Your Conscience Or Your Job

What would you do if you were required to do something that violated your beliefs, your principles, or your faith? And to say ‘no’ meant unemployment?

Such dilemmas, thankfully, are few in this great nation. Generally, we have a toleration of beliefs that allow those who hold strongly held beliefs to find a workaround.

During the Revolutionary War, Quakers who refused to bear arms assisted in other ways, such as raising money and working in field hospitals. Seventh-Day Adventists who cannot work on Saturday’s are allowed to fill shifts on other days. Muslim checkers in grocery stores in Minneapolis aren’t required to scan pork.

We find ways to make it work.

But it’s becoming increasingly difficult, with employers strapped for resources. They are stepping in and ignoring even the most basic of accommodations. So now, many groups are looking for legislative relief. The Oregon legislature recently passed Workplace Religious Freedom Act, which obligates employers to reasonably attempts to accommodate sincerely-held religious beliefs and practices of employees. There are other state and national efforts.

What is the obligation of the Christ follower? I believe we shouldn’t specifically choose professions that might cause a conflict. Don’t go to Bartending School if you have an issue with alchohol. Don’t work at social services if you have a problem with promoting slothfulness. Don’t work as a stripper if you want to keep your clothes on. Don’t take a job that requires you to work weekends if you believe in keeping the Sabbath holy.

I knew a letter carrier who refused to deliver Victoria’s Secret catalogues. I knew another guy who worked at a convenience store who tried to get out of selling cigarettes. And yet another friend who took a job at a video store who complained about the kinds of movies he had to process.

But it isn’t always so black and white. A contentious issue involves the abortion hot button. A number of Christian pharmacists were concerned that they would have to provide The Morning After abortion pill.

They, and other health care providers, were protected by the Provider Conscience Regulation, which shielded health care professionals who are morally opposed to certain procedures to opt out. But that regulation is opposed by the current administration and may be overturned.

What do you think? Is the employer’s responsibility to accommodate? Or is it the employee’s responsibility to either suck it up, or get another job? Leave your comment here.

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Read all past issues at http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davidrupert

Your conscience or your job