The Lord Is My Paycheck
Posted: July 28th, 2009
I grit my teeth every time a bill from a particular company crosses my desk. They tout themselves as “A Christian Repair Service” and their invoices have a crucifix on them. *shudder* Admittedly, I am slightly amused that they’ve accidentally worded it so that it implies Xians need fixing, but while your spiritual beliefs may govern your thoughts and actions, I strongly feel Business and Religion should be kept separate… I’ve never understood the compulsion to mix the two so incredibly publicly.
I may be an Atheist, but honestly, I would cringe every bit as much if I saw a bill from a company labeling themselves as “Atheist Owned And Operated.” (There’s a time and place for everything! Spirituality is a private thing!) I’m actually shocked that any mention of being a “faith based” company is legal; that seems to teeter on the brink of being discriminatory.
I find using God for marketing purposes to be distasteful, inappropriate, and, well, kind of slimy and creepy. The church is a wide social network and the opportunity for word of mouth through church functions seems like it would be sufficient enough to draw a significant amount of customers without plastering so much what is, essentially, overt propaganda elsewhere.
It seems like such an odd thing to do. It does nothing to promote the idea that their goods or services are somehow better in quality (because they are “blessed,” haha); it sort of gives off a condescending vibe to me. I mean, ones religion does not imply they are more professional or more experienced than those of another. It’s completely irrelevant in that respect! It is not an accurate indicator of ethical business practices. In fact, to some, it is off-putting, suggesting exactly the opposite and deters patronage. (And the erroneous assumptions/broad generalizations go both ways. Both “sides” are guilty of making them. You can thank the antics of figures such as Marilyn Manson, Ozzy Osborne, Jim Baker and Jimmy Swaggart alike for drawing attention to the negatives and/or extremes.)
I am so adamant about religion not belonging in the workplace that I was one of several employees who quit when the corporation was purchased by owners who added “John 3:16″ to the signs, began hosting morning prayer meetings at the office and instituted religious t-shirt Fridays. The vigils and clothing were not mandatory, but if you didn’t participate, you were told you were not being a team player. Luckily, the conflicting bus schedule got me out of attending, but when I wore a top with an Ankh on it, I was sent home and ordered to change out of my “Satanic attire,” that was the last straw. I secured another job, with their competitor, that very afternoon. It is a shame I felt compelled to do so, but to me, “freedom of religion” also means freedom from it. If I want a God, I know where to start looking; it should not be on my desk. :P
