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    You May Have to Just Tolerate Your Scripture Quoting Boss (Especially if He’s Your Pastor)

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    Her answer:  Managers who bombard employees with their religious beliefs are abusing the power of their position. People in secular organizations should not feel that their spiritual values affect performance reviews. I wonder how your boss would react if his own manager constantly quoted the Koran or the Torah.

    Your recourse in this situation depends on the size of the business. In a larger company, human relations will be concerned about possible charges of religious discrimination, so you should take your situation to that department.

    But if you’re in a small business and the offensive manager is the owner, then you’re pretty much out of luck. You will need to control your irritation.

    When your boss answers policy questions with Biblical quotations, listen politely and then say, “I’m not sure that I understand the company’s policy on that issue. Could you clarify it for me?” And silently remind yourself that once you graduate, you will be able to escape this proselytizing manager.

    ... Yeah, try that line on your pastor the next time he quotes you a scripture… smile

    Todd

    SOURCE:  STLtoday.com

    In a "Dear Abby" type column, Marie McIntyre answers the following question in a St. Louis newspaper: "My boss is always quoting Scripture. No matter what problem we take to him, his answer is a Bible verse. It is so bad that employees hate to talk to him about anything. One day, I finally told him to please quote policy and procedures to me instead of quoting Scripture. Since then, our meetings have been somewhat awkward. Even though I'm a very good employee, I get the feeling that now he doesn't want me here. But I need to stay in this job until I finish school. How do you deal with a manager who talks about religion instead of addressing work issues?

    Comments

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    1. Brian La Croix on Wed, February 21, 2007

      Not knowing all that is involved with this, I would offer the following possibilities:


      1.  The boss is simply displaying the fact that the Bible is applicable to everyday settings, including the workplace.


      2.  He thinks he’s a spiritual know-it-all and is simply trying to people with his knowledge of Scripture.


      In either case, he is making a lousy impression, and no matter what his motives are (and I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt), he is coming across as a nut-case, and a domineering one at that.


      One of the heartbreaks of my ministry experience is that I find that Christians have a hard time living out a Biblical faith in the workplace in a way that attracts people to Christ rather than repelling them.


      Case in point: I personally know of professing Christians - people who would pray for you at the drop of a hat, who read the Bible on a regular, if not daily basis, could share the plan of salvation, and are regular in church attendance and giving.  However, they have lousy reputations in the community, for a number of reasons.  Their witness is horrible, and they have almost zero chance of being effective for Christ in the marketplace.


      When someone I’m trying to impact for Christ asks me if I know these people, I can only hope that when I say I do, that they will have had a positive experience with them.  If not, then I have to pray that the Holy Spirit will help them see past that and consider Jesus in spite of how they were treated by some of His followers.


      On the flip side, I also pray for those who were on the receiving end of MY early efforts at high-pressure witnessing from years ago!


      So what advice would I offer the boss in this situation?


      Live the principles and pray for an opening to share the Biblical basis for them, but not to spout Scripture in every instance, unless asked specifically.  If people see you as a productive and caring boss, not out to promote an agenda, you will probably get more opportunities to share the basis of your work ethic and reason for living.


      Brian

    2. Peter Hamm on Thu, February 22, 2007

      I don’t quote the Bible to people unless I know them pretty well. It makes me look like a know-it-all, which, of course… I am…

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