Help with born again boss

[McCartney]

Tell your boss that he is lucky that he can quote the bible which was formalised by the Catholics in 397 before any protestant church was even thought about. Ask him which bible he uses and if he says the King James Version (which most protestants use) then you have got him.

In 397 the Church formalised the bible with 73 books - 46 OT and 27 NT. Martin Luther did not like 7 of the OT books so he put them into an appendix. He said that they were of less importance but made good reading. In 1611 when the KJV was put together it had the 7 books in the appendix.

kingjamesbibleonline.org/Apocrypha-Books/

Somewhere along the line these books have been dropped. So if your boss wants to quote from the bible, tell him to read a COMPLETE bible.

 

[McCartney]

If you do put a statue of Mary on your desk, he may criticise you for “Praying to statues”. Tell him that God, did not request or tell, but COMMANDED Moses to make two golden statues of angles and place them on the Ark of the Covalent. So the God of Moses must have been a Catholic God because a protestant God would not ask Moses to make statues.

 

[coptsoldier]

If you do put a statue of Mary on your desk, he may criticise you for “Praying to statues”. Tell him that God, did not request or tell, but COMMANDED Moses to make two golden statues of angles and place them on the Ark of the Covalent. So the God of Moses must have been a Catholic God because a protestant God would not ask Moses to make statues.

You could also invite him to come kneel in front of it, kiss it, and pray the rosary too. If he is being mean, troll back twice as hard

 

[McCartney]

I was once a teacher in a computer school. I had a one-on-one lesson with a student who kept quoting the bible all the time. I kept telling him that it was a computer class and not a bible study class. He had a set of quotes and applied them to everything I said about the computer lesson.

I am sure your boss will be quoting the same set of text over and over again.

Quote him Matt 16:18 “Thou are Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it”. So Satan and all his agents can try as hard as they want but the gates of hell will not prevail against it.

 

[zaffiroborant]

With all due respect regarding advice to contact HR because of implied workplace abuse, etc. this is the attitude that has got America in the dismal situation we have now, ie censoring the Gospel. God is not pleased with this according to the Bible. We should rather use this opportunity to spread our faith instead of allowing the secularists to completely outlaw any discussion of Christ in our public lives.

Everyone in the workplace is being paid to work not spread their religion, time not spent on work you are being paid for is stealing.

 

[zaffiroborant]

Thank you all for the advice. To clarify, I am a desk jockey in a public sector HR Office. My born again Christian boss spends all his free time, which is alot, preaching to anyone and everyone. At first I put up with it but it got stale quick. I would listen politely to try to find whatever we had in common. . I put up a little tryptic at my desk because I knew they would be ok with it since most of the other workers also have religious trinkets at their desks, crosses, angels etcetera. All it did was cause him to tell me that Catholics are ‘wrong’ and continue the preaching. I complained to management, whose response was that they didn’t think he could stop even if they tried to make him stop. He’s a decent person other than for this proselytizing, right now my solace is that he’s old and will hopefully retire soon.

You are being harassed

Religious Discrimination & Harassment

It is illegal to harass a person because of his or her religion.

Harassment can include, for example, offensive remarks about a person’s religious beliefs or practices. Although the law doesn’t prohibit simple teasing, offhand comments, or isolated incidents that aren’t very serious, harassment is illegal when it is so frequent or severe that it creates a hostile or offensive work environment or when it results in an adverse employment decision (such as the victim being fired or demoted).

The harasser can be the victim’s supervisor, a supervisor in another area, a co-worker, or someone who is not an employee of the employer, such as a client or customer.

Your employer can do something about it but chooses not to as a result it is facilitating a hostile work environment.

 

[Mike_SoCal]

Your boss does seems a bit nuts, however, I would consider it a blessing that someone at work has the guts to quote the Bible. I know I don’t.

I don’t think you problem is your boss quoting the Bible it is that he is so direct in his admonishments of you that it hurts.

Time to have a sit down and talk session to hash out your differences. He should be professional when he admonishes you.

 

[Michael_Allen]

Another perspective may be to better understand what it is inside of us that gets irritated by other people expressing their own faith or opinions. It may also be that he is simply an unskillful manager. We can then again look at how we respond internally to unskillful people.

 

[DarkLight]

Sometimes I would rather see an “on-fire protestant” than a “lukewarm Catholic” I know several like that. It is wonderful that he has fallen in love with God. He has a new little red wagon at the moment, and you’re gonna take a ride whether you want to or not!
Consider it an opportunity to practice patience and charity.

You are confused, I have not said that we as Christians, whether supervisors or employees, have to preach the Gospel to our fellow employees only that we shouldn’t stop one from doing it nor should we deny Christ by not speaking when challenged.

Furthermore, regarding the boss in question, who knows if it isn’t really the Holy Spirit that has provoked him to be this way? If that is the case we are sinning by trying to quell the Gospel and denying Christ, not good.

With all due respect I will defer to the Catechism on this matter:

“However, one cannot charge with the sin of the separation those who at present are born into these communities [that resulted from such separation] and in them are brought up in the faith of Christ, and the Catholic Church accepts them with respect and affection as brothers… All who have been justified by faith in Baptism are incorporated into Christ; they therefore have a right to be called Christians, and with good reason are accepted as brothers in the Lord by the children of the Catholic Church."

**“Furthermore, many elements of sanctification and of truth” **are found outside the visible confines of the Catholic Church: “the written Word of God; the life of grace; faith, hope, and charity, with the other interior gifts of the Holy Spirit, as well as visible elements.”274 Christ’s Spirit uses these Churches and ecclesial communities as means of salvation, whose power derives from the fullness of grace and truth that Christ has entrusted to the Catholic Church. All these blessings come from Christ and lead to him,275 and are in themselves calls to “Catholic unity.”

I lament the non visionary attitude of some of my fellow Catholics who see a person who expresses their love of Christ, albeit in a misguided way, as a negative as opposed to an opportunity to bring them in full communion of His Church. What a shame.

Take it then from someone who used to be like this. I can tell you this much - it had very little to do with Christ, for me or for the evangelical community around me. With something we called Christ perhaps, but very little to do with the Lord Himself.

It was fear and law, at its heart. This was the requirement - everything we did had to be sprinkled with some explicit Christian message. We were to show those around us how spiritual we were, as though by our efforts they would be saved. For that indeed was the belief, if we let up a moment in our “witnessing” some poor soul might be damned through our failure.

I can say honestly, I was closer to God when I did not believe in Him entirely, than when I was trapped in that system.

 

[agnes_therese]

It would be nice if the boss would simply love his neighbor, instead of attempt to evangelize another Christian.

It would also be nice if he’d spend work time doing what he’s being paid to do.

 

[Son_of_Niall]

Some here appear to be a little confused about the procedures concerning religion in the workplace.

1. If two non-managerial employees want to have a discussion on religion there isn’t anything that can be done to prevent that. If one does not want to discuss religion, I would suggest one not bring the issue up. As a few people have said already, if you want to serve as a good christian witness, do your job and be as honest as possible in your business dealings.
2. A manager on the other hand is a completely different situation. Like it or not, a manager MUST treat all employees the same no matter their religion, politics, race, sexual orientation, ect. As long as said employee is working within the guidelines of the company’s policies and procedures, his personal life is not within the influence of the managerial staff. The manager is not required even to “like” the employee, he must however treat them with with the same dignity as other employees. Violation of that is called a lawsuit.

I would suggest that you not bring the issue up with your manager. If he is, as you describe, a person who ‘likes to preach’ and say anti-Catholic things, DO NOT engage him in the discussion, that is not why you are at work. Religious debate is NOT, unless you work for Catholic Answers, a product of what you are doing. Go to the HR office and file a complaint.
If you hear nothing, go higher.
Fundamentalists have one goal in mind: conversion to their brand of Christianity. It sounds like this manager needs a wake-up call.
And for those who think this is about ‘suppressing the Gospel’, I suggest you prove your Christianity, not by waving a Bible (or even Rosary beads), but by being a good worker.
A former manager.

 

[elizaveta01]

Furthermore, regarding the boss in question, who knows if it isn’t really the Holy Spirit that has provoked him to be this way? If that is the case we are sinning by trying to quell the Gospel and denying Christ, not good.

It seems odd that a Roman Catholic would say that the Holy Spirit would lead someone to preach that the Roman Catholic Church is wrong and that it would be a sin to try and stop him from doing so.

 

[z_0101]

It seems odd that a Roman Catholic would say that the Holy Spirit would lead someone to preach that the Roman Catholic Church is wrong and that it would be a sin to try and stop him from doing so.

Could it be, that the Holy Spirit is trying to give OP an “opening” to invite this person to an RCIA class… I’m always on the lookout for this and when people preach the gospel to me, I offer them the RCIA class as a means to more deeply learn about the very scripture they’re spewing… and this usually shuts them up as they’re expecting a fight, and I instead offer them kindness and education.

 

[Cricket2]

With all due respect God isn’t interested in man’s laws nor conventions:

Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father.

Will He forgive us for being so weak as to put mans’ laws before His own? Possibly. However, a true disciple is not afraid of hardships for the Gospel, in fact he relishes them.

I can see your point about acknowledging God and not being ashamed of our Faith. However, shoving it down people’s throats is not a good way to go about acknowledging God and it certainly is not the way to bring about conversion. People need to use some common sense, be polite and caring in their approach and not come across as “Know it All Sanctimonious Fanatics.” It turns people off.

This Boss is wrong. If he is going to talk about his Faith fine, but he better be accepting of others doing the same to hush.

 

[Catolico65]

It is no wonder the US has turned so secular given that even Christians get upset when someone mentions God or Christ in the public venue. As far as the excuse that a person from another Christian religion can’t be possible motivated by the Holy Spirit, this is not supported by the Catechism. Furthermore, Jesus says we should not prevent nor dissuade anyone from speaking His name, and I saw no qualifications in Scripture about one not being “sincere” enough:

*John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.”

Jesus replied, “Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me.

For whoever is not against us is for us.
*

Fortunately, where I live I relish being able to praise God in my daily professional and casual conversations with no one batting an eye and most join in me and give thanks. I could never go back to living in a place where even Catholics get uneasy hearing the word “Jesus”.

 

[zaffiroborant]

It is no wonder the US has turned so secular given that even Christians get upset when someone mentions God or Christ in the public venue. As far as the excuse that a person from another Christian religion can’t be possible motivated by the Holy Spirit, this is not supported by the Catechism. Furthermore, Jesus says we should not prevent nor dissuade anyone from speaking His name, and I saw no qualifications in Scripture about one not being “sincere” enough:

*John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.”

Jesus replied, “Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me.

For whoever is not against us is for us.*

Fortunately, where I live I relish being able to praise God in my daily professional and casual conversations with no one batting an eye and most join in me and give thanks. I could never go back to living in a place where even Catholics get uneasy hearing the word “Jesus”.

I think the OP is more upset that her boss tells her that Catholics are wrong. She is at a disadvantage at work, when arguing for the Catholic faith against the person who is in charge of her advancement, pay and even continued employment. That’s what is wrong with this scenario, not that people are amiably talking about Jesus.

 

[agnes_therese]

It is no wonder the US has turned so secular given that even Christians get upset when someone mentions God or Christ in the public venue.
Fortunately, where I live I relish being able to praise God in my daily professional and casual conversations with no one batting an eye and most join in me and give thanks. I could never go back to living in a place where even Catholics get uneasy hearing the word “Jesus”.

Your response makes it clear you didn’t even read the original post. The OP is being harassed at work, and she has **** right to discuss it without being accused of being “upset when someone mentions God” or “uneasy hearing the word Jesus.”

 

[Catolico65]

Your response makes it clear you didn’t even read the original post. The OP is being harassed at work, and she has **** right to discuss it without being accused of being “upset when someone mentions God” or “uneasy hearing the word Jesus.”

Your responses make it clear that you haven’t read all my posts.

Furthermore, I never said the OP was uneasy hearing Jesus but was rather alluding to the fact that the concept of separation of church and state and it’s derivations such as limiting speaking the Gospel in the public venue opposes the Gospel according to Jesus Christ.

 

[Baby_Bach]

I need some help in dealing with my extremely evangelical Christian boss. I am a private person and I don’t talk about my religious beliefs at work. However my boss constantly quotes the bible whenever I make a mistake and its driving me nuts. He loves to say, “Jesus said you are snared by the words of your mouth” and spits fire and brimstone quoting the bible whenever and wherever and to whomever.

I put up with it at first because he’s a semidecent person under all that. But now the constant quoting the bible and constant preaching on how everyone needs ‘saved’ is driving me crazy. He sees work as his personal ministry and the workplace is apparently ripe with people who need saved. I have complained to his boss to no avail… HELP!!!

Give him a copy of “Rome Sweet home” by Scott Hahn… A evangelical convert to Catholicism. Give him a reason he should read it. If you have read Scott Hahn before, he is a very eloquent writer. Honestly, I’d recommend you read it then give it to him, it could help blunder some of the things your boss is talking about like solo scriptura, and that you must be saved… etc. He answers the questions very well.

 

[Baby_Bach]

All it did was cause him to tell me that Catholics are ‘wrong’ and continue the preaching. I complained to management, whose response was that they didn’t think he could stop even if they tried to make him stop. He’s a decent person other than for this proselytizing, right now my solace is that he’s old and will hopefully retire soon.

I would seriously consider giving him a copy of “Rome Sweet home” by Scott Hahn… A evangelical convert to Catholicism. If he say’s Catholic’s are wrong, tell him he should read this, and that he should explain why he says that about Catholics… this was a former evangelical who wrote it. If you have read Scott Hahn before, he is a very eloquent writer. Honestly, I’d recommend you read it then give it to him, so if he does read you, you can clarify anything. I just read this last month, at first I didn’t care to read, but it ended up being very good.