Plant workers: Fairness at stake in prayer dispute

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Thank you. Too bad we're in P & R and the points are null. Tis the thought that counts, though. You are good sport, considering that we technically disagree here. I think you don't understand how great it is to make Christians pony up with that freedom of religion those cutting-edge Puritans came here for.

Perhaps I could interest you in one of our many fine religions? We cater to all levels of disinterest in metaphysical matters and can create a custom theology just for you...try our guilt-free "dessert religion" which involves the worship of the Holy Pastry.

We can make one up to fit your ego and match your insecurities. Maybe you would like to join our GoDogle cult...we believe that eventually, we will all be indexed by the great Search Engine, who will come alive with self-awareness and take over all of human civilization. We will serve it forever thereafter as slaves, hunting down the heretical blackhats who defy the will of the God of Mountain View.

Or you could try my personal cult, the Church of the Mountain's Daughter of Latter-Day Pranksters. You can't join, though; that's strictly forbidden. Go make up your own damned magma.

 

Should I bother to respond? I think not.

There is no Bonus that is mandatory to work on Christmas or other holidays that I have seen. And yes in the USA, the only place I have worked for others so far.

Again no one is being forbidden to practice their religion - outside the job. The workplace is not the place for practicing a religion, it is a place where you are paid to be productive for the business. If you don't like it, leave. Don't like our country - go back to yours. Why come here if you don't like it here?

It is whiny when you just want things your way and force people to change just because of you? (Not you personally, whoever the you is in the argument.) This isn't a constitutional issue, no one forced them to work there.

 

You didn't get time-and-a-half for overtime? I always have. Some jobs actually pay 2.5x on Christmas Day. But I thought X1.5 was legally mandated. Certainly all federal workers are paid overtime for working Christmas.

If your religion requires brief prayer breaks during a holy period, you are violating the laws to forsake them. This is not something these workers dreamed up, this is the ritual of a faith followed for 1400 years. Over 700 million people follow this religion. And according to the story, over a quarter of this particular plant's workforce.

Perhaps making allowances for these workers is unreasonable. However, they are entitled to time off for reasons of religious necessity, and to deny them this is unfair considering the rights other religions (Judeo-Christians) enjoy. There is no need to pay them for this time. But to forbid prayer time would violate their rights, just as forcing a Jew to work Yom Kippur would.

Your comments about their "own country" is presumptuous...these Muslims may or may not be originally from this country, but many are, and they are every bit as entitled to constitutional guarantees as you are-including the right to organize for their collective interest. Just because you may be an immigrant, you do not have to surrender your personal autonomy or lay down every time someone wants you to.

If nobody had sanction for their religious practices, then I would agree that these Muslims would have no right to demand special treatment. But the white christian minority is unwilling to face the many forms of preferential treatment conferred upon them by the state which is supposedly separate from the Church.

 

Like I have said, sometimes yes, other times no....

Are you sure your aren't another closet muslim? These are talking points they always have that always fall flat.
1. pray all you want, just keep doing your job, no one says you can't pray, they just say do your job
2. What does it have to do with being white, jew or christian? Why is that always brought up when someone wants to make some "islamic" point???
(that just screams the hatred that islam has towards Jews, Christians and/or white people - what did a white person do to you lately?)

 

I assure you that the sexist doctrine of Islam is as distasteful to me as other patriarchal monotheopoly systems. The only reason I defend these workers is because they are an oppressed minority in his country. They are entitled to fairnesss even if I think their religion is flawed. That's how freedom works.

You keep suggesting that these workers should pray on the job, quietly to themselves, or at some other time. You have obviously never seen Muslims pray. They are required to pray in prostrate position, touching their hed to the ground. This obviously requires a short break.

 

They are also required to obey other parts of mohamads words that have to do with killing people of other religions or making them submit to their tax system.

How fair is fair should I ask?

I don't see how they are oppressed when every country muslims MOVE TO have to bow down to their will (submit - islam), next we will be seeing the riots we saw in France and other European countries as they cry for their laws to govern us!

Like I said, they can go back to their countries if they like their laws. (Most are coming in from other countries, so don't bother with that argument. That is the group that wants everyone to bow to their will.)

 

If a Christian wants to go to church on Sunday, then he should not accept a job where he will be forced to work on Sunday. A muslim should think the same way.

Should the meat plant change it's policies as requested by the Muslims? If they want to. Simple as that. If 500trained muslim workers quit the night shift, then the plant will have to deal with it same as the muslims.

Sounds like they should have stayed where they were. Why would they move to the US and expect our employers and businesses to change?

I used to think Christmas was a Christian holiday also, then atheists started getting all offended. I think Best Buy has downgraded Christmas only to celebrate "shopping and family". The schools now call it "Winter break". I suppose if Christmas were actually a religious holiday, you might be able to make a point, but now the athiests have taken something from you as well.

Doesn't seem like a big deal to me either way. Just don't paint the muslims as "the oppressed" and the factory as "the oppressor". If the muslims want to do their prayers, they will need to get a different job, same as you and me. If the factory doesn't want to retrain 500 new workers, they will need to be more flexible. If you need to worship at the Temple of Satan on Halloween, just make sure that you get Halloweens off before you accept your new job.

Did I miss something?

 

oh, i just remembered, My religion requires me to sit in the sun and drink cider for 5 hours a day, Preferably while im supposed to be doing the job i am still being paid for, Let me call my boss and see if we can work something out... My "religion" is very important to me and i will see any objections to it as oppression.

 

I amazed you have a job. `` ` `

England must be proud.