I work for a co owned by Seventh Day Adventists and they

will not allow us to have pork products or shellfish at any of the company sponsored events should we be outraged at this religious based oppression?

marshmallows too

in other words, hosting the events, they can serve anything they want. Would you complain about what is served at a private-home dinner party? Same thing. Disregard if you forgot to insert this: :sarcasm:

I mean, how far do they go with this?

are part of their health message, and pertain more to the idea of the body as the temple of the Holy Spirit. They promote smoking cessation programs, nutrition, etc. Their universities produce a lot of doctors, nurses, etc, and they also have lots of hospitals and clinics.

They recognize a difference between the Ten Commandment law and the Levitical ordinances, ceremonies, food/fibre strictures, etc. Most believe the Ten Commandments are eternal, hence their worship on the Saturday sabbath (4th Commandment) but they believe the Levitical laws were fulfilled through Christ's life and death.

So I am wondering what they would have to celebrate.........

You are thinking about Jehovah's Witnesses. They are not supposed to celebrate holidays, birthdays, mothers day, fathers day etc. Anything the rest of the "world" celebrates they don't, at least they say aren't supposed to!

'Oppression' a bit of an over-statement?

least bit religious. I just used to go along with whatever they served, and often it was quite good. I just considered it an experience and figured I was on their territory at their function.

made me sign a pledge to follow their religion, I would be pissed. If they made me go to church functions, I would be pissed. Pick your fights.

If you don't like it quit. Private property, freedom from government regulations like civil rights and diversity is great!

Okay, I'll quit playing with you, if you're serious. People need work, and I'm surprised if this offends your particular religious or atheistic belief system, that they even hired you. Clearly they considered you to be a willing participant in their brand of reality.

Personally, I've blown off pork and shellfish for my health and that of the planet. Would you feel less oppressed if it was for health or environmental reasons, and not religious ones?

Do they insist on your attending prayer meetings as well? Or indulging other theological tenents?

Remember, you're not working for some nasty union or public job, you're in the wonderful world of the sacred cow, small American business. Where you can be fired at will, denied your civil rights, because it's all under the radar of the law. It's their money, isn't it?

OTOH, they may be getting you ready for American Talibanizing. You know, got to eat, dress, think, tithe, etc. just as Islam does, LOL.

Nothing I'm saying is meant to offend you or anyone, but that word oppression is sure fire way to trigger the buttons. Outrage could be saved for some serious shafting.

Is not getting bacon or shrimp that much of a problem for you, or do you feel -- and you have a perfect right to feel -- that your particular culture of eating pork and shellfish is infringed upon?

Is what we eat a matter of religion? Or what we wear? Or whatever they come up with next?

Your question is calling into account something is very important, much more than religion. It is the demands the ownership society, or the oligarchs or capitalists, put upon working people on every single day. More than any government.

I believe they pay propagandists to malign the government, to use it as a whipping post as a diversion. Becsause the fact is that private forces make us pay more in our time, our bodies, our efforts and mental power than the government ever can. They determine where we will live, go to school, where we can travel by the costs of living they inflate to make profit.

A person can live without paying taxes, but they can't live without 'giving it up to the man' so to speak. What you do with your days, your intelligence, your body, what you eat and wear -- the government isn't telling you that. It's the ones who really control us and you just gave an excellent example.

Although not that extreme as the trigger words might say, you just proved we are slaves.

any kind? Every Seventh Day Adventist I have known were vegetarians. Some did allow milk and eggs though.

is a healthy lifestyle in accordance with their belief that the human body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and should be kept as healthy as possible.

There is a lot of difference among the generations; a minority of younger SDA's are more likely to eat meat and drink coffee than the older generation, but even they will often not eat pork or beef.

EDIT: substituted "often" for "usually."

and WTF is a 'co owned' anyways ? ... a 'co owned' what ?

Go in the bathroom and eat yer bacon wrapped shrimp like a good apostate ....

Im guessing 'co owned' = 'company owned'

is not your first reaction to something you don't understand.

WTF are we thinking?

so while they may insist upon certain dietary restrictions at their sponsored events, they would actively fight in the legal arena against any attempt by government to enforce sectarian religious beliefs.

It goes against their understanding of the relationship of the individual to God, and of the sanctity of freedom of conscience.

Their eschatology is based partially on a belief that "apostate" Protestantism will form an alliance with government in the United States to destroy freedom of conscience.

An excellent book is: Adventism & the American Republic: The Public Involvement of a Major Apocalyptic Movement by Douglas Morgan

http://www.amazon.com/Adventism-American-Republic-Involvement-Apocalyptic/dp/1572331119/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1305366963&sr=8-1#_

'its not what goes into a man that makes him unclean, but what comes out.' (no, not dookie :P)

IF they are paying for it and do not want to provide it, well.....but if they are prohibiting one from bringing their own, thats a problem.

*company sponsored events*. I don't see that this is more oppressive than many other things that a firm might require at company-sponsored events; e.g. requiring a particular dress code.

If the *state* banned pork or shellfish to accommodate particular religions; or even if a private organization sacked or punished employees for eating pork and shellfish in *their own time*, then I would consider it as oppressive.

Not me, buddy.

The economy is not doing very well; this isn't worth looking like a trouble maker to your employers over.

If it really bothers you, I would suggest a passive-aggressive approach, such as secretly leaving fliers around that proclaim your world view, or mock world views you don't like.

> I work for a co owned by Seventh Day Adventists and they will not allow us
> to have pork products or shellfish at any of the company sponsored events
> should we be outraged at this religious based oppression?

I also suggest you look up the meaning of the word "oppression".

:shrug:

Try being a vegetarian and going to any company type picnic. Suck it up. You can always OD on bacon and sea bass after the event. It's their ball; they get to set the rules. Would you bitch if you were invited to a Jewish household and they didn't serve you a cheeseburger?