Religion at work?

The problem is that the manager is your boss. If she mentions it again, if it were me, I would reiterate that I really do not want to discuss religion in the workplace, that it is inappropriate. If you are able, you might save her face by making a joke about how you don't discuss sex, politics or religion at work.

If she persists, you can do one of two things. You can either let it go in one ear and out the other. I don't know where you live, but in the US, a person in your position could report to HR that you are being harrassed. I would only use that option if she were really obnoxious, and refuses to let up. In general, it would be much better to create an understanding with her, person to person.

She is your boss of work, not of your entire life or your religion.
If she starts to talk to you about it again, interupt at an appropriate moment and start to talk about your religion and beliefs and keep going on, not letting her get a word in edgeways.
See what she does.

Yeah, Phoenix, i could report it to HR...but then she isn't really harassing me. I just think it's unfair that she subjects me to this kind of religious talk.
I told her VERY firmly this morning that I wasn't interested in discussing religion or politics. She kept telling me that this was spiritual and not religious..i said that was included too.

I'm hoping she'll just keep quiet..Good idea, material girl. But I dont have any religious beliefs to speak about......

Then you could talk about absolutely anything and she should listen to it,like you have to, but make it sound like its really important to you and yuod appreciate it if she listened.

Question for clarification Sakhi...

Is she actually promoting her religion, or more describing what she did over the weekend (perhaps in more detail than you would like)?

To play devils advocate here, I work with (or have worked with in the past) people who talk about all sorts of stuff they did over the weekend/on their own time that I find really annoying or boring.

I work with one woman who can literally go on for hours about a trip to a department store, describing in minute detail every article of clothing she looked at. Her life centers around that and the goings on of every celeb in Hollywood. This 50 plus woman is blind to the fact that no one wants to even engage her in conversation because it always leads to something no one wants to hear. So, we've all learned to turn a semi-deaf ear and privately say amongst ourselves, "that's just Donna"

I also think about people who go on and on about some sporting event or their babies, neither of which I have much interest in. I've had people try to convince me I'm missing out on life because I don't go to a football game or have children. But I don't think I could go to HR and complain that someone is trying to make me have babies or turn me into a Longhorn fan.

I can totally agree that trying to convert people to another religion at work is wrong, but is she trying to convert anyone, or more just giving her own version of what she does on her own time? Her reply to "so, what did you do this weekend"?

Chai--

Good observation.

Chai, I told Donna what you said and she wants to have a word with you...

[pulls up a chair and settles in to watch]

No she doesn't.
On top of everything else, she incredibly passive aggressive. She'd never come out and do something as sane as address an issue.

It's kinda a benefit for her actually, because now she has one more thing to add to the drama of her life.


sorry sakhi, back to you...

Here's a response you could use:

Thanks for telling me that. I had an experience this weekend. I was looking for one of those new yoga mats and you know, they come in all these bright happy colours? Well, I don't want the colour to distract me because of the vibrancy so I was looking for one in maybe a neutral colour? I love the turquoise but it is SO energizing! Don't you think? And the pink! Well, the pink is just so HAPPYHAPPYHAPPY! And the lime green - I don't really know WHAT to think of THAT colour! It reminds me of margaritas!! But everywhere I went - and believe me, I COMBED this town! - they only had these really vibrant colours. So when the saleslady came up to me, I asked her WHY WHY WHY all these bright colours????? Why not a neutral tone, like BEIGE or WHITE, even? And you know, she didn't have an answer. I tell you, she just stood there like a dumb sheep and shrugged. No idea. So, once again, I left a store empty-handed and really disappointed because I really want to start my yoga class but I need a mat, you know?

mame,.... . I'm very annoyed with her today (about something else)...that made me laugh, thanks.

Chai, I know what you mean...she does that too...tells me what she did over the weekend and all that. But this isn't that. She is not simply telling us what she did over the weekend...she is asking us to attend their courses and telling us how helpful it is to "destress" etc etc....She also tells us how their "Guru" is better than all the others. Actually I don't really need to withold information about what she's trying to push down my throat.
http://www.artofliving.org/ - this is the foundation she is trying to popularize....They are very popular and I have absolutely nothing against them. I enjoy Yoga too...but I simply don't like she promotes the foundation and their Guru.....She keeps saying "Oh Guru X is no good ..but our Guru you know he's amazing...You should attend the event next week....Shall I get you the passes tomorrow...Bring your husband also.....yak yak yak yak"...
Even after my firm warning a couple of days ago...she talks to me about it today. I pretended I was deaf.

She had come to my desk half hour ago.. yesterday she heard something (at the course) from the Bhagavad Gita (Hindus' holy book) and she wants to share that pearl of wisdom with me. I told her I was busy....She's my manager - not sure how long I can keep on being rude to her...

I can just imagine the results of telling my boss I was too busy to talk with him. Maybe it's different in India. Maybe it's different if your boss doesn't own the company. In any case, I would like to have a new job pretty well lined up before I tried it.

This is a tough situation because it is a superior doing the preaching. Maybe you should say you respect her beliefs and you're happy she has found her truth, but you are not ready to explore these things at this time in your life. Tell her that when you are ready you will let her know, but until then you would prefer to keep your spiritual journey a private one.