Would the mention of God in a company's handbook or website make you wary of working for them?

Nope.

Yes, although I would still take the chance in this economy, but I would wonder what I would be dealing with. I’m good at hiding my atheism anyway, so I could probably put up with a religious environment for money lol.

Part of me would shrivel up inside and that would make me uncomfortable working there.

If I needed a job bad enough but if I had to deal with employees preaching gospel I’d be looking for another job .

I would take a chance. I considered getting a part time job at Hobby Lobby, even though they sell “testaMints” at the counter.
It would make me uneasy, truthfully. I just don’t want it to come up at work. Ever.

@Blackberry It’s actually not clear it is a religious environment, that would just be an assumption based on the website. I would think that too, but it is possible the every day work life there does not have an emphasis on religion. I guess the only way to know would be to ask? But that would be awkward in an interview.

Depends. If they were evangelicals or one of the witnessing or converting-centered religions, I would turn my toes 180 degrees around and walk away.
[edit: fast.]

I’d find it a bit dramatic, but, if the companies founders believe God assisted the building of said company, who am I to argue. It might also be a clever ruse, you know, secretly they are sociopathic shysters but hiding behind the cloak of God as a lure for victims. lol

I don’t know, depends on what I’m getting from them.

Yep. To me that’s a sign of religion taking a bigger part in my working life than I care for. The last thing I want when I go to work is to hear how god brought in a client or how we should pray for more business.

What’s the difference between that and having a boss who is a total douche or inappropriate coworkers?

Work, for most folks, is something they have to do every day whether they like it or not. A good number of people put up with shit waaay worse than a workplace where you have to deal with, gasp!, Christianity.

GA @blondesjon. Funny, the only person that didn’t get a GA is the person that said it wouldn’t matter to them @beachbum76.

Yes, it would. I’m not really an atheist but I’m not a Christian or anything else and I would still be extremely turned off by it, at least at first glance. I don’t want somebody else’s idea of god imposed on me, I don’t want other people’s beliefs imposed on me. The real problem wouldn’t so much be a matter of principle for me, though that would be a part of it, as much as I know it probably wouldn’t be the place for me, the company and I wouldn’t be a good fit. Though, it wouldn’t necessarily be an absolute deal breaker. I would certainly bring it up in the job interview. It would depend on they kind of Christians they were, whether or not they practiced a kind of Christianity that was compatible with my own values. I would also feel I had an obligation to tell them exactly who I was. I couldn’t go in there pretending to be something I’m not because I wouldn’t last very long if I did. I wouldn’t be able to keep up the charade for long enough to hold onto the job.

To clarify, most likely it is Evangelical Christianity of some sort. One of the companies is a very large international company, and the other is a smaller local chain. They are southern companies, and mentioning God in the American south for many is just part of normal speech. The majority of companies in the area probably have a bunch of evagelicals in them, but the vast majority would not actually write something referencing religion in their handbook or when writing about the history of the company.

I kind of cringed at first, but then my second thought was more akin to @Coloma.‘s I guess the founders felt like their beliefs are what helped them. I’m not sure it is a ruse, but I do think people who think that way, do think the statement would attract people to the company.

I grew up in Alabama and… I deeply love my Southern roots and know what you’re saying—how it’s so much a part of the culture and daily lingo. I respect their position, their right to have their beliefs and own businesses based on their beliefs, but I personally have been chased down by way too many convert-happy folks. It’s like I’m a magnet for them… like I have a big flashing invisible arrow pointing to me above my head or something, so I wouldn’t work for them for that reason.

Yes. I turned down a job after God and God’s Path were brought up several times in the interview. They also “subtly” tried to establish my church attendance by hiding a “How do you spend your ideal Sunday morning?” in the middle of the “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” questions.

It isn’t that they don’t do good work, but religion is not a part of my personal life and I don’t want it in my professional life either.

As a lesbian, it would increase my concern about how I would “fit” with the company. It would also concern me that they had ANY interest in my personal life and how I spent my time outside the office.

Yes. Anybody that cannot separate business from secular beliefs is marching to a different drummer than my checkbook is willing to support. I have one customer that sends me Jehova fliers with each payment and unless God is the banker who will release the funds, I fail to see the connection.

As someone who is more open-minded than others, it would make me wary of taking the job. Yes, I do bend to be a coach of a basketball team that is through a Lutheran school. The beloved paycheck. My boss and I have talked, and she knows I am not the most religious person in the world. She said as long as I can be a good person and just avoid the situation and then stay awake during tournamnet church services, we will get along just fine.
If the job has nothing to do with a church, then I am turning around and running the other way because I hate having to hide my beliefs. My job has nothing to do with my religious beliefs at all. Why would I have to be “Christian-like” to hold a job? Why can’t I be nice, friendly, enjoyable, accepting work environment?

Only if they asked me about my religious preferences.

I would be worried about any company expressing a specific religious or non-religious belief. The example given was if a company’s literature mentioned God, but if I was reading about a company and they mentioned a specific “affiliation” with atheism, I would be similarly turned off. As long as it did not affect me or my performance, then I don’t see how it is relevant.

It is against the law to hire based on sex, race or religion, so it would be dangerous for a company to pressure non religious workers or harass them in the slightest way. It will end up being one of the shortest lived businesses ever.

secretly they are sociopathic shysters but hiding behind the cloak of God

I’m a Christian, but I would be very cautious about seeing mention of God on a website or handbook, and @Coloma nails the reason. It’s especially true in the US southeast because it does sway people who are “in the club”.

I am always leery of a company that uses God in their marketing efforts.

More than likely make me more comfortable working for them.

Yes. I would stay the hell away whether I needed a job or not. Yes, I would.

It would turn me off, but wouldn’t stop me. As it hasn’t. :)

I would be slightly weirded out but as @Blondesjon pointed out, you deal with di*ks at the office in one way or another. You also deal with religious people often enough. I would’t bother me much. At college I joined the Muslim and Christian society (as they did social work) and to be honest they didn’t care about my (lack of)belief. Or if they did they didn’t make me feel uncomfortable at all.

This immediately made me think of Chick-fil-A, whose corporate mission statement is To glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us. To have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A.

Honestly, it would creep me out if there was a huge emphasis on religion (any religion) or atheism. That said, if I really needed a job, I’d still work for them. Right up until I found another job.

No, everyone is entitled to their opinions.

I think there are bigger things to worry about when considering a position.

That’s the great thing about capitalism, you don’t have to work there, and people don’t have to buy their product or service if they don’t like the company’s religious views.

Would you be hesitant if they said they trusted in “allah”?

@rts486 God / Allah same same.

@rts486 I agree with @whitenoise God/Allah same thing. I continue to find it odd that Allah is not translated into English when everything else in a sentence is.

@whitenoise In the Middle East when things are translated from Arabic to English, do they translate the word Allah?

@whitenoise @JLeslie I’ve know some muslins who take offense of you translate allah to God, or try to say God and allah are the same thing. I’m not sure if this is the official (if such a thing exists) islamic belief or doctrine.

I think that they don’t translate Allah because Mohamed warned that the only true word was in Arabic and that translations, although not banned, were not considered Holy. Or something like that. Therefore, it would be pretty blasphemous to translate the name of Allah.

@Judi That’s too bad, because I think it would help the Muslims in America if we fully translated as we would in Hebrew, Spanish, and every other language pretty much. I bet a really really large portion of non-Muslims in America don’t realize Muslim is one of the Abrahamic religions, and that all three religions believe in the same God.

@JLeslie , I know. It’s like a 4000 year old (Or more? When was Abraham, Sara and Hagar?) sibling rivalry.

Isaac and Ishmael were the siblings, or half sibs, sons of Abraham. Yeah, I guess Ishmael was really hurt by being cast out, and so continues the Hatfields and the McCoys of biblical proportion. I really wish Sarah would have let the kid stay.

And the argument over who the rightful heir is…. sigh….

@JLeslie I don’t really think Allah is the same god as the Jews and the Christians know, even though the Muslim world would have us believe that.

@plethora ; He is the God of Abraham, who is the father of Ishmael, who was blessed by God as well.
Here is the biblical reference to the descendants of Ishmael
Genesis 17:18–20
And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!” Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation.

@plethora I disgaree. There has been debate on the topic previously on fluther if you are interested in them. I always get the feeling some Christians hate to think it, hate to think He is the same God. What about us Jews, do we have the same God as Christians?

Wouldn’t scare me anymore than all the bullshit that companies and establishments often offer, when it comes to claims and intents.

@Judi Agreed

@JLeslie To the best of my knowledge Jews and Christians agree on the being and nature of God. I have never read anything that would lead me to believe that Allah’s being and nature is anything like the God of the OT.

Unless my religion – or lack thereof – affected how I was treated in the workplace, I don’t think it would be significant to me.

I do think it’s kind of sleazy that they’re using their beliefs as a selling point or marketing tool though, whether it’s a belief we have in common or not.

@plethora I don’t even know what that means. As far as I know Muslims believe God is the creator of the universe. Sounds like the other Abrahamic religions. The only difference I can think lf is Christians think Jesus and God is synonomous from what I can tell?

@JLeslie; not quite synonymous. There is even controversy among Christians as to the nature of the Trinity. The best explanation I have heard is, it’s like an apple. One apple has a core, the meat and the skin. Three parts, one apple.

I asked this question because someone I know, we will call her Jane, was given infornation for a company by a head hunter. It’s the larger company in my example. The update is, a few days later the head hunter called as promised to touch base woth Jane to see whether she is interested in pursuing the position. Jane said to the headhunter she noticed God was mentioned in a couple areas of the company information, and was not sure she would fit well with the culture, depending on how it plays out in the daily life of the company. The head hunter said she had never been asked that before. Not sure if she is going to follow up on it or not?

@Judi I don’t understand the analogy. Is God the Apple, and Jesus only a part of it?

Maybe God (the father) is the core, Jesus is the skin and the spirit is the meat? No doubt it is a mystery.

@Judi Haha. I find it funny you aren’t sure :).

They don’t call it “faith” for nothing! There is a level of trust and being open to learn, grow and be surprised by God. I would never assume to know it all.

@JLeslie
Sorry, I am in Germany, traveling, right now. And they may talk about God and Allah, but regard them the same. They see Jews, Christians and Muslims all revering the same God, merely they have accepted Mohammed and his additional interactions as an extra.

They are very much into trying to convert people and one of the many ways they try to do that is bybexplaining that to be a true Christian one would have to comemto Islam.

Jezus (ISA) is one of the prophets according to Qu’ran, and they consider the Jews, Muslims and Christians as people from The Book.

@Plethora… You are just mistaken.

The way I always try to discuss with them when they try to convince me, is asking them if it would be OK to them to accept a new prophet, and they say no. They respect that I can therefore neither. (For all intents and purposes, I am a Christian, to them.)

@whitenoise Interesting. Does it seem that American Christians are more likely to reject the “Muslim God” as not the same Abrahamic God? An American phenomenom? Or, do you see it in Europe as well?

Do you feel as though you are treated any differently? Or, they show you just as much respect as they would someone from their own region, culture, relgion, etc.

@JLeslie
I think American Christains are indeed more likely to do so.

In essence Christians reject the teachings of the Qu’ran and Muslims do not reject the teachings of the bible and Torah. They just think any faith that rejects their additions through the teachings of Muhammad is a false faith.

And I am definitely treated differently. I am much less restrained. Many of the rules for Muslims don’t apply to me. They do however definitely trust Muslims better than non-Muslims as a general guideline.

In daily life, personal relations trump generalizations, though. Luckily.

@whitenoise Yes of course. Generalizations luckily do not apply and should not apply to our personal relationships, I competely agree.

The Christians in America are especially fond of the Jews at this time in history. Another generalization, but they frequently say my people are God’s chosen ones (I never here Jews say that) and there is a lot of support in the Christian community for Israel. That is why I was curious about @plethora saying the Jewish God and Christian God are the same. I wondered why specifically, or is it just part of the mindset that is out there, or rather here, right now.

Well, thanks for your input. :)

@JLeslie I had to think about my comments re God and I am realizing that my thoughts and feelings about Jews come from my childhood. I was raised in a small town in SC and there was a significant Jewish community in the town (many were friends of my parents and of mine), well known members of the business and social community. I’m not sure I ever specifically knew they were Jewish except that they attended a pretty good sized synagogue. They were just our friends. There was no dividing line of religion. So….I should probably hold off on comments. I have never had discussions on it.

@plethora Well, I am glad you have positive feeling from your childhood and community regarding Jewish people of course. And, I respect that you want to hold off on comments for now. What I would like to say is the reason you have good feelings is because you got to know them. I think most people who fear Muslims, and see them as very different, don’t know many or any. The Muslims I grew up with were just my friends, we played together when we were little, worked together later in life. I don’t really get caught up in the religious differences, but as you know I am an atheist and not very caught up in religion in general.

@JLeslie I can easily identify with that based on my own childhood experiences and would feel the same way.

I think most people who fear Muslims
I don’t think anyone fears Muslims. The vast majority of Muslims are peace loving people. Unfortunately, Islamic terrorists have brought shame to their religion and it spreads pretty easily across the name of Islam worldwide. Tough break for Muslims. There are a lot of them. Glad there are no insane zealots among Jews or Christians. If there were, I think you and I would find ourselves in the same uncomfortable positions as Muslims.

@plethora From what I understand that nut job in Norway who just killed a bunch of people was a crazy extreme Christian.

And, not long ago didn’t people set fire to a Mosque in Mufreesboro, TN? I would assume they are Christian.

I agree the Christian seem to be antiviolence this time in history, but there are examples of crazy people in all religions. It is that individual or those individuals who are awful.

@JLeslie, while they represent a relatively small percentage of Christians, I would be very wary of some of those American Christians who are so supportive of Israel. They are not motivated by some deep and abiding love and respect for the State of Israel or the Jewish people, nor are they interested in what is best for Israel. They are motivated by their belief in an apocalyptic theology known as Dispensationalism and they are, in my opinion, dangerous and exert entirely too much influence on both U.S. policy on Israel and on the internal politics of Israel. If you are unaware of this and are interested here’s some information.

On the Road to Armageddon: How Evangelicals Became Israel’s Best Friend

The Armageddon Lobby:Dispensationalist Christian Zionism and the Shaping of US Policy Towards Israel-Palestine

A transcript of Bill Moyers’ discussion with Timothy Webber and Rabbi Michael Lerner.

@JLeslie I think we can always find a single Christian, Jew, Muslim or any other religion’s nut case. Muslims, unfortunately, have a small Islamic army working against them in fact, in the media, and in public opinion. I don’t envy them the burden that their own religion places on them.

@lillycoyote I agree with you. For about 1900 years what is known as Dispensationalism was considered heresy in the Christian Church. It still is in my opinion.

@lillycoyote Oh, I know. I am the one who usually brings up it up. Here is one of my Q’s on the topic from back in 2010. The Jewish stance typically is, I don’t care why they support Israel, as long as they do. Such a large number of Jews are not religious, that they think if the Chrisians want to believe in all that fantasy, go ahead. This was talked about a lot during Bush. I knew all too many Jews who voted for him, because they felt he blindly supported Israel for biblical reason, and so did many of his followers.

@JLeslie I had a feeling that since you are very well informed and aware that you knew this but there was no mention of anything of the reasons why American Christians are so very supportive of Israel in your comment above, and I guess that really wasn’t the place for it anyway, I thought I would bring it up. I missed your previous question, the one in your link, too. And I think it really should matter to Jews; it should matter to everyone. It may be a fantasy, but when people who think the world is going to end, even want the world to end in their own lifetimes are helping to shape policy, particularly in an arena as volatile as the Middle East, in a place like Israel, where the stakes are so high, it terrifies me.

@lillycoyote Scares me too. I was very annoyed with the Jews who voted for Bush for that primary reason, and I think it does matter why people support something. I was just passing along what many Jews said to my surprise. For now I don’t try to talk any Christians out of supporting Israel of course, but I openly say Why I support Israel, and it is not because I believe the Jews get the land because we have always been there, I am not a Zionist, and I certainly don’t believe we are destined to rebuild the Temple for the “second” coming. If I believed in God, my Messiah would be more in line with the Jewish Messianic Era, peace on earth. Not because I am Jewish, but because it sounds good.