My atheism.

Like Binny, I work for myself. A comment made by her hit home and I realized I'm not so alone.

When on a job that part of me has to to be locked in the closet.

It just grates my cheese when a customer starts in with the "Oh thank Jesus, praise God he sent you here." (I thought it was their phone call to me that sent me there(?)) when the repairs are minor and inexpensive.

When giving bad news, major repairs/expensive I get asked "Are you Christian?" as if they are judging my honesty by asking this question.

Or even worse they start 'witnessing' to me and that part of me locked in that closet also needs to be bound and gagged because I got a $1800 job staring at me and honesty about that aspect of my life most likely would cost me that job. So I force myself to 'play the part' and I respond "Oh yes, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Halleluja. Praise God! etc etc etc ad nauseum...."

Anyone else? Anyone else here who's very bread and butter, who's very livelyhood would be threatened if they gave honest answers or responses to religious actions by others? Have you ever taken a chance and been honest and it cost you a job or money in some way?

My boss teaches Sunday school in the US. But I am in Europe so it doesn't bother me that much. He knows by now I am an atheist (it would be kind of hard to keep that a secret if he checks my internet traffic ) but he also knows I do my job well so we don't bother each other with discussions on religion.

At a time in my life I worked 15 years (FIFTEEN YEARS!) for a State entity.

I got many many little bs 'awards' for excellence. Employee of the month numerous times. Lots of accolades for being a super employee. Got promotions and lots of pats on the back by my superiors.


Then I let that boy out of the closet. Part of my duties was ensuring the crazy people were not denied their right to go to church. This means if I had to take them myself I would and did.

No problem, I'd stand in the back of the church and keep an eye on my wards. Complaints were made that standing in the back was distracting to the 'services'. So I got a chair and sat down.

Then the preacher bitched because I didn't stand up when he called for 'everyone stand' or kneeled or bowed my head or whatever. He started bitching because I was not participating.

Out of the closet I came and said "No. My job is to cart the crazies to and fro this church and respond if they "lose it". That's it. I'm an atheist and will not participate.

Word of this got to me superiors, discussions were had, before a year was up I was looking for another job.

My years upon years of loyal decorated service meant nothing.

I worked for the State of Texas. The church was/is state-run and financed on state property. It was/is staffed by tax-payer dollars.

Looks like I had a case huh?

Nope. I could find no lawyer willing to take on the State even though the very existance of this state-run church on state property was in violation of the Texas State constitution.

Some good did come out of this whole mess. I'll relate that if anyone is interested, gotta run off to work right now.


(Hmmmm.... I wonder if keeping a bible on the dash of my truck would help culminate some buisness.)

I work for the city. Coworkers that actually talk to me pretty much know, my boss knows. One very religious Christian knows I'm an atheist and she finds it a point of intrigue, not scorn. When Obama mentioned nonbelievers in his inauguration speech she happily told me she thought of me.

If I was fired for my lack of belief, the city would find one hell of a lawsuit on their hands.

But hey, I live in liberal Massachusetts.

I'm staggered! Of course, I always realised that the U.S. was very religious but didn't realise how ridiculously religious it was. No disrespect but the stories I've heard make it sound like a third world country.

If someone tried to minister to me I'd freak out and give them a Hitchens style lecture. No wonder he has decided to live there because that's where change is most needed.

Apart from that I love the U.S.

I have never had any of my clients ask me out right if I'm a Christian, but I've been to many weddings with overly long prayers in them and god this and god that during the ceremony. At least during prayer time no one wonders why I don't participate. I asked my super religious nephew what he thought would be appropriate to do when I take photos while everyone was praying and he said "Why would anyone want a photo of them taken while they prayed?", so I still take the photos I recently did a family photo shoot for one of the church ladies. She kept saying what a blessing it was that I did this for them. I was under the impression that I did it for them because she asked and wrote me a check. I have to bite my tongue and smile. Another thing that sucks is I have to be cautious on my facebook and myspace accounts because I have clients as friends. I've lost client friends because I'll post some small political left remark, usually on the stupidity of the health care debate. The clients I've lost have been on the right. I've also had one dumb ass (another photographer) that told me how silly I am for posting the things I do. Of course it took him two paragraphs to comment on my one sentence post. I felt like telling him "If you don't like what I have to say don't fucking read it. I have to read all those prays god, thank you jesus, and god bless yous that people think they need to write all the fucking time." There have been many great videos I've seen here that I would love to share on facebook with my creepy religious family members just to get a rise out of them (because I'm a brat), but I can't. If I did I'm sure the word would get out about that atheist photographer, she's an evil one.
I wonder if there's a market for an atheist photographer? Could I market that? Could this be my niche?

My job, no. I do helpdesk support so it really doesn't come up.

At home, my girlfriend is pretty religious so I do have to bite my tongue occasionally. She is fully aware that I'm an atheist though and I actually mock religion in general pretty openly, so it's not really a closet situation.

Dotard, that sounds rough. I know it's probably in the past now, but did you consider contacting the ACLU?

It's sad how much discrimination there is in general. I support you if you get a case and I'm on the jury. It's closed mindedness in general and I sympathize (not based on religion but race).

Quote:Anyone else? Anyone else here who's very bread and butter, who's very livelyhood would be threatened if they gave honest answers or responses to religious actions by others? Have you ever taken a chance and been honest and it cost you a job or money in some way?

Nope. Not in the UK.

When I worked in the wild life trust I found that everyone there was atheist. It's not often I bump into a theist. Same thing for everything I got involved with. After hearing all this religious nuttery in the US I'm just thankful I'm not over there.
One thing I've got to ask is...how do you survive all that over there?

It's difficult for me. I escape to places like this. I'm glad the people I live with feel the same way I do. If my husband was a religious nut I don't think we'd still be married.