job - is this discriminatory?

[pinkytoe]

As usual, I am always considering new employment opportunities and I came across one that looked to be a good fit until I noticed the requirement that applicant must be born again and follower of Jesus Christ. Huh? Isn't that against the law these days?

[fidgiegirl]

No employment lawyer here, but I think religious orgs can specify religious beliefs. But otherwise, sure sounds like it, doesn't it!?

[shadowmoss]

Well, I'm guessing it depends on the job. If the opening was for a preacher, then that would be part of the job description for a Christian oriented church.

[creaker]

Just seems odd to me - just that it sounds so specific and generic at the same time. I would think someone who cares that much would be very particular of what "flavor" "born again and follower of Jesus Christ" the applicant was. But maybe not.

[San Onofre Guy]

If this is a religious organization possibly it is ok to have this requirement. For instance I think for some religous schools it is ok to require teachers to be of that schools faith, but when it comes to support staff and maintanance personnel I think it is discriminatory. Put it this way, do you want to work for an organization that requires one (discriminatory or not) to be of that faith?

[bunnys]

One of my first teaching job interviews was for a "Christian" school. The first question of the interviewer was "tell me about your testimony." I replied "I'm not a born-again Christian but I feel like, ethically, I live according to the social justice teachings of Jesus." Her reply? "In this job we expect our teachers to counsel students as they make the decision to become born again. So you are ineligible. Thanks for coming in." Dismissed.

Funnily enough, when they called me for the interview, they didn't mention this requirement. They waited until I drove half way across town to tell me in the privacy of their interviewing office.

Don't know if it was legal or not (I do think it was, though) but she sure sounded certain that what she was doing was perfectly ok.

[sweetana3]

And beware getting a job where the "religious" aspect of the job may cause you issues. A friends non profit job site became much more religious in tone and actions while she was employed there. It really caused her issues because she did not want to participate in religious activities while at work (prayers and such). She was lucky and got a new and better job. She was even sent back to the organizaiton as a contractor at a much higher pay rate and she did not feel that she had to participate in the religion.

[jp1]

http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/religion.cfm

Unless the OP was applying for a position such as preacher or other position with a religious organization where there's an expectation/need for certain religious beliefs she described a lawsuit waiting to happen.

[pinkytoe]

I found the belief requirement distasteful enough to not even consider the job. It was an administrative job so definitely over the line for me personally.

[goldensmom]

I found the belief requirement distasteful enough to not even consider the job. It was an administrative job so definitely over the line for me personally.
If the administrative position is for a church that teaches belief in Jesus then it is entirely appropriate; if for the local grain elevator that sells grain then entirely inappropriate. You have a choice. A school district would not hire a pedophile or a registered sex offender to be a kindergarten teacher to work with children but the pedophile can work around grain at the grain elevator. It just makes sense.

[CeciliaW]

Well, there's one thing, you know ahead of time what sort of people they are so you can choose whether or not you want to work with them. Better than finding out after.

[Miss Cellane]

Remember, this is a world where you can be fired for posting something on Facebook. Without warning.

[JaneV2.0]

I'm still amazed/appalled at the kinds of postings I see on various social media sites, often with the poster readily identifiable. I'm surprised such posters are employable at all.

Such flagrant discrimination may not be legal, but I'd prefer to know up front that a prospective employer had strongly-held values I didn't share.

[treehugger]

Such flagrant discrimination may not be legal, but I'd prefer to know up front that a prospective employer had strongly-held values I didn't share.

Completely agree. At least they aren't being covert or secretive. Seems like a place like that, even if they were ordered by law to remove those statements from their job ads, would still hold those views and hire accordingly. Not justifying the behavior or the thoughts, but being steered clear from a job that wouldn't be a good fit before even getting to the interview stage isn't a bad thing.

Kara

[Alan]

Such flagrant discrimination may not be legal, but I'd prefer to know up front that a prospective employer had strongly-held values I didn't share.And vice versa.