Muslim coworker debate

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LoganBryce

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So I work in a factory and I am an inspector. I work around 10 people and we talk almost all day. Lol. A man who works near me is Muslim. He knows I’m a Christian and comes up all day to argue his faith. He was a Baptist and explored “all denominations of christianity” (he claimed in the 70s Catholicism was racist and still is saying all popes and priests are white.) We have no white priest at my church. He also says the bible was made to hold non whites down and that it was only made in Greek when jesus came for the Jews. I’ve explained Jews spoke Greek. He has been an American all his life and served 7 years in the army. Just the other day he told me “your country is messed up.” I respond “my country do you not live here?” He responds " yes but I’m moses in pharoah’s house because I have the truth." He also throws up the sec abuse scandal. I referred him to the huge amount of sex abuse in the middle east and he said “that doesn’t count, those aren’t real muslims because they sin.” He says the bible cannot be true because for example Matthew didn’t write Matthew, the gospels were wrote away after jesus died, jesus came only for the Jews and we’ve turned it into Roman paganism. He says jesus didn’t die on the cross and that god would never submit himself to the mercy of man. He says we borrowed the god son idea from Hercules and thor. I know I have ranted but if you could give any advice I would appreciate. He does know the bible very well. If you think I should report him to HR, I can’t because honestly we are somewhat friends.
 
Tell him that it’s not appropriate to be arguing about religion at work, and if he can’t respect that then you’ll have to report him for HR.
 
" He responds " yes but I’m moses in pharoah’s house because I have the truth."

I would ask if they immigrated from a foreign country to ship money away to the poor.
 
Be confident in your faith and religion and don’t rise to the bait. If he is a friend then tell him youre not comfortable with the conversation and maybe warn him that it could be construed as bullying.

If he is strident then simply ignore him or report him.

(You might also point out that bullying and harassing are probably not condoned by his own religion.)
 
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LoganBryce said:
If you think I should report him to HR, I can’t because honestly we are somewhat friends.
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It is time to let your friend know bluntly that you can’t take a conversation seriously when his “facts” count and nothing you say is of any account to him. That isn’t a conversation. That is a browbeating, and it is a mark of your regard for him as a friend that you’ve endured it as long as you have. Now it is time for it to stop, if he considers you a friend at all or so help you, you’re going to keep a bag of pork rinds in your pocket to enjoy every time he starts up.
Then after that, you say, “Friend Mohammed, we’ve been over this and over this. Enough, already.” Don’t actually do the pork rind thing, but do ignore whatever he says after that. Just talk about a different topic as if you’d both moved on.
Oh, and do keep a log of every time he does this and quote what he said that HR would find unacceptable. Maybe you’re too good of a friend to call HR, but maybe in the end you’ll find that he’s not.
 
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Lol. I know it is a sin but I must admit I have done the pork rind thing and it kept him away.
 
LoganBryce said:
Lol. I know it is a sin but I must admit I have done the pork rind thing and it kept him away.
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Why is it a sin? Sneaking some into his food is a sin. Eating what even Islam allows you to eat is not. Yes, in some cases it would signal a lack of charity, but in your case it is more like self-defense.

Having said that, yes, it is more charitable to deal with this in ways that give less offense rather than more, if you can. If he will think less of you for eating the pork, you are providing him with a near occasion of sin, and we want to encourage all others to all the virtue they are capable of attaining. In that sense, you’re right.
 
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Telling myself to remain charitable in my response. On a serious note, read up on Battle of Lepanto. Not necessarily to confront this person but for your own knowledge. And also realize this person isnt someone who is genuinely interested in learning about Christianity so dont waste your time. Peace be with you
 
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sheepovrep said:
I would ask if they immigrated from a foreign country to ship money away to the poor.
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There is no sign the OP is dealing with someone who is prone to be swayed by debate. That is just throwing pearls before swine: meaning not that the fellow is a pig, but that it is only stirring up strife because there is no chance for productive dialogue.
 
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This was the answer to my question I guess. Sometimes I feel like I could help anyway but ithurts my feelings that this isn’t trie.
 
How far would you go to help others? That is the chance of productive dialogue.
 
It’s not a sin so much as it’s petty and immature. Just tell him that you don’t think it’s appropriate to argue about religion at work and you’d rather talk about something else. If he can’t respect that, report him.
 
LoganBryce said:
This was the answer to my question I guess. Sometimes I feel like I could help anyway but ithurts my feelings that this isn’t trie.
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He is what he is. Be thankful for your faith, that you haven’t had the path he’s had. He has still not found peace.

Enough for the tongue-in-cheek answers. The straight answer is this:
  1. Don’t trust him; he is a bit unhinged. Keep a log of these interactions. You may need the truth to defend you.
  2. Accept that he is currently immune to reason. Stop trying to reason with him; it only causes strife.
  3. Treat him charitably and in ways that incline him to whatever virtue and peace he is capable of. This may eventually lead to his softening, even if you are not aware of it. If he only knows good to come from you regardless of what comes from him or anyone else, you will have not put any mark on the good name of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
 
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Appreciate the responses but how would you respond to these statements.
  1. We borrowed the god son from Hercules
  2. Jesus came for the Jews no the gentiles
  3. Catholics are racists because of majority white leaders.
  4. Jesus talked to god therefore he can’t be God.
 
This is not appropriate conversation to have at work.

Second, it sounds as if this gentleman has some, let’s say “out in left field”, ideas about Islam as well.

Be joyful and kind.
 
BoomBoomMancini said:
It’s not a sin so much as it’s petty and immature. Just tell him that you don’t think it’s appropriate to argue about religion at work and you’d rather talk about something else. If he can’t respect that, report him.
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It was the kind of thing that is thrown out between friends. When a friend is acting in a way that would make most people retaliate, a friend will often use humor to signal how much the other is crossing the line, and that it is affection that is prompting humor instead of some show of outrage.

Notice that I did say he shouldn’t ACTUALLY bring on the pork rinds, even though it isn’t a serious violation of charity. When someone is as ramped up as this “prophet,” you are right that dialing it down is the way to go.
sheepovrep said:
How far would you go to help others? That is the chance of productive dialogue.
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It isn’t out of place generally, perhaps. We can be more blunt with friends than with others and sometimes friends are the ones who get through to us. This friend, however, has gone to such lengths to show he isn’t up for correction or suggestions that there is room on both sides for improvement! I just think treating it as a real given-and-take situation is misreading it.
 
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LoganBryce said:
Appreciate the responses but how would you respond to these statements.
  1. We borrowed the god son from Hercules
  2. Jesus came for the Jews no the gentiles
  3. Catholics are racists because of majority white leaders.
  4. Jesus talked to god therefore he can’t be God.
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“I’ve heard that all before and you know I’m not buying it. Is there some reason you like beating this dead horse? I’d rather talk about soccer, honestly. At least its fun.”
The way to extinguish a behavior is to look for the reward that is hoped for and deny it. Don’t reward this with drama or dialogue. He’s proven he doesn’t want a dialogue. He wants to browbeat you. He wants you stirred up. Be a disappointing audience, and perhaps he’ll give up on it eventually.

He’s gotten something out of you in the past, so you need to be very sure you don’t give him a little tidbit as a reward for persistence. If you do that, it will be much harder to get him to stop without resorting to intervention by HR. Stop responding to lines of conversation you have decided to stop accepting. Do so while still accepting him as a person, but as for this drama, totally stop being a responsive audience for it, and stop totally. Don’t give him a bit of drama as a reward. Be bored with him and his rants, really.
 
I’m not going to give a response. Just wanted to know for myself.
 
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