Do your workmates know of your beliefs?

[Orpheus]

Some of the people I work with know, but it usually doesn't come up in discussion... My dogtags have my religious preference as Druid. I have had issues with some of the more immature individuals in my shop give me grief in various forms when they found out, but I attribute that to ignorance... If someone is actually interested, I will discuss it with them but for the most part, it doesn't really matter. I have had a few people in my shop that were obnoxiously Christian to the point that most people avoided them, but they never tried to "convert" me for some reason (one of whom I actually had a long discussion with much later about what I believe and he was quite attentive). I find it better to find what you are comfortable discussing and with whom, but work is work...

[Nicholaas]

I hear you, Tylana. I honestly believe alot of people are simply that self-centered. I've had numerous lengthy conversations with co-workers about this and that, something important to or about them. On the rare occasions I have tried to relate to them without something about me, the conversation is quickly steered back to them.

To the topic itself, since I don't really have a coherent way of describing my beliefs, I just tell people I'm an atheist. Now, anyone that knows me knows I earned my undergrad in theology and philosophy, and people somehow got it into their collective brain that I was a deeply religious person. One individual thought I was training to be a priest! So when I tell people I am an atheist, I get the inevitable confused look...which itself is kinda fun to do, but then I have to explain why I studied religion while not believing a word of it. Some get it, some don't. Most of the time this is not an issue; I'm an extremely quiet person bordering anti-social, so when I do speak up it's usually work-related.

[Maena]

Mostly nobody really knows, simply because it never comes up. I don't hide, I live in a society that IG just doesn't care.
I'm open about my interests and beliefs, sharing in a way folks can understand or relate to, when it feels okay.

One co-worker (like chatting with him) noticed my leather bracelet with Celtic knotwork, as he also has a leather bracelet. So we got into the fact that I like Celtic stuff (I wear a knotwork ring and embroidered a "treequetra" on my lucky shirt). He thought that was cool and told me he had a fantasy novel website. Chatting about authors and books, how some fantasy relates to myths, legends, reality and history. I mentioned that some history is still living. Pulled out a book by Philip I was meaning to return to the library. Wow, that's really interesting! Don't think there's anything wrong with that.

At school I have some spiritually inclined people as classmates, Sathya Sai Baba follower, Zen Buddhist, Hedge Witch etc. yea interesting lot.
I've got some nice piccies on my ring binder, going with the seasons, for inspiration and comfort as others have Holi celebration images or Buddha art.
Of course people ask when you get to know them a bit. Telling a bit about Celtic spirituality, I've found that nobody seems to have heard of Druidry
Made a nice instruction assignment: How to make a Brigit's Cross

If I'd be in a less tolerant environment I'd be more private, but if people are curious why not share a bit?

[Cannaid]

I would have to say .. no.

I work in a very spirit based (or at least it used to be) environment. I had a member of management do some painful and sad things to me as a direct result of my way of being. It was painful and like the doctors said: if it hurts to raise your arm...don't do that. As the environment is now shifting away from the spirit I find that I have no desire to speak of my spiritual life. Of course it is incorporated into my very being but I am adept at keeping it down to a dull roar. This I will not adjust.

When I head outside for my break with a bag of birdseed, sunflower seeds, and peanuts everyone knows that I am feeding the wildlife. The way that translates into their treament of me...well let's just say I've been called worse than a "crazy" before. They just don't get it, and that is alright.

Now my life away from work is very full of like minded folks. I can't think of anyone outside of work that doesn't know who I am.

I suppose that I have made the decision to keep my way of life to myself while at work.

[Wandering Wizard]

I do not bring up the topic at work. I wear a pentacle fairly openly (pendant shows between my polo shirt's buttons), but i am rarely asked about it. If i am, i give an appropriate, brief explanation, and shift the conversation back to work.

Generally, that is how I handle it too. At this point I am Wiccan and I generally wear two pentagrams,a small ring on my right hand and one of two necklaces. At work (grocery clerk) I generally keep the necklace inside my uniform,but still wear the ring. Usually no one asks or seems to notice. If anyone does ask,I usually offer a brief explanation and get back to work.

As long as I show up,work hard,and get my job done, no one seems to care what I believe,so I leave it at that.

[Rook]

I work in a mixed community team of psychiatrists psychiatric nurses and a social worker (me) and all the staff know I am pagan. It is a mixed faith team of a committed Muslim, committed Hindu , a committed catholic and the rest being nominally Christian but not practising. Partly being open is due to spirituality and the right to practise it is an issue within mental health services. Partly I told them as it is my duty to defend other folks spiritual rights and therefore would have been, in my opinion, two faced to support others and yet hide my own beliefs. Finally I let everyone know so that there would be no issue in me taking time off for celebrations of rites, assisting in handfastings etc as the team work 365 day a year. It is our statutory right to be given our 'holy days' off like any other faith group. My boss has been supportive giving me priority for booking leave on major spiritual days on the understanding I cover for others on their special days. Some people have asked about paganism and others have teased but in a good natured way and I give as good as I get. I do have an issue with people frequently using Witch as a term of abuse, not that I use the term to describe myself, but have many friends who do. Otherwise being open about my spirituality to other staff has been nothing but positive. Naturally one's own spirituality is not a subject appropriate for discussion with clients.
I have noticed in Lancashire hospitals do not seem to provide pagan chaplins as they do in Merseyside which is sad.

[Woodfox]

I don't ever get asked about my religion really. A few people at work have mentioned what church they go to or whatever, and we have a very multi-national work group, and I assume some of the people there will be something other than Christian, however, the one time I was asked something about my faith practice, I simply said "Oh no, I don't go to church." And someone else (not an immediate co worker, but working in the same hospital) invited me to church with them, and I just said I didn't have any interest in it, but thanks.

Most people know I am a bit of a hippy but it surprises them because I'm rather straight-laced, so I doubt anyone has a clue as to my religion. I suspect 1 other person at work of following an earth-based path but haven't asked.

That said, I take my gwersi to work with me, and read them in the time I have to myself just before I start my shift, so I imagine someone will discover this at some point. I don't have any plan to hide it intentionally, but I'm not going to offer up the information either unless someone asks directly.

[Alchemilla]

I don't think they know and they never asked. I have most colleagues as friends on this big face-youknowwhat community and my belief is stated there. Nobody seems to care. But then again I work in a multi-national company with people from all over the world and many of them have different beliefs, from Christians to Moslems, Jews, ... So religion as such is not an issue in our office and nobody talks about it. However, during Ramadan the Moslems are allowed to pray in the boardroom which was a new experience for me when I started working in the office. But nobody seems to bother, so everything is quite relaxed. My supervisor knows mainly because I gave her lots of advice on how to calm down, talking about Zen a lot etc. so at one point she asked. But she never said anything against it, and why should she? My manager talks a lot about her church and another colleague of mine constantly tells the others that Jesus does this and Jesus does that. Bless her, she is lovely.. at one point I gave her a hand and she said "You are such a nice person, Jesus must love you" .

[Frog]

I've made no secret of it in my place of work, especially if I'm booking time off for special occaisons. But I don't ram it home, just am honest about my beliefs if the subject comes up (luckily being local government we tend to be quite open and friendly here).

The only issue I have had was when I re-applied for my Scout Leaders warrant. Before I'd listed "CofE" (blanket / token item to get past the appointments committee - in the UK warranted Scouters have to believe that there is something bigger than us - so athiests are currently excluded from the movement). I decided to put Pagan(Druid) - and as I thought this might cause a problem I told my colleagues and parents (our local appointment committee is all christian-faith). Luckily all it ended up being was a 15-minute chat with the District Commissioner to confirm my belief - and that was that.

[Solitaire]

Well, since I am my own boss I don't have to deal with this issue any longer. I usually wear a small pendant which states Old Path but is small enough to go unnoticed by common folks. My former employer made a big issue about my belief and proved to be heavily anti-pagan (intereestingly enough, that company currently tries to get a foothold in the UK market), so I decided to keep my belief normally to myself when I am not sure how others may deal with it.

[Wolfe Spirit]

I was never really asked the questions, but religion does seem to come up alot at the break room table. Having not been asked, I've never really said what I believe in, but if I was, I would have no fear in explaining my beliefs. I'm sure I'll take alot of grief from it as well since I am the youngest guy on the crew, but oh well. I stopped caring what people thought or said to me back in highschool....

[Woodfox]

An update....

One of the girls at work is very open about her beliefs as a Witch so I've told her my religious persuasion, but she's the only one. When everyone in my particular section found out all they said was "What's a pagan?" And just sort of went, oh yeh. And carried on with their work. That's it. So I've been thinking about me and why I'm so afraid of being judged for my beliefs, but I think for me, it's just a generalized fear of being judged, so I'm trying to get over that.

[Aitrus]

I have Druid on my dogtags, but nobody's ever given me grief over it because most don't look at dogtags. In my workcenter, we sometimes get into religious discussions, and I usually try to enlighten others if they voice incorrect facts about Pagans. Only my boss knows I'm a Druid, and doesn't have a problem with it. She's Christian, but half Native American. When I told her that Druidry is essentially like Native American beliefs, but for the Celts, she understood right away and doesn't think badly about it.

It is difficult sometimes. Working for the military means that I am required to go to certain meetings. Sometimes, these meetings are begun with a prayer by the Chaplain. Nobody is required to pray, but you can get some really evil looks if your head isn't bowed. I just shrug it off and press on.

And I chuckle every time I see advertisements for things like Easter Egg hunts at the Chapel, "The True History of Christmas" flyers, etc. It was good to see a Manorah alongside the Manger and Christmas Tree this year though. Maybe they're branching out.

[Night Owl]

Dear all,

A few collegues of mine know me being a witch for years, and they're not surprised at all It results in very warm and inspiring and long talks, with all room for respect and wonder. Although didn't tell them yet about the bardic course just started, all things come at their time
I wear my pentagram without hiding it, answering questions about it whenever I'm asked. I don't come out myself, leaving room for anyone and expecting the same from them. All and all I feel very respected and beloved as a collegue and employee, but it surely helps that I work in mental healthcare (there they know how to deal with loonatics there ) but before this while working in IT it never was a problem either.
Just be your-steady-self and stay in contact.

Blessed be,
Night Owl

[panidaho]

I generally make it a habit not to talk about politics, sex or religion at work. My personal life and beliefs are very private aspects of who I am, and I also worry that getting too personal with co-workers is risky in my profession. So, in my case, no they don't know, and I will likely keep it that way.

[shirley mclaren]

My faith is on my HR file but as for day to day colleagues, I always wear my silver Awen medallion on show every single day but no-one so far has asked me anything about it. But if they did, I would have no problem in telling them.

BB

Shirley

[Nightfalls]

The guys at work noticed when i started bringing a green book in and wearing a Celtic cross. One approached me and said he was part Irish and knows a little about what i believe in, he even has a Celtic cross tattoo. The rest like to poke fun at me but its ok i give them just as much crap back as they give me.

[plaidcat]

Coming back and reading this thread again, I figure I'd post a "nearly 3 year update" lol.

Largely I've matured in my self-esteem and I am more comfortable being frank with people if they ask about my beliefs. I don't mind a brief introductory conversation based on the interest level of the questioner. I'm more willing to "play the pagan card," and am immovable in my needs to be off for certain days, though I am up front about my willingness to compensate by working on Christian holidays or eves, such as Easter or Christmas Eve. I still live in Texas, but now work for a Major Coffee Company instead of a Major Pet Supplier, so the stakes haven't been altered all that much.
I actually had the guts to make a stink about a year ago because I worked at another store (in my Major Coffee Company [I'll give you one guess as to which one]) in the area... and there was a fairly large cross displayed prominently in the back room of the store. It made me intensely uneasy, and I confided in my store manager, who reported to our district manager, who had it taken down. No names given, the simple reason of a "welcoming work environment" being sufficient.
This year I'll even be inviting most of my store to a winter solstice party. Huzzah!

[Alan C]

Afternoon
I live and work within a military environment and due to this it is full of great tradition and heritage. Some of this has a Christian theme, things like the yearly carol service and obviously Novembers Remberance parade. These are big dates and a large part of the world that I live in. I don’t have a problem with any of it in fact I do enjoy all of the pomp and ceremony.
As to the religious side I don’t rub against it and it doesn’t get in my way, most of my close work mates know of my beliefs and I am met with little more that genuine curiosity, and the odd tree hugging, virgin sacrifice quip but it is always in jest. I honestly believe that my pals would be genuinely mortified if they believed they had upset me.
I don’t yet believe that the Army is ready for full acceptance and religious representation not because they are against it but because the subject has yet to come up.

[emmao1111]

Hi. I work for Sussex Police. Not only do my colleagues know, I have actually had Paganism recognised on a force level. I now sit on an internal inter faith forum which discusses and faith related issues which are then put forward to the command team.

I have never gone round shouting it out from the roof tops, but it was important to me that my views were as valuable as the next, and as a service we should be as diverse as the community we serve. I have never had any resistance from the force.

The odd person has pointed the finger and called me "witch" or whatever. I just smile to myself and think how silly and narrow minded they make themselves sound. Most of my colleagues are genuinely interested and after questioning have realised how normal and down to earth - literally - my way of life is.