"Faithful Are Carving Niche in the Workplace"

[Bluebear]

DULLES, Va. — In an auditorium on America Online's rolling campus, a glorious expanse of the heavens is projected on a big screen. Reggie Evans, a former Redskin running back turned emissary of Christ, has come to spread the Holy Word in the secular corridors of one of the biggest, richest Internet companies in the world. He has brought along some football cards and a stack of Bibles.

About 75 Christian workers listen raptly as Evans advises them to carry out their work as if Jesus were sitting next to them. But when he suggests that they knock on a colleague's cubicle and propose, "Here's a Bible, maybe we can read this together," even the most devout among them know they will not be following his advice.

"My eyes rolled back when I heard that," said Jack Clark, a technical project manager and member of a recently formed employee group called Christians @ AOL, which had invited Evans to speak. "We're not here to convert people."

Pushed primarily by evangelical Christians, faith is finding a growing presence in corporations that for years have been resistant to religious expression, including such giants as AOL Inc., Intel Corp., American Express Co., American Airlines Inc. and Ford Motor Co.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=2026&ncid=2026&e=8&u=/latimests/20050515/ts_latimes/faithfularecarvingnicheintheworkplace

[Bronco69]

1. "We're not here to convert people."

Then WTF are they doing there?

[FreedomAngel82]

9. That's what I want to know

:shrug:

[mopaul]

2. "Here's a Bible, maybe we can read this together,"

that right there is one scary fucking sentence

[Thtwudbeme]

3. Not to this religion student it's not

I LOVE that offer---but, to be honest--it's most particularly fun with my personal favorite cult--the LDS. I think I got myself on their "don't send the kids to her house" list though.

I adore explaining myths...talking to Christians about the lack of written records, the ammount of time between the possible mythical Jesus, and Paul writing his letters...etc.

Fun!

[Swamp Rat]

6. >:-D

Fun!

[Ganja Ninja]

5. "Here's my latest copy of Swank, maybe we can read it together."

That ought to make'em go away.

[Bluebear]

8. There's a good answer! nt

[Ezlivin]

4. Evangelism = Marketing

As a seminary graduate I was taught every trick in the book (literally) to get people to listen to my message. Marketing principles were very big in evangelism circles. If you look at the success of so-called Christian media, you can see the principles in action.

The best approach is one in which the "client" is convinced of his need to change his life, specifically along the guidelines set forth in the opening presentation. Then you "sell" him on the further need to be "involved." If it's done right, you've convinced someone not just to change their life, but to be a lifelong source of funds for the corporation (church).

Megachurches are extremely good at marketing and reap millions of tax-free dollars. And every single one of them are aligned, implicitly or explicitly, with the Republican party. Do the math.

[Walt Starr]

11. Religion = Big Business

which is the law that proves your theorem.

:evilgrin:

[demnan]

7. This will backfire on them

if they do anything to disrupt work in Corporate America. The bottom-line is money. Control only comes in a strong second.

[FreedomAngel82]

12. Very true

They think that just because they are Christians and claim to be one in public that their boss will let it slide because they're "converting" people on their work time. And like you said demnan their bosses only care about money so they won't get any passes.

[Walt Starr]

10. Reminds me of the line I used to use on door to door proselytizers

"Come in, come in, bring your book. You'd damn well better know it, because I do!"

[Kerrytravelers]

13. Question about the picture.

Did the christo-fascist zombie-brigade member's pic come with the story, or was that added for our pleasure? The reason why I ask is that awful b/c '04 on her shirt. Why would Yahoo include that pic? Especially since Yahoo is not a *-friendly company (Mr. kt works there- NOT a * friendly environment AT ALL.)

[Bluebear]

15. Illustrative, for your pleasure only.

I tried to edit it last night when I posted it to avoid confusion but my time had elapsed. I call her Misti (with an I, and she dots her i's with little hearts. Or crosees.)

[dogday]

14. The look on this woman's face says it all.

If you don't believe these people won't follow Bush into the fire, take a good look at this woman's face.

[GreenPartyVoter]

16. It's a freaking cult. All religion that refuses to allow free thinking is