What about the "pledge of allegiance" "one nation under God..."

Our children are praying together every morning in the public school. Does this make you think twice?

Every agency has an ethics officer and should have an anonymous ethics help/tip line. Call, don't leave your name, describe the praying and the food catered by coworker's side business. The ethics people are obligated to investigate and kick it up to the IG.

Now that you explain it more, I see even less of a problem with it. Sounds completely optional, though you may have been a little unsure with it being just your second day and the prayer wasn't supervisor led anyway. If everyone chose to go, that still doesn't make it mandatory. Heck, I'd put up with sun worship, chanting monks, or whirling dervishes to get some good eggs and biscuits in the morning.

OP here:

First, I'm not a troll. I promise you this absolutely did happen in DC, Fed. gov. office, less than a month ago, non-military office. There was no indication prior to everyone meeting in the conference room (around 10:00 in the morning) that there was going to be a brunch or that there was going to be a prayer time. EVERYONE in the division was there. I was just going with the flow as it appeared I was expected to. In fact, I really didn't want anything to eat (having already had breakfast), but I felt obligated to make a gracious showing of interest so as not to offend.

As for the food -- I mean it was "catered" as home catering is done. Biscuits, scrambled eggs, some sort of meat that was grilled I think, fruit, spaghetti with some kind of asian sauce, bacon, I can't remember if there was gravy. I was like, "who brought all this food?!" and that's when someone said "XX makes it. She caters from her house." I wasn't asked for $$ as it was my second day, but I'm assuming that the employees pay for it, not the gov. The decision to have this monthly "fellowship" and to have it "catered" by one of the workers must have come from the supervisor. The supervisor made opening remarks and handed it over to the co-worker to lead us all in prayer.

I did not want to object to what the rest of the group apparently finds enjoyable. Bad enough that I kind of stick out by my light skin and different background, but to complain about their tradition seems like the kiss of death.

I hope I answered all of the questions that were posed.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gov. office. My second day. Employees gathered in conference room middle of the morning. Boss says we are taking time for "fellowship" and hands the floor over to another employee to "lead us in prayer" which concluded with "... in Jesus Christ, our lord's name. Amen." Then there was food catered by one of the employees who does this as a side business.

I grew up Christian (i.e. Catholic), go to church infrequently, and am not a strong believer in religion at all. I have had many former co-workers/friends who were Jewish and worked in offices where no one lead prayer in a work function.

Would this freak you out? I felt very uncomfortable to say the least.

Get over it people! there is nothing with Fellowship and worshiping God.

Unless you think God doesn't exist. Believing in God doesn't make it OK to parade around and insist everyone else believe too.

Is it okay to "parade around and insist everyone else" not believe?!

Yes, it's my secret plan by discussing secular interests, such as the weather and work projects and what I've had for lunch.

But in all seriousness, if I was the supervisor and I lead everyone at a work meeting/brunch in a song/discussion/chant/meditation about how God doesn't exist, that would ALSO be inappropriate.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gov. office. My second day. Employees gathered in conference room middle of the morning. Boss says we are taking time for "fellowship" and hands the floor over to another employee to "lead us in prayer" which concluded with "... in Jesus Christ, our lord's name. Amen." Then there was food catered by one of the employees who does this as a side business.

I grew up Christian (i.e. Catholic), go to church infrequently, and am not a strong believer in religion at all. I have had many former co-workers/friends who were Jewish and worked in offices where no one lead prayer in a work function.

Would this freak you out? I felt very uncomfortable to say the least.

Get over it people! there is nothing with Fellowship and worshiping God.

Unless you think God doesn't exist. Believing in God doesn't make it OK to parade around and insist everyone else believe too.

Is it okay to "parade around and insist everyone else" not believe?!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Next time explain that this is not within what you believe. If 20 people are going without a problem and actually enjoy this, why complain? Don't attend since it is optional.

Really doesn't matter that 20 people were participating and enjoyed it. There was a time when racism was completely institutionalized and it didn't make it right. If 20 people met in a government office conference room to discuss the rounding up of blacks and really enjoyed the discussion, would that be ok?

What does race have to do with this? Rounding up Blacks is not the same as a boss leading a prayer if this is part of this particular office culture. I have seen people hold a prayer over an office lunch and it was led by a supervisor. Some people stepped out for a few minutes. If other people in OP's office stay behind at their desks, she can do the same or step out during this prayer time. Prayer is not being institutionalized in every area of the Government, in ever office.

+1

What the OP's boss did is completely inappropriate and I'd report it, but comparing it to racist meetings is a ridiculous and offensive stretch. To the PP who made the absurd comparison, why didn't you throw a Holocaust comparison in there for good measure?

Anonymous wrote:

I may also not think that meditation is a worthwhile endeavor, but I'm not about to freak out over someone in the workplace extolling the virtues of it.

True. If everybody on DCUM freaked out over somebody else having different religious views - atheists freaking out over christmas trees, christians freaking out over atheists -- then DCUM would go down the drain fast. Oh wait, we're already there....

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gov. office. My second day. Employees gathered in conference room middle of the morning. Boss says we are taking time for "fellowship" and hands the floor over to another employee to "lead us in prayer" which concluded with "... in Jesus Christ, our lord's name. Amen." Then there was food catered by one of the employees who does this as a side business.

I grew up Christian (i.e. Catholic), go to church infrequently, and am not a strong believer in religion at all. I have had many former co-workers/friends who were Jewish and worked in offices where no one lead prayer in a work function.

Would this freak you out? I felt very uncomfortable to say the least.

Get over it people! there is nothing with Fellowship and worshiping God.

Unless you think God doesn't exist. Believing in God doesn't make it OK to parade around and insist everyone else believe too.

I may also not think that meditation is a worthwhile endeavor, but I'm not about to freak out over someone in the workplace extolling the virtues of it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gov. office. My second day. Employees gathered in conference room middle of the morning. Boss says we are taking time for "fellowship" and hands the floor over to another employee to "lead us in prayer" which concluded with "... in Jesus Christ, our lord's name. Amen." Then there was food catered by one of the employees who does this as a side business.

I grew up Christian (i.e. Catholic), go to church infrequently, and am not a strong believer in religion at all. I have had many former co-workers/friends who were Jewish and worked in offices where no one lead prayer in a work function.

Would this freak you out? I felt very uncomfortable to say the least.

Get over it people! there is nothing with Fellowship and worshiping God.

Unless you think God doesn't exist. Believing in God doesn't make it OK to parade around and insist everyone else believe too.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:More information on this is needed.

Was this work time? Or were the supervisor and employees on their own time, engaging in a purely voluntary activity?

Sounds like this was work time. Do you think all of them clocked out, went to this thing, came back to work and clocked in?

When someone brings in donuts and coffee for everyone do you clock out? Or is it just the 30 seconds of prayer one needs to clock out for?

If it turns into a more than 5 min thing, then yes.

I Meant Nothing Wrong with fellowship and worshipping God!

Anonymous wrote:Gov. office. My second day. Employees gathered in conference room middle of the morning. Boss says we are taking time for "fellowship" and hands the floor over to another employee to "lead us in prayer" which concluded with "... in Jesus Christ, our lord's name. Amen." Then there was food catered by one of the employees who does this as a side business.

I grew up Christian (i.e. Catholic), go to church infrequently, and am not a strong believer in religion at all. I have had many former co-workers/friends who were Jewish and worked in offices where no one lead prayer in a work function.

Would this freak you out? I felt very uncomfortable to say the least.

Get over it people! there is nothing with Fellowship and worshiping God.

Anonymous wrote:More information on this is needed.

Was this work time? Or were the supervisor and employees on their own time, engaging in a purely voluntary activity?

Sounds like this was work time. Do you think all of them clocked out, went to this thing, came back to work and clocked in?

When someone brings in donuts and coffee for everyone do you clock out? Or is it just the 30 seconds of prayer one needs to clock out for?

Anonymous wrote:Op you are a uncle tom of Christians, a quick prayer before a potluck volunteer event is not a big deal. I wish Aa would realize they have more in common with Republicans we believe in your right to Christianity.

No, 18:54, here's the troll.