Should Catholics be banned from the workplace

Zombrex

Freddie59 wrote:

Exactly! And they hate their religion to be berated. While they are most certainly over the top on this, it's peculiar that they then come to the West and condemn our 'immoral' values. While at the same time dragging their daughters back to Pakistan and the like for forced marriages because they don't want them to become 'Westernised'. Why do they come here in the first instance?

Seriously I give up ... does no one understand the art of sarcasim any more ... [grumble] [grumble]

To quote Grampa Simpsons, "I ain't for't, I'm agan'st, damn't"

Hobbes

Wicknight wrote:

Its offensive to say Muslims will chop you up and blow up your desks ... who knew ...

Well try saying it in work about an employee and they would have a case for harrassment/bullying.

It may seem funny, but I have seen a guy in work go to town on the sort of crap you are spouting and he got slapped for it.

Another good example is an Irish guy being refused a job because "He would be drunk all the time". Sued the company and won. (happened in the UK some years ago).

There is nothing wrong about Catholics having religous stuff in work as long as its not in your face (eg, huge poster of jeusus bleeding on the cross) or they are trying to force the crap on you or isn't offensive to others (eg. poster saying The jews killed Jesus).

Wibbs

Hobbes wrote:

It may seem funny, but I have seen a guy in work go to town on the sort of crap you are spouting and he got slapped for it.

FFS, Wicknight was joking and making a salient point at the same time. How many smileys or explanations does it require? By that logic everything is out of bounds, even when the sarcastic comment is in support of a more liberal and inclusive point of view. Do we treat everybody as humourless children incapable of grasping a point, just because there are idiots out there? If a point of view isn't capable of some offense to some people, then I suspect the point they are making is weak. Offense can be a good thing. It engenders debate and sometimes change for the best. How many human rights we consider vital were considered offensive to many in the past? Slavery, womens inequality, religious intolerance all had their many supporters, who would have been offended by comments against the status quo(some even from within the ranks of those that would be helped by change). Its down to context. In a work environment Wicknights comment would rightly be considered a bit suspect(and I seriously doubt he'd say it). However, in this context and thread it's not.

Another good example is an Irish guy being refused a job because "He would be drunk all the time". Sued the company and won. (happened in the UK some years ago).

Rightly so. It doesn't take away from the fact that we as a nation appear to have a problem with alcohol though. One can surely realise that an individual can and should be regarded as just that, an individual, whereas certain dodgy aspects of the culture they sprang from can be examined and criticised where applicable. That's the problem with much of the liberal wooly headed thinking afoot these days. While trying to combat neo fascist ideology, this line when taken to its extreme can be just as farcical as the very idiots its attempting to enlighten. Hello baby with the bath water.

There is nothing wrong about Catholics having religous stuff in work as long as its not in your face (eg, huge poster of jeusus bleeding on the cross) or they are trying to force the crap on you or isn't offensive to others (eg. poster saying The jews killed Jesus).

Partly agreed. I personally would restrict all religious imagery from the workplace, regardless of creed. Too many nutters get too worked up about their own particular deity, especially when confronted with other points of view. The "my imaginary friend is better than yours" mindset is a dangerous one.

fly_agaric

Hobbes wrote:

Well try saying it in work about an employee and they would have a case for harrassment/bullying.

This isn't "work". It was obviously sarcastic, and for any who were unsure, Wicknight clarified. If you take the political correctness that probably is necessary to an extent in the workplace to (a) control hate-speak by real bigots and (b) maintain a civil atmophere where people are comfortable, and then try to apply it here you are going to suck all the life out of the debate. You will turn this forum into a dustbowl. And as you said earlier - this isn't the Islam forum.

Wibbs wrote:

Its down to context. In a work environment Wicknights comment would rightly be considered a bit suspect(and I seriously doubt he'd say it). However, in this context and thread it's not.

Exactly.

Zombrex

Bloody hell ....

The point of my post was to poke fun at the stereotypes we have of Muslims.

The whole blowing up your desk thing didn't even come from me, it is a joke one of the Arab guys in the office makes all the time "give me that report or I will blow up your desk and chop off your hands!", that kinda thing. He is poking fun at the stereotypical ideas we as Irish and westerners have about Muslims in our society.

It was suggested that while floating the idea of banning Catholic icons from the work place is fine, people wouldn't dare say the same thing to a Muslim? Why not? Do people really believe they would put a Jihad on your ass if you did?

DamoKen

Wicknight wrote:

It was suggested that while floating the idea of banning Catholic icons from the work place is fine, people wouldn't dare say the same thing to a Muslim? Why not? Do people really believe they would put a Jihad on your ass if you did?

well if they don't the PC brigade definitely will . Seriously though, this was obvious sarcasm, but I mentioned it to a colleague in work who happens to be Muslim to gauge his reaction. He laughed as he could clearly see the sarcasm, something a lot of people here evidently can't!

rsynnott

seamus wrote:

Well, that's kind of my point. Many catholics believe that homosexuality is a choice. So, for them it is an equivalent request.

Does anyone REALLY believe that, tho? I thought it was just a party line to justify oppression.

I mean, I really don't remember filling out a form (E6969: Homo)

And this is a very, very silly thread.

egan007

Cantab. wrote:

Given the views of Catholics with regards homosexual persons, should they be allowed be openly religious (crosses, talking about Mass, religious gossip etc.) in the workplace?

Of all the brid brained nonsense:rolleyes: remarks i've ever heard on boards - this is the king. :rolleyes:

wheresthebeef

should members of the Klu Klux Klan be allowed to parade around the streets in their ceremonial dress, hold ceremonies of massive crowds to discuss their ideologies? should they be allowed to make public statements about how black people are inferior?

If a black person see's a person walk by them in a KKK Outfit, are they not horrified and insulted, and a little afraid. Would a gay person not be insulted by the sight of thousands of people who all think that they are immoral and a dirty human being, a sub human. The only reason why its ok, is because so many people are a la carte christians, they can go to mass and pray to god and still see nothing wrong with homosexuality. If every person who went to mass fully believed the churches stance on homosexuality, i'd think twice about going down the town on a sunday.
Just the same way as a black person wouldnt walk by a KKK meeting.

[and yes i understand the issue of black persons and the KKK is an old example. still valid though]

Same thing. Religion is a personal choice, keep it in your own head.

rsynnott

I think the OP was trolling, btw. In the USI thread on TCD, he's arguing against SUs on the basis that they promote terrible things like safe sex and homosexuality.

Zombrex

What by the way what the hell is "religous gossip"? ...

"You hear Mary and Jo have one on the way"

"I never, sure she and Jo just started living together"

"I know, seemingly Jane down the road, you know Davids mother, heard from Paul's dad who knows the sister, that they were doing it back when they were betroved, sure she shouldn't even be in the same room as Jo!"

"I never, and she already has a bun already in the oven, those Galilee women, dirty slapper"

... that kinda thing?

Sangre

wheresthebeef wrote:

should members of the Klu Klux Klan be allowed to parade around the streets in their ceremonial dress, hold ceremonies of massive crowds to discuss their ideologies? should they be allowed to make public statements about how black people are inferior?

You do realise they are perfectly entitled to do this in America?

rsynnott

For that matter, they probably are here, too. There's little enough regulation of hate-speech here; I'm undecided on whether this is a bad thing or not. Attempting to regulate bigots out of existence seems like a strange approach...

Sangre

They'd probably stop it heredue to public morality reasons or attempting to incite violence.
Freedom of speech here is nowhere near America, we don't even have a guarantee of it.