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help with Harassment at work

Hello sinners,

I'm looking for help with what to do about receiving religious emails at work. I usually just ignore them, but I received one the other day that just really crossed the line.

I don't know how to paste the whole thing here, but the text was the following:

"Hope you score 100
The sentence at the end of this page tells you how to score 100. Enjoy the pictures as you scroll down."
--then there's a series of ugly paintings of a Caucasian christ in various situations--
"I'm not ashamed. He is the only one that can save this
country and they want him removed from the government.
Our great nation will not stand if we delete HIM from all
aspects of our government as the atheists want."
--more images of White Jesus--
"Jesus Test
This is an easy test, you score 100 or zero. It's your
choice. If you aren't ashamed to do this, please follow
the directions. Jesus said, if you are ashamed of me, I
will be ashamed of you before my Father. 'This is the
simplest test. If you Love God, and are not ashamed of
all the marvelous things he has done for you..
Send this to ten people..."

Now, this was forwarded to a group of people (I wasn't singled out) by the HR person of the company I am a temp for. I am not sure if she knows that I'm atheist/agnostic, but she should know how inappropriate the email is for the workplace. Also, the person who sent it to me (nor anybody else I work with, to my knowledge) is a real big fundie freak who is always talking about god and jesus and all that. They are all just the average person who doesn't go to church or read the bible, but just identifies as xian for no real reason. I'm probably not the only person who was offended by the email, but nobody else has said anything.

I'm interested in knowing what sort of legal options there are, so I can know what to do next. What would a Jewish or Muslim person do if they received that and it said "Jews" or "Muslims" instead of "atheists"?

I have saved the email, and can share it but i'd need your email address or instructions on how to get it on here. It has images embedded into it and big crazy font.

Thanks for any help

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Chrys Stevenson on December 10, 2009 at 8:16pm

I'd suggest one of the atheist organizations in the US that have legal teams to deal with these kind of issues. Try the Freedom from Religion Foundation or American Atheists. You might be interested in this case.

Permalink Reply by Jason on December 11, 2009 at 12:19pm

Thank you, Kristy

As far as I can tell, Carletta Sims must have used a private lawyer. There was no mention of the ACLU or any other organization so I assume it was her own lawyer and money.

Permalink Reply by Mohamed Zaki on December 10, 2009 at 8:21pm

I think you should just go to the HR lady and tell her "I really appreciate the emails you forward me but please exclude me from further religious material as i am agnostic/atheist".

thats just my opinion..

Permalink Reply by Larche Osborne on December 11, 2009 at 9:14am

I agree with Mohamed. Even speak to her supervisor if necessary. If you continue to be harassed with Christian literature, delete it without comment. If you are personally harassed or ill-used because your lack of religious beliefs, then contact the ACLU. But first I suggest you speak to the sender, and then her supervisor if that fails. Entangling yourself in a lawsuit should be a last resort.

Permalink Reply by Jason on December 11, 2009 at 12:20pm

Are you sure the ACLU does harassment cases like this, or would there need to be discrimination involved? I was under the impression they focused mainly just on church/state separation, but I could certainly be wrong.

Permalink Reply by Larche Osborne on December 11, 2009 at 12:39pm

I'm not sure, but I'm guessing it would depend on the caseload they are currently carrying in your area. If you are really forced to sue for your rights, hire an attorney to take you on a contingency basis. This should be used only as a last resort; you don't want to alienate your employer when simply talking to your boss would have been effective. Besides, I not sure you could legally sue unless it amounts to true harassment, It might be hard to find enough jurors to vote in your favor, and it might be a matter of how your state law is written.

Permalink Reply by Tonya Wynn on April 11, 2011 at 12:57pm

Go see a Jewish lawyer or judge, even ifhe or she is religious, they will fight for you on this one.

Permalink Reply by Melissa on December 11, 2009 at 12:42am

I'd send back an email about the Flying Spaghetti Monster :-)

Permalink Reply by Jason on December 11, 2009 at 12:22pm

I have thought of sending all sorts of things like that, and if I got in trouble then there'd be a basis for discrimination (it was ok when xians sent it, but not non-xians: preferential treatment).

But this would surely just make things worse. I think I should just talk to her, but I need to think of what I'm going to say. ugh, this has all been so frustrating to think about.

Permalink Reply by Melissa on December 11, 2009 at 12:35pm

You're right. Probably just keep it simple by saying that you don't wish to receive any non work related emails as they are a distraction from performing your work.

Permalink Reply by Lorien on December 11, 2009 at 10:26pm

Wear an atheist T shirt to work and make sure she sees it. Then you don't have to say anything!

Permalink Reply by Lorien on December 11, 2009 at 10:31pm

I have a picture of me and Richard Dawkins signing my God Delusion and another of him signing the Greatest Show plastered on my office wall. Plus I have Dawkins standing in front of the British bus that has the No God ad on it! Everyone at my work who has stepped into my cubicle now knows I am an atheist!