Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, wants employment tribunals involving Christians to be adjudicated by judges “with a proven understanding of religious issues”. In other words, judges who’ll rule in favour of the Christian defendant no matter how weak their case. This was reported as a good thing, to be supported and defended, by the Daily Mail and inspired the usual drivel from Melanie Phillips. Just imagine the frothing anger that would have been on display if a prominent imam had said it instead. (And is it any surprise that they make Lord Neuberger, with his very Jewish name, the bad guy of the report and opinion piece?)
Workers have every right to refuse to perform certain tasks if they deem them to be dangerous, illegal or counter productive. I don’t believe that using your religion to justify your prejudices counts as a valid reason not to do your job.
It is a hallmark of religion that you must be oppressed, if you are not oppressed then it’s because people don’t care and that means that you are not spreading the word(tm).
The recent case of the woman who was not allowed to wear her cross because it was not ‘required’ by her religion does highlight how stupid the law can be. Nothing is ‘required’ by religion and if people choose to wear veils, crosses, silly drawstring underpants, turbans or carry knives then that is their right but it does not mean an employer should be forced to accept it as well.
Religion is a choice, along with the choice to wear some trinkets or special clothes should also come the choice of being employed or not. Everyone else tows the line and hides the piercings, tattoos and other choices they make for the time between 9 and 5:30.