News

Man asks if he's wrong for taking 'prayer breaks' at work even though he's not religious

Picture:
Picture:
iStock

A man has asked if it's wrong for him to take prayer breaks at work despite not being religious, and it goes without saying that the question has elicited a wide range of reactions.

We’ve all felt left out when the smokers at work are allowed more breaks than anyone else, but one man on Reddit has taken it the extra mile by kicking off about his colleagues being allowed prayer breaks.

Not one to be left out, he took to r/AmItheA**hole to ask whether he was wrong for requesting his own prayer breaks despite not being remotely religious. He’s calculated that his actually religious colleagues spend around half an hour a day praying, so he’s asked his boss for time to meditate.

The man said:

I used to resent this and asked my boss who belongs to that faith why they were essentially having an extra paid 30 min break a day for doing the same work I do.

He says that his manager eventually permitted him a 30-minute meditation break, but after non-religious colleagues kicked off and a friend told him he was being rude, he’s finally considering whether it’s a dick move to complain about someone’s religious requirements.

The responses, naturally, were mixed. One user, bassbby12, said that he’s not the a**hole because meditating is “equivalent to praying”. Another, WhosMulberge, was less understanding:

F*** the philosophical arguments about who or what exists in the cosmos, praying is genuinely viewed as essential as brushing your teeth for Muslims.”

Users were divided, and many agreed with him that it’s unfair for his colleagues to be paid for that time. Yeetsydeets said:

Why should people with whatever belief be paid for time they aren’t working?

Many others pointed out that the right to religious equality in the workplace is enforced by employment law. You can read the entire thread here.

HT Someecards

More: These are the words Britons most associate with Muslims and Islam

More: 6 ways you can help your Muslim friends during Ramadan

The Conversation (0)
x