Cross row stokes Christian anger

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wibble

Corpse
Any thoughts on this news story and associated issues of being able to express one's faith?

British Airways has asked a Christian member of staff to conceal her cross necklace because it contravenes the company's uniform policy. But has it added to a sense of unease among Christians?

Crosses may be a fixture around the necks of many Christians, and have even become a fashion accessory for A-list celebrities, but not everyone is happy to see them on display.

Heathrow check-in worker Nadia Eweida is on unpaid leave after refusing to cover up her cross necklace.

"I believe that it is a very important issue on the matter of expressing Christianity and employees having their say in the way they express their faith," she said.

British Airways says all jewellery and religious symbols on chains must be worn under the uniform.
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The rest of the article can be found here :)
 
ah no! not this! i'm gonna go into a rant! no! no!

they should wear the crufifix in whatever way they like. this is abiding by the basic rule that everyone is free and can do what they want. i nearly said 'allowed to do what they want', but that would be confirming that people preside over what we do. everyone has the right to express themselves and their faiths however they want. if they react this way to a crucifix, how would they react to a muslim headscarf??

article 18 of the universal declaration of human rights states that everyone has the right to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.

does this not obviously indicate that people can do what they want in accordance to their beliefs?
 
Well, religious issues aside, it seems to me that it's a simple "visible jewellery" rule. She could have looked at it as an affront to her beliefs, or the simple fact that they have a uniform/dress code, and a necklace dangling out violates that.

Seriously, I think people will just make any excuses to complain these days. If she honestly thinks having to tuck her cross in like everyone else does with their jewellery makes her less of a Christian, than she needs to re-prioritize in my opinion. Or get a job with no dress codes! :p
 
Just to throw this into the mix:

The high school I went to had a uniform/dress code which prohibited any jewellery apart from a single set of stud/sleeper earrings or a plain silver or gold chain as a necklace, UNLESS you were wearing a religious pendant (from any religion) in which case that was okay and you were allowed it.
 
The BBC also have a "Have Your Say" section on their website, where they've opened up a forum for comments on this:

Should religious expression in the workplace be a right?

Do adornments of religious declaration have a place in the workplace?

Should the workplace be free of religion? Should employees always have the right to express their religion? Can a company decide?
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Any thoughts on any of those questions too?
 
I agree with Baba (man I hate when I have to do that :p )

and to other questions wibbsey... as long as those don't disturbe other workers.I mean, having jewellery isn't bad but if you go out yellin' "praise the lord!" in your workplace... it's too much.

When I was still wearing my cross in old days, Inever tnought my necklace would insult anyone. I mean, ffs, it's a necklace! No one is preaching at you or forcing their religion to you... :rolleyes:
 
^^^ Yeah, it's not exactly if someone's shouting "Believe in JESUS!" by wearing a necklace. It pains me to agree with you as well, DaWacko! :p

But similarly, I don't think someone is slamming your religion by asking you to follow company policy on jewellery.
 
I say the real issue is that she was out of dresscode, not that she was wearing a religious symbol. If the policy says no jewelry, then she should respect that. I don't believe her employers were trying to tell her she can not or should not practice her religion of choice. Although the punishment was a little harsh...
 
hmm i just heard on the news that turbans, headscarfs and all that jazz are allowed because they're hard to conceal. in that case EVERYTHING SHOULD BE ALLOWED. you cant make exceptions for certain groups of people. its not right. and not very ethical.
 
Here we had an issue a few years ago with Sikh RCMP officers being told they couldn't wear their turbans, as it was not part of the uniform... the eventual solution was to make uniform-issue turbans so that everyone was happy.

My thoughts are on par with Baba and Ducky. It's a no jewelery rule, not a no religion rule. In the Sikh and Moslem religions, those turbans and headscarves are NECESSARY. You can, under no circumstances, not wear them. I've never heard of a Christian church saying that you MUST wear a cross necklace at all times- were that the case, I'm sure employers would be more willing to accomodate.
 
this isnt a religious issue at all, it was simply the rules of the airline and this woman is trying to turn it into something bigger than it is. theres a rule, no visible jewelry, so dont wear jewelry. it would have had the same outcome had the symbol on the necklace been for any other religion.
people try to skirt around other rules in this same way, and then claim that they are expressing their religion. there was a huge legal battle in canada for a boy who wanted to wear his traditional clothing to high school (cant remember which religion he was) but it included a dagger, so the school board said no. then he and his family got all defensive about it being their religious right.
maybe its just me, and the fact that im not religious at all, but i think people are way too sensitive when it comes to their religion. faith is inside, it shouldnt matter what jewelry or clothes you wear on the outside.
 
It really does look more like a dress-code issue to me too. Then again she's an Arab Christian, no wonder she's over-sensitive. I swear, we Arabs never shut up, we always think someone's picking on us. :lol:

Headscarfs are allowed? Why was it banned to begin with in France - I found that very racist. I think religious symbols should be allowed, it may be a secular state, but the people within a nation are not always secular just because their government is. Thus, they should be able to express themselves freely within the limits of hurting others.

Just to note: I think the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is full of enough contradictions (and/or crap :lol:) to work on for decades... but I see your point, ElbyStar
 
If I remember right, France is really strict with state/church seperation and any kind of religious symbols are there strictly forbidden at work. So not only headscarfs, but also christian symbols.
 
But wearing the Cross as a pendant on your necklace is not a religious obligation... the headscarf is :confused: That's basically telling a Muslim you can't believe in what you believe in.
 
Actually I remember discussing about this (about France) in religion class back in Upper Secondary School and _everything_ religious is forbidden there. Crosses 'n stuff.
 
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