People might tell you, “When you come to work, leave your spirituality at home. Don’t bother us with your peculiar lifestyle, your ethics, search for meaning . . . That’s all nice, but this is business. This is the real world.”
There is only one real world, and it belongs to one real G‑d.
Yes, yes, yes. Reply
Well said. How many men on their death bed wish that they would have spent more time at the office conforming to a "business" standard of character? Reply
Thank you Thank you for the refreshing straight forward info in easy to understand format Reply
spiruality and work Our spirituality should help us at work and never impair us. If we are truely spirtual beings we are good for busness.If our spiruality is really getting in the way then there is something we are doing wrong Reply
At work, work I believe the sentiments about deportment at work refer to keeping religion out of the multicultural, multi belief workplace. Unless one works in a workplace whose business is sectarian, which most aren't, don't try to push your beliefs on others. Nothing disrupts a work place worse than employees whose religious or political views are constantly pushed forth at others. I've worked with almost every faith and many cultures and I always advise people to focus on the work and customers, and not on their personal religious or political beliefs. Yes, and personal ethics do play a role and if one's personal ethics are contrary to those of the business, then find a new employer. Reply
What you think is saying to remove one's self, ones core, from our work. Our Torah belief system is not separated, isolated, from who we are, what we do and how we do it. If we "preach" at wirk we ard nit Jews, we are gentiles. Ask me hiw many of them preached at me over the years, especially in government jobs? You do not want to know. Their focus was conversion. Not for Jews. Ever.
If we are not being ourselves, our Jewish selves, into our jobs, bringing Torah action, Torah speech, etc, then we are doing our selves harm. We are speaking lashon hara (evil tongue, gossip). We are not being moral in immoral situations. Being cutthroat instead of encouraging others, not being happy in their success. We are not trying to effect positive change. Does that sound like Torah is being 'forced' on anyone? Yet it is being a Jew at work. For us to be more "business like" would be a loss for all. Not a move in the "right" direction - why we are here. To improve G-d's world for Him joyfully.
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Where the Essence Dwells
As an orthodox Jew, I have found that most if not all non-Jews and/or less observant Jews are more respectful of you in the business world when you proudly display your deep connection to Judaism in a manner that is without judgment of the ways of your associates. This provides a mutually respective and beneficial atmosphere and indicates that all are entitled to their own beliefs and opinions - a very agreeable and productive situation for any work place.
Besides, G-d is in control. Why not act in a way that subtly suggests that fact to all?
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one world if we have a spiritual existence at home,we must except that unlike a garment we can just throw off it is with us and about outside of our home,if you are a jew be not afraid to show you are a jew and praise G-d by your very existence. Reply
One World When the Boss says this kind of thing it always bothered me-I remember-it was like "Don't have any distractions" As if G-d is a distraction of some kind. That always bothered me. I always had to watch my anger level that it didn't get out of hand when I was told this-especially since it was told to me with a smile. Which is the highest level of hostility when you are told to leave your spirituality at home and the boss who said this has a smile on his face. Reply
>>> There is only one real world, and it belongs to one real G‑d. <<<
OK, but in order to live in G-ds world, we need to have parnassah (livelyhood) and we need to respect that there are differences between our beliefs and those of our coworkers.
At work, we focus on our work. We give our employer good measure. if our spirituality and our search for being gets in the way of communicating with our co-workers regarding our work, we're out of balance in our behaviour, if not in our belief.
As for ethics, I'm 100% with you.
And a note to Allison... this is indeed a Jewish oriented web site, and G-d is quite well in place here, just as monotheistic thought would be out of place in a Pagan context.
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Thank You I really like to open "Daily Dose" each day. Your words are so simple yet your ideas so complex. Reply
In response to Allison's comment
Allison, I believe you have missed the message of this thought. After all, this is a Jewish website. Jews believe in G-d. Jewish lifestyle, ethics and search for meaning and predicated on the existence of and belief in G-d. You might as well have said "your belief in G-d is nice, but keep it to yourself; and in the 'real world', belief in G-d is not politically correct".
To this, I can only respond in the same way as the thought: "There is only one real world, and it belongs to one real G-d."
Political correctness is a construction within G-d's world, not the other way around.
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God?
The word "God" was mentioned in the thought for the day. I am Pagan and believe it is more "politically correct" to say "higher power". It would just probably offend less people and you might get more visitors.
Thank you.
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It depends who you work with. Often i worked on places where Xtians worked. Not a pleasure. Some always want to convert you. I alway answered:” we work together, i don't want to dicuss about your religion. Peace is everything under collega’s.