Christianity in the Workplace Part 1

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Enjoy share it, but most of all, thank you for listening and choosing the truth. Podcast network. This is the Truth Network welcome to man talk brought to you by TA W. CM is talking and walking Christian men's ministry where they're devoted to breaking down the walls of race and accommodation challenging as our host will Hardy and Roy Jones Junior a black eye and a white guy LOL well I want to know the cross from this man here and I want to know what did happen. Roy people. That's what we all know to know where is Roy where is the one I got got a bald head. I am back with bags that are good to be bad it is that is good to see you. Good to have you.

Good that you have an opportunity to get some time.

Take some time away, reflect, and refresh is how you already to go. I'm ready go will thank you so much of and on behalf of my absence this was a thank you for filling in that first week I wasn't feeling well, nonetheless, was on vacation, but thank you so much. It's good to be back in 15 praise God praise God so listeners, what what would happen if, and I'm talking to the man now you you go home and you look your wife right in the face and use and she was. She says what you don't know what you doing home and you say honey I got fired.

You got fired. Why did you get fired for sharing my faith for spreading the gospel see.

So today show. Roy is important because man you need to know your rights, that's exactly right and see rights just as it's it's written in Scripture we we can read over their course in Romans 13 where it talks about you know God established government so if God established government and the laws thereof.

There are laws that protect you for sharing the gospel. That's great Will great lead in.

And the reason the laws and the government was created was to govern unrighteousness and exactly govern in morality, and I directly say that's important we recognize so we want to be talking about listeners today we going to be talking about title VII title VII is actually a it's a title that's under the civil rights movement at or Civil Rights Act of 1967 and so this comes from the equal employment opportunity commission EEOC as most of you would know exactly and so where were going to give you an overview of some of the rights that you have as a born-again believer because we're not attorneys. Here we are not lawyers but we what we want to do is heighten your awareness when it comes to what your rights are from a very very high level perspective. Everybody needs notoriety, exactly, will, and one of the things that you when we try to teach and bring the stage for this is from ACLJ ably. Recently there were going to share this information from a wood well educated father, exactly, is in the quick father is an armed fall and when I talk to this retort, you need the knowledge to know what your rights are so that you are comfortable in sharing in the right situations at work, you know, if someone tries to back you down about your sharing of your faith what you're able to do legally exactly that and and course when Roy talk about ACL J that's the American center for Law and Justice. So the day. These folks have done excellent work.

They have helped individuals out who have been in crises and so this is the the resource that we use in any great job that you don't hear will pull this information together for so where want to lead often out the first terrorism but sincerely held religious belief. What is that mean exactly and say this is in a sincere belief is something that was it consistently may be considered evidence that the belief is not sincere, but it is sincere to the point if you as an individual how your your belief or the religion in which you practice says that certain. Sometimes this is an example certain.

So times of the day that you must do this to fulfill a that's sincere belief that you have now an employer is going to be watching and what Roy they want to do is they want to make sure that you are indeed sincere and you're not just giving this up as a means of getting out of work or getting out of some responsiveness directly and in and generally speaking sincerely held religious belief recorded ACL J is not normally what goes to the question right this it gets other components which will address your later.

But that's exactly right will about that and if it's something it may not be necessary related to your doctrine. It may not business related to Scripture. It could be something that is just part of your practicing of your faith, which is really unique and how they describe this exactly that had to be called out in the doctrinal issues and those other items for to be legitimate but you have to make it known to you have to make it known to the to the employer and see Matt's that something as we go through this that the ACL J points out that it doesn't necessarily have to be in writing, but it's best to put it in writing so that you can have a referral or actually some of this can go into your record. That's right. And when you put in a simple email or simple memo to Boston say based on my beliefs do not wish to participate in specific issue or item or activity and what you do that you go on record and you basically taken the stand and says this is where I stand. Based on my beliefs and then your employer has record of it and then the conversation comes up again. Or there's some issue around the workaround activity you got that to talk to your employer about absolutely and and your employer according to title VII must make a reasonable effort in order to ensure that the the sincere belief or practice which you hold based on your religious belief that they can accommodate that, and that is up to the point where it will not interfere with your work or the environment in which you are working so that's important I think to two of the centroid that you are Ensuring that your capturing everything that you need to capture with respect to your sincere belief, but it also holds the employee responsible to ensure that they have taken your requests with respect to your belief and attempt to reasonably get yeah I'm late you to come to class to very good will and that's one of things folks is you jotted notes down will try to maybe will have thought about this week to support a few of these notes out the website would like to have selected accessible or lease a hyperlink over to this article 40 for the listeners.

That's a WW WT a WC MM.com claimant EA W CMM.com will try to get that out for you next week. So the next thing we talked about back to what will it short order important for the poor religious belief that this is toots number two component within this requirement in the is will sure, it's important to do it in writing so what assesses Nexium plus employee must show the employer was aware of the belief if they were having a complaint related to this title VII and when they say that they mean you have notified your port, i.e. the thing back in writing that says here. This is not religious belief. This is the reason I can't participate or don't will be a part of this or don't want to be subject to this particular subject matter that you're pushing or talking about or ask me to participate in the forward has sufficient notice of the poor's religious belief. If he is has enough information about the importance religious needs to permit the employer to understand this is key folks to understand the existence of a conflict between employees religious practices in the employer's job requirements and the best way to form employer is in writing with a simple letter or email to your port are employer accommodate the sincerely held religious belief by allowing me to or not to require me to point Porsche signed the note and data, and keep a record of what you sent to your employer. So you're saying I'm requesting that you my employer accommodate the sincerely held religious belief by allow me to or not to require me to blank whatever the activity is that she feels a conflict within your belief. You just basically describing reversible form with the email to your boss.

A man in that way it's it's handled and then your boss if if they're worth their weight in gold would turn around circular sale talk about what we need to do to accommodate or how we can help you here so we don't have an issue based best serves your personal beliefs folks in today's time.

You know they're there so many people searching out there for answers that there's a big void in our lives and we basically created that void with all the distraction Satan is used throughout time and has had more tools as we talked about previous shows. If your boss might be one of those people searching if you handle this conversation probably and your needs and your desire, it may be an opportunity to share the gospel with your supervisor if you do not have the opportunity to close an open door because they're addressing your needs and you have a door opened her talk about their ability to witness in the workplace or just a little bit as well.

Absolutely, Nancy, and it's not. It's not that you are attempting to force or if you if you when you join the company that the employee employer may come back and say hey you had brought this up to my attention before. Well title VII addresses that to because it doesn't necessarily mean that when you join the company that you were at the point of observing that religious belief right can be instantaneous after this happened yesterday by Triton and and so that does not permit them from not making a reasonable attempt to accommodate you even though you have been working for the company.

1015 20 years. Excellent point will and that's a very key there, the distributor, it will just share the endless mirror back is that if you just become a new believer, you give this country for 20 years. Your new believer in the fall of Christ and also now things are offensive to you that you once were asked to be a part of rest do not have ground to stand on just a simple email to your supervisor said look, I'm now born again Christian no longer accept supported abortion what and I want don't want to go be a part of your organization or things are going on the go against the will of God. So wills point, it doesn't have to be long stay. It could have just happened in your life or convictions come on your heart.

Just the last few days indeed, and religion. That particular word and we understand we who are born again in an belief understand religion, but religion is a broad-based term but title VII does not include religion or and and expand religion into extremist groups and make sure we make that known to you and one-to-one sale straight was like Ku Klux Klan because of some of their standings in their in their history was court of record through to be on some sort of foundation that we all fit well sector head at with that. That was one of the extremes. It was six they specifically called out in their example.

So what a great topic. Lydia is legendary photo. Join were ahead this great information will certainly be back in just a few seconds of joint grace. The home good to have you back to your CMM would love to have you join their community of men for breakfast every first and third Friday of every month and Bible discussions and fellowship after the best breakfast in town meeting location is at their voracious poster First Christian Church in Kernersville, 1130 N. Main St. encouraged him a hard start at 7 o'clock on a hard stop at 8 o'clock. First time visitors eat for free. Join your hose will Hardy Roy Jones Junior, a black guy in a white guy affordable chiropractic in High Point. As you might tell from their name, affordable chiropractic, even for the cash.

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Pray the Lord every five that have loved him. That's all I something that Jane and I like that it is as though Roy was looking at me would like but God is overgrown with live like a kid. Nice job where we we are talking about your rights in the workplace. Don't let the employee your intimidate you with respect to sharing your faith again on the job. So this next point we want to talk about is is basically discriminatory treatment of an employee so this is a person who is sharing their faith and all of us, I think, who have shared our faith with some type of any type of conviction have came across that employee who works for the employee who attempts Roy to sort of like roughly a feather, so to speak, or to do things in such a way as to either try you, or to intimidate you either to quit more to say I want another area of the plant to work in or something to that affect all of us, I think, who have worked in any type of job has had that person that we would have to deal with yet will good leading into this thing about discriminatory treatment of employee and that they feel to courts as part title VII.

If an employee can show they have a sincerely held religious belief and that the employer knew about it.

Title VII prohibits the employer from discriminating against the employee because of the belief discrimination includes the motion, layoff, transfer, failure to promote, discharge, harassment or intimidation or the threat of these adverse employment actions in you as a coworker that would hold true to so someone should not treat you with that any of those actions or any of those methods of intimidation or separation, harassment, etc. so that's something you really need to hold onto and as we move down the line and some the other topics will score come writing behind this is some of those conversations that can be had at your place of work because they speak to this like brakes and sort of postwar things will get into the next area but support folks to know that you can't be harassed because of your beliefs. You can't be discriminated against and we've we've we've talked about this in the past with others fellow fellow workers friends and they're afraid because everyone will say separation of church and state, which has is not in the Constitution is not read it written that way was intended where people are using much like we sometimes do as followers of Christ are grabbed a piece of Scripture and want to say quote just that element without having the four before-and-after scriptures go along with it. So the whole context is understood. But that often times we just are intimidated just by the sheer nature of what society has done as of late, will in the workplace in the in the Social Media Pl. in Christianity has become a really bad word for a lot of folks in the in terms way they think of us sets out most times talk but been a follower of Christ because a lot of folks have given us some tough time because way to behave just as Christians in the so because of Christ is what we need to be known as an and I like even using the term Roy kingdom citizen a manner that because because even though I am on this earth that I am no longer part of this earth. And so my my walk now is a kingdom walk a man and I need to be thinking kingdom, only instead of no longer naturally because of what Ephesians chapter 2 verse five talk about that we are already seated Roy in heavenly places. A man so if I'm already seated in heavenly places and I got my seat. You need to behave like a heavenly place, absolutely. And if I keep my mind on Jesus Christ and then I will have no problem doing that absolutely none. Folks, I think it's list is pause there for a moment.

This I want to dislike that percolated in mind for the second.

He said that he's in the world is not of the world is Artie got a seat at the table if you're followed Christ you have your seated table and seen in the kingdom. And let's not allow what's going on in our politics about what's going on in our society.

What's going on social media distract you or detract you from your mission, your mission is to be a follower of Christ, the disciple be discipled to grow the kingdom and be doing the work of the kingdom. A man and see Roy every state why eyes we were talking about the EEOC. Every state has a field office somewhere. Typically it might be you might have more than one, but typically it's in the capital of that state is where you have an EEOC field office now you if you want to dig deeper into these conversations and the actual title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1967. Then again we going to supply you the link on the TW CMM website but I also want to mention Roy that there may be state laws in the state that you live in that might garner you more protection than the federal laws do, so it's good to also check out what your state laws say don't be slack in this man, because we want you to be as we talk about. We want you to be followers of Christ, but you also have to be aware of the things that you need to be aware of. So you will be taking a job it had been a follower of Christ is me sitting on the sidelines and wait for someone to bring this to you. If this is a problem in your workplace.

Are you having difficulty are you not sure two wills point reach out there and do the research, or reach out and ask want to help you with your research. If you're not sure were certainly reachable on the email with provide that to us on our website will try to link you up with the right person and want to think is going to hear throughout this as well as if you're unsure if you think there's been some issues he can't get resolved it and it they encourage you to ACLJ to reach out to local attorney and speak with him him or her to to have a conversation around this topic and they can quickly identify and help you work through it and that we were not were not promoting lawsuits and letting us know that. Please be clear where just wanting you to know that as a follower of Christ, you are protected by our Constitution embodies actually been in place since the 60s. I guess it's amazing to address these issues so you are protected and that's what's key absolutely. We as followers of Christ are believed to have been intimidated over the last several years to believe that we don't have a say because we know what happens when you try to make a stand on anything this Bible-based these days, it becomes a point accusations of hatred and all these other things which are so untrue, so untrue, so we just try to educate your absolutely right we might make this available and edification is part of what the Scripture says we need to be doing anyway so if you need to be edified with respect educated in the Scriptures that we need to be educated in other areas as well. So that's what we're attempting to do so can can Roy I share the gospel with my coworkers.

You sure can dictate exactly what the ACLJ has narrated back off this title VII. I'm going to read it off the paper. Orson notes survey if required by their religious beliefs. An employee really is religiously motivated expressions of faith are protected by title VII precedents in conversations with other employees. You may refer to biblical passages on slothfulness because convincing these as an adult could do this or get the upset of the coworkers that I don't have to work were doing the get paid the same on the matter. I hated also. Scripture also tells us if you don't work you don't eat eyes and work ethics. Employees can engage in religious speech at work as long as there's no actual imposition on coworkers or disruption of the work routines will repeat that again employees can engage in religious speech at work as long as there's no actual imposition on coworkers or disruption of the work routine generally. No disruption of the work routine will occur if an employee's witnessing takes place during breaks or other free time. If other pores are permitted to use electronic mail and screensavers for speech that is not related to work. An employee who hasn't sincerely held religious belief to communicate their faith with others should also be able to use these modes of communication. So if we think about the great commission right that was to go make disciples of the nation's right which means that serve the gospel right so that is a religious held belief sincerely held belief that we are supposed to go make disciples of all nations. If you truly follow Christ means getting off the sidelines sharing the gospel and have an opportunity, but don't preach to them, don't. Don't over run their workday. Don't type the time if it's during normal breaker an opportunity sure good work perfectly within your rights to do according to what has been written law exactly… This also leads you just sort of like mirroring back what Roy is saying here is that it is probably best to ask someone.

Is it okay if I share the gospel because if you start sharing the gospel an individual say you're interfering with my work.

I don't want to hear that right now. I got work I need to concentrate on. In doing but if you approach them and say hey you know sitting sitting down with them what they see you reading the Scripture, or they may be having a bad day and you can ask them you know about sharing the gospel with them. Jesus Christ, that will open the door because now you have permission to do so rather than confronting someone who simply don't want to hear the gospel and then all of a sudden now there going to the supervisor saying this individual was interfering with my work great example will great example I've done the same. Some ice cream and with a card.

Basically a tough topic you want to talk about it. I said may have permission to speak freely because they want to share with that was on the heart of said may have permission to speak freely, they knew where I stood on my walk. Submit a may have for commissioners freely in the granted permission and it opened the door. It was just a short conversation, but allow me got to share my beliefs and what this subject matter was about and CN and having the I think the ability to share the gospel not only fulfills the great commission. As you mentioned Roy, but I think it also lets other individuals who may work around you understand who you are because certain individuals. They may not say anything but they'll be watching you and it will alienate if they see hey this individual was coming under attack and they're not like keeping a cool and calm and collected. Maybe I need to have a conversation with them so they may come back and say to you, you know, supervisor or a manager jumped in your case and you just Cool.

Can you tell me how you are able to do that.

What is different about your life. You do this because I wrote say that uncle Bill Morris and Stella say is actually speaking so loud I cannot hear a word you say so much for people to see if you act and then your words back to hear your words not see that exactly how do you do have a conduit thing supposedly life you get exposed to stay with him for a lifetime in Oakville was one of those guys that was an elderly senior St. Mo church and to Moses, give her a sense of your list generally has about this is one of those times closely. So to be back with you, Wil's pregnancy will see back next week with part two of Christianity in the workplace as we wrap up today show. Be assured that TA W CMM talking and walking Christian men's ministry is building a community of men Christ followers with a desire to be servant leaders in their homes, communities, churches and work environments.

Check out our website for upcoming events of regularly scheduled meetings opposite note for topics that you would like to have us visit in the future. Thank you for joining us on man talk today. Visit us at www.tawcmm.com men walking the talk. This is the Truth Network