There Is A Time And Place.

So I've been having a pretty okay week this week and hopefully it either stays this way or even gets better- here's hoping. I've had a few meetings with my work team within this week and something happened that made me think I better make a post- just in case some people out there do not know these things.

So we've had a new team member- and this is always a pleasure as the more people there are, the more perspectives we can get in a brainstorming session- which is always good. Well, Lady joined in the first meeting today and by the next morning, on our collaborative SLACK group, I see a message from her at 6 in the morning saying she had been led in the spirit to let the Team know that we should begin every meeting with a prayer session. 

Nobody responded to this message.

Anyway, we had a meeting scheduled for the evening and everyone was logged on for it by the meeting time- everyone except the Project Manager who was running a bit late. Whilst we were having a general conversation, lady requests that we all pray whilst we waited for the PM. A male colleague there asks that she lead us then and she says that she will not be praying alone o, that she would "raise a prayer point and everybody will begin praying". Me I come confuse, I no come understand where we dey again. Next thing I heard was kabashing and someone coming against every principality and power- I quickly texted the PM and asked that he please join us ASAP as I didn't know if we were in church or in a work training meeting. The PM joined in not long after and thanked her for the obvious care and concern for the team but asserted that we were there for work and we had people from all over the world involved in this live project- we should not force our religious beliefs upon them.

The thing is, I would have said this to lady myself but, you know how women can get sometimes- sometimes it's best you let the "head" or host of the meeting do the hushing lest you be branded a bitch or an anti-Christ. I can be very assertive when I have to be but, a lot of times I wait until I don't have a choice than to be. The thing is, much as I appreciate wanting to pray over whatever one does, the truth is that you do not impose those views on people in the workplace-  ours is a distributed team, meeting over different time zones and locations all with one focus: to deliver a project- we've got no business praying against principalities and powers in such a meeting. By all means, pray in your home/location before you log on to the meeting but respect other people- thankfully, the Muslims that had been in my initial training were on another live Project- you just don't do this.

Now, obviously my stance would be different if you are a business owner in, say, Eastern/Southern/Western Nigeria who wants their business to adhere to certain religious values- I personally would make certain staff in MY business pray with me in the morning and probably at close of work- but that's only if it was MY business. You do not come into a workplace in the UK, with people from different countries present, and tell them that it was ministered to you that all pray before meetings- as what, a prophetess? What about the Muslims in the group? The Atheists? Oh please, we should learn to contain our religiousity and know the time and place to talk about it- doesn't mean you are ashamed of the Gospel. Give to Caeser what is Caeser's.

And don't get me started on her misuse of the term "dear" in our collaborative groups- everyone calls everyone by their first names, it is a workplace, you don't communicate with "dear" in such work groups where everyone, though trying to relate as easily as possible, is striving to still stay professional- there is just an unserious ring to it. I've got a lot to write about stuff like this but, maybe in another post.

Do You Agree With this? Why Do You Disagree? What Other Workplace Blunders Do You Think People Commit? Do You Correct Them Or Just Keep Quiet?

Love Always,

Judgejudyjudy...

P.s: Hope you're having a good week? :) :) :)