthed preacher.

Reading your situation, I was reminded of the Gospel reading from Ash Wednesday: Mt 6:1-6, 16-18

Specifically:

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms,
do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you pray,
do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room,
close the door, and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you."

Your bosses are receiving their rewards now. Rest in that.

 

[Daniel_Marsh]

Get a love chapter I cor 13 poster or plague and post it in your work area.

 

[MH84]

There are a total of about 8 employees in the small office where I work and the owners as well as 2 of the employees all attend an apostolic church. They address eachother as “Brother John” or “sister Mary” never just by their name. They also say god be with you when they greet eachother but not to me. I know not everyone is perfect but it gets really annoying when the owner is preaching to people on the phone loudly more so when I am around. I don’t think it is a bad thing to say god be with you I think its wonderful but I get annoyed when I hear the preaching and then an hour later I hear the boss treating someone disrespectfully. I just do my job and ignore him but sometimes I want to tell him that he doesn’t have to shout out how much Jesus means to him for everyones benefit and to please not preach when he can’t even follow it . God can hear your most inner thoughts and being humble and private about your relationship with god is sacred to me. I do attend mass every sunday but I don’t announce it to the world. Has anyone ever experienced this at work?

At least you Americans have “Christian workplaces”. Never have I seen (yet) a workplace full of practicing Christians in one workplace. Except charities and Church based workplaces of course.