My last job, here in Utah, had Mormons, a Mormon boss, but everybody was inactive, so the only discussions about church were usually lightly humorous and it was a live and let live attitude. It was fine.

Well, after sequestration, I had to find new work. Nearby, but a world apart in terms of the work environment. The boss is a Mormon who asked me (a weird question...) "what temple I go to". I think he asked because I live in the Ogden area and that temple is closed for a re-build. Well I don't go to any temple now, but that would have been an answer that would have hurt me, so I mumbled..."Brigham City". Co-workers, in the group, have asked me what calling I have. On a daily basis there is discussion of church persectution (i.e., how badly they get treated by the media, etc.). It spills over into politics, which is of course 100% right wing. I've had a couple of heated discussions. Now I am smart enough never to bring it up, but when someone brings something up, I'll share my opinion, but of course that is not welcome since it is not "the truth" which encompasses ALL of their opinions on things religious and political.

I started looking for jobs in Arizona last night. Applied to a couple of them. I used to live there in the 90s and really liked it. I figured at least I wouldn't very likely work for a Mormon, or have Mormon collegues (or at least as many), or both. That would fix half of my problem, the total filthy immersion in all things Mormon. But, I realize my political views would still be a minority view. It would be better, it would be like my last job, and that was definitely better because religion was "off the table". Politics were not, and that was a bummer, but it was twice as good as my current situation. I am reaching the conclusion, based upon multiple, personal, up close encounters with very nasty Mormons that their religion is NOT making them "better people". I kinduv clung to that hope for a long time, but it is not true. Not universally true for sure. Gawd it sucks to live and work in Utah!

Mormons talk exclusively about their Church because they have nothing to contribute to any other subject. Their preaching knows no end because they never tire of it.

My ex-wife operated a business. She expected to start the day with community prayer for all employees. She had the Bible and Book of Mormon on a shelf to debate with employees or customers. She expected never to be challenged for her zealous religious beliefs.

I endeavored to explain to her that she could not treat employees (LDS or otherwise) as a captive congregation. When I was present I replaced the prayer by a "cheer." Customers do NOT wish to receive a sermon with their baking.

Sadly, her business endeavor ended in bankruptcy.

Was there a closing prayer?

hahahaha!

Drops mic...



:lol:

idleswell Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Mormons talk exclusively about their Church
> because they have nothing to contribute to any
> other subject. Their preaching knows no end
> because they never tire of it.


I know right!!!!!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/03/2016 03:18PM by onthefence.

elciz:
Where I live the HOA Board is all Mormon.
But they are all bleeding-heart liberals who vote Democrat.
Weird how they run in packs politically.
They have no concept of how to save and properly spend money.
Every month they ''forget'' all the things that need doing and bring up fantastic new (and very expensive) ideas for spending more than we have.

I know right !??! I work for a Mormon dentist, who is constantly running the office paycheck to paycheck. He doesn't offer direct deposit because hes always broke. Then we are required to run to his bank and cash our checks otherwise they will bounce. But when he does get money, he runs to other states for continuing education (mostly other Mormon dentists) that he doesn't need. Each continuing ed course is very expensive. But he doesn't care to make sure his employees are taken care of, as long as he and his family is. (9children, 17 grandchildren) AWFUL WITH MONEY

Hi all,

I'm trying to come to grips with just getting laid off. I'm an orthodontist and I'm not a mormon. My boss hired me 3 years ago. He was extremely nice and easy to work for. I worked harder for him because of that. I started another practice and was planning to eventually go out on my own. However, my boss, convinced me to stick with him. He told me he would let me partner with him one day. 6 months another non-mormon quit to run his own practice full time. He was awesome and we are still friends to this day. My boss hired another orthodontist to replace him. This one is mormon. Quiet, nice, confident, and an awful orthodontist. I sold my profitable and growing practice 3 months ago. A few days ago my boss told me he was near bankruptcy and had to let me go. I asked if he was letting go of the other orthodontist (mormon). He said no because that orthodontist has a more binding contract. Honestly, I don't believe it and feel totally screwed. I've never been fired or laid off by anyone.

What just happened here! Is there some code that says you have to lay off the non-mormons first? I'm interviewing for another job. It's a larger organization but the owners are mormons. Maybe it's just bad luck but I feel like the moron thing has something to do with me getting screwed. Please pull back the curtain so I can learn from this.

My last job in Utah, which I quit to move to California, was much like what you are explaining. I worked for the state but everyone was Mormon. They even made many illegal decisions based in religious belief that I would point out and get slammed for. Eventually I was being forced out for trying to correct bias problems. I finally consulted a friend in Washington DC who worked for the government labor union. He said to quit. He said they would destroy my work record and credibility if I stayed and let them force me out. I left on my own terms and have never been happier or wealthier. Strangely, my clueless Mormon boss almost lost his job after making a particularly bad decision to cover-up a previous bad decision. He was saved by the Mormon good 'ol boy network and pushed even further up the career ladder. Staying there would have made me crazy if I hadn't eventually been forced out.

Just to clarify, at the time I was in good standing with the church although no longer believing.

If I could give a "like" to this thread, I would. And then some.

I feel for you, elciz, and agree completely. Working with/for Mormons can be horrid. As a nevermo in Utah, I have been fired for being the only one in the office who was not Mormon (oh, the joys of Davis County). It was after that experience I found this message board and have lurked ever since. Sanity is here. :)

At my next job, I was treated as less than $h1t after a bishop was hired. He made no secret of his disapproval that I was not Mormon. Not to mention the fact he felt threatened by a strong independent female (who knew more about his job than he did). He had previously worked at the church office building and owed someone a favor, and, the next thing I knew, the daughter of his COB buddy was hired and I was on my way out the door. The owners thought he walked on water and were entirely enthralled with him, so they let him get away with whatever he wanted... just because he was a bishop. He was not even their bishop, just "a" bishop. My boss said as much, too. Her first words after she said they'd hired him were, "And he's even a bishop." Yep. Really.

After my experience with small businesses in Utah, I'm about ready to suck it up and return to the soul-sucking corporate world where things like I've experienced the past few years are not tolerated, or at least not 100 percent supported and I have a fighting chance. Mormons can drive you downright nuts, or viciously/purposely hurt those who are different.....I still deal with issues caused by them.

Just wanted to let you know you're not alone. Wishing you best of luck in your (Mormon-free) job search. :)

In my opinion, the worst are "independent businessmen" who also happen to be in "Church leadership." They expect to be deferred to in any situation home, Church or office. These are the folks who expect to run everything like they run the church (for his convenience).

A ward mission leader once asked me, "How many people in my new employment knew I was LDS?"

"None," I said.

"What have you been doing there for 3 months?" says WML.

"Religion is never discussed at work," says I.

"Pity. I lead my employees in prayer every morning." Another Mormon who expects *his* religion to dominate any personal situation.

I currently work for a growing SLC company run by mormons.

The CEO is not too terrible ... but his new staff. God! (No Pun).


Sneaky sneaky -- Not all of them, but a lot of those in high standings and power. They say one thing, then do the other. They also expect you to follow without question.

When one doesn't agree with me -- the rest tend to follow them. It is a very biased job, and I spend most of my time fighting to stay alive.

Also, I can tell they just look down on us. So terrible. I was always brought up and told they were the most accepting of people.

Maybe its just me -- but what a terrible experience.

Long ago I worked for a mormon company in Salt Lake.
They got rid of all of us non-recommend holders.

The Mormon topics at work is a form of intimidation, and invitation to being humiliated or coerced if you disagree. I had one guy keep bringing up that "isn't it amazing the world is only 6000 years old?" in my presence. The look in his eye was, "go ahead, try to fight me in front of these people," and that beautific narcotic smile. Same thing happened with security guards, usually from Idaho, spouting n.../Obama jokes deliberately in my earshot.

Screw idaho!! oh live here now.

If the boss asked you that question during your hiring interview, it's illegal. If the conversation took place after hiring and you answered in the negative and were "let go" shortly afterward, you'd have a valid case for a religious discrimination lawsuit.

If the workplace environment is so oppressively religious that you fear for your continued employment or you feel uncomfortable on a daily basis, that also counts. Document everything: take pictures of people reading their scriptures during work time or displaying LDS pictures all over, record aggressive conversations/offensive remarks on your smartphone (free recording apps are great for this) that's in your pocket, or even take notes in a small notebook. Your boss and co-workers will lie about the hostile environment, so documentation matters. Whistleblower laws are designed to protect you when you report all the illegal goings-on.

There are a good number of companies in Utah that are not like what you described -- usually the larger ones that are not owned by Utah TBMs. A fair chunk of Utah is now non-Mormon, and the numbers are increasing.

It's also fun to take arrogant Mormons down with responses that use logic, science, and facts to deflate their batsh!t crazy beliefs. After they get bested a few dozen times, they will go away and leave you alone. Something along the lines of: "Wow, that's interesting considering that scientists have known for 60 years that...(insert fact here). I'm surprised you didn't know."

It was a huge workplace change going from Provo, Utah to a large company in the Southeast. Especially since it isn't a normal Southern work environment. Here in corporate legal the majority of people are from the Northeast. More Catholics and Jews than Baptists.

There are no words to describe the improvement in the workplace environment. Not that there weren't a few really wonderful people I worked with in Provo, because there were. But the operative word is "few." That's the same number of a-holes I have to work with now. Few. Actually less than few.

ekiz - is the new job working a company owned by the CULT in which all employees must be in the CULT, like working in the COB? If not, the new boss had no right to ask what temple you go to. You mentioned that you'd get in trouble if you told him that you don't go to a temple.

Actually you can get him in trouble for asking. Unless you are working for the CULT (where EVERY employee is required to be in the CULT), it is illegal to ask that of employees. You can sue the absolute crap out of him and the company and then you won't have to work again anywhere unless you want to. I know that's what I'd do. Anything I can do to help end the CULT, I will do in a heartbeat.

icedtea has a great point - "It's also fun to take arrogant Mormons down with responses that use logic, science, and facts to deflate their batsh!t crazy beliefs."
But, I'd rather take them down with a lawsuit! Anything to take $$ our of their coffers and make them look like what they are, the SCUM OF THE EARTH and an EVIL CULT!

I actually left Utah partially because I was told by a very reliable source (my boss who was an open-minded TBM) that the reason I would NEVER get hired as a full time teacher was due to the fact that I was not a TR holder and was not even in the CULT. This was at a STATE owned, NOT CULT OWNED college. I despise Utah and the EVIL CULT! I am happy I am no longer there. I have to admit though that I envy your position a bit ekiz - because I would love to have the opportunity to sue the shit out of that company!! Sounds like fun to me - taking down the CULT is a dream of mine.

And just for the record, if any boss [including a TBM boss] asked me what temple I go to, I'd answer truthfully and tell the the local Buddhist Temple. I sincerely doubt I would ever have a job with a TBM boss. I wouldn't last a minute!

Another shock I got was when I was in a performance organization at the UNIVERSITY OF UTAH! Just before the performance, they had some slimy TBM [Brother What's His Wart] say a prayer asking for a good performance. As soon as they mentioned that they were going to ask Brother What's His Wart to give a prayer, I left the room along with some other students who were not TBM. We were all shocked that at the U of U [not BYU] they were saying CULT prayers regardless of the fact that some of the students were not in the CULT. Some college students [including some TBM students] select the U of U over BYU so that they will not be subjected to CULT prayers in college. Mind boggling. YES I HATE UTAH AND THE CULT AND ALWAYS WILL!



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 02/03/2016 04:11PM by verilyverily.

I worked for a small company (+/- 110 employees) for two years that was compiled of 80% LDS members with ALL executive staff being LDS. I could never really get a good read on these people, they were extremely passive-aggressive and condescending. But what baffled me most is that the LDS staff had no doubt whatsoever they knew volumes more about the market and business than non LDS members, to the point the company lost deals on a regular basis - but that was the potential client's fault for not having the insight to work with such an incredible company...Or the fault of the non LDS employee...They were also INCREDIBLE bullshitters and if you hung around long enough it was obvious, but by then your career was on the hook. A non LDS employee was to NEVER, EVER, question the judgment or process of an LDS employee or face serious career impacting blow-back. It's difficult to place the whole experience into perspective but perhaps this is a start: "these people were so self glorified they actually believed their own fabricated importance and contribution, although they knew it was really based on a "smoke and mirrors" persona....So for all it's weirdness - working for an LDS run operation was like working with a bunch of people whom had brain washed themselves by themselves propped-up by the coddling of others". I have zero respect for mormons/LDS church.

Just a note...

It's not "illegal" to ask employees *anything.* It's also not "illegal" to ask prospective employees *anything.*

The reason lawyers tell companies not to ask prospective employees questions about certain things (such as religion) is that it opens the company up to potentially being sued for discrimination (if the person didn't get the job, and they can show that religion had to do with them not getting it). Or if they're already employees, if questions about religion are asked, and them an employee is denied promotions/raises or let go, it's another potential lawsuit. But those are civil suits over discrimination -- they're not about illegal questions.

What's illegal is to discriminate against people based on age, sex, religion, etc. It's not illegal to ask about any of those things.

Oh, no kidding. After years of living in Utah Valley and working with mormons, it's been so nice to live on the other side of the country and work for a large company's corporate offices with so much diversity. Probably the highest religious group represented would be Catholic, but it's not close to half by any means. There are Christians of all stripes, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Atheist, Agnostic, and a Mormon. I love that the Mormon guy is awesome, liberal, funny and non-judgmental and a pleasure to work with. But then again, people who have never known another mormon (most people I work with), think he's the norm. Ha. Not.

I truly do not envy you! I went to the 'Y' in the early 90s and never went back to Utah except once (southern Utah) after moving out West again and I still did not like the vibe there even though I didn't have any overt Mormon encounters.. too many bad memories.. I would not be able to live in and esp. live and work in Utah Mormondom!

I am in Arizona (LIBERAL & RURAL community, if you can believe it, but it's true.. we might be in a bubble esp. as far as rural/liberal, but I think there are other such spots in the state) outside Tucson. WAY TOO HOT IN SUMMER! (Hence our upcoming camping trip north of the rim starting tomorrow, yeah!) So if you are okay with colder winters you may want to explore some northern areas in AZ, or if you can get away in summers or be okay shut in with AC blasting most of the summer then the Tucson area is not bad.

It's actually not too bad here politically. This last election AZ was a swing state so that tells you something anyway. Certainly better than Utah! But I'd just take care of where you go, I know there are some Mormon enclaves around where there is a larger percentage of them. But we are still fairly new to the state so I am not the expert on where to look. And you lived here before so you probably know more. . But I'd say you'd do well to try a move down here if you do get a job as I can only imagine the constant turmoil you have to live in right now! I would hate hate hate hate to be in your situation!!!

Best of luck, hope you can get out of that! :)

My mom worked for a school photography company after she moved to the Vegas area and remarried after retiring as a teacher. The company was based in Provo, and all of the employees except for my mom and one other person were Mormons, but not from Utah. In the end, she was laid off after less than a year and it was obvious it was because she wasn't Mormon.

Now, she works as a teacher's aide because she still wanted to work, but she works in a public school so she doesn't have to be around as many Mormons. In the Vegas area, Mormons tend to send their kids to charter schools instead of public schools. One reason for that is that many of those charter schools are owned by Mormons, and it gives them a chance to shelter their children as much as possible. Anyway, my mom loves her current job because she's not around as many Mormons.

What temple to you go to? Don't answer. Say you haven't been for awhile and change the subject.

What callings to you have? Callings? I don't discuss those at work and change the subject.

Keep it light and airy. No need to be bogged down. These people are wrong to expect answers about church when they are in the work place. Don't let them railroad you into such discussions.

Guys...

Here's how to handle this.

Just look at them funny and pretend like you have no idea what they are talking about.

Tell them you have no idea what the "Mormon Church is".

Then, turn down all invites, throw the Book of Mormons in the trash, and...

KEEP ALL THE COOKIES/CAKES/SNACKS FOR YOURSELF!

If they ask why you don't come to invites to church/meets with missionaries/events... say you are too busy and work 2 jobs.

You could probably keep this up for years!

The best temple retort is to ask, "Is it really true that you charge people to go to a temple? Like, you've got a saving sacrament, but even your own members, if they can't pay, they can't get it?"

Make sure you ask that with a tone dripping with contempt and disgust--like they're stealing from the sick. Mormons really think everyone makes people pay up to go to church. It's just the opposite, but Mormons don't know that. Other denominations believe salvation should be free, and offered the way Jesus offered it--without money's changing hands. They think charging for church is shocking and proof-positive Mormonism's a scam.

Mormons like to be the judges, not the judged.

You are correct in saying that Mormons like to be the judges of others and not judged themselves!

I feel for you i am in idaho and face the same thing some employers only hire mormons. I used to live in arizona and i liked it back in the 90s as well but it has become too crowded for me there which is why i am in no hurry to go back. Gilbert and mesa have a lot of mormons so be careful but its nothing like utah or idaho.

I just have to add parenthetically to Bad-A-Man in Idaho that if you are in SE Idaho or even S Idaho (Twin Falls, Burley etc), you may not realize that Northern and North Central Idaho is only about 6% Mormon, and a very different place. Mormons are a minority (a small one at that), and it's a totally different environment than SE or S Idaho, religiously, and politically.

I love N C Idaho (Moscow, ID), because I almost never see a Mormon in town or elsewhere.

Not trying to contradict anything you said in your message. I just wanted to clarify that North Central and Northern Idaho in general are a totally different "world" than the Mormon infested parts of Idaho.

Carry on! :)

Welcome to Utah - the only place where religion is the main topic at work.

From reading the previous posts I guess my experience working with Mormons has been very different .Never once had a problem with co workers asking me about where I go to church , if I am Mormon or not or anything of the sort . my employment has been almost always in Salt lake with a short time with jobs in Arizona and California .Part of this may be that I have or have had jobs with the government where there is a strong legal prohibition against asking employees about religion . I just try to be a good co worker and try to get along with everyone to serve our clients . The Mormons I do and have worked with seem to have a much better work ethic than some of the non Mormon lazy stupid goofballs I have had to deal with .Maybe it is because we are all social workers, nurses , doctors and others who are employed at a government (university) psychiatric hospital . I would gues it's much different at a private company owned by TBMs

My former TBM boss runs the place like it's Relief Society. The employees who are also TBM, kiss up like you wouldn't believe it. The boss even did her Primary lessons at work. She was always riding me like a Kawasaki motorcycle because I had a bit of a rebel streak. Upper management, who are temple-going TBM's are some of the worst bullies I've ever had the misfortune to meet. So glad to be out of the toxic environment!!

I currently work with a Mormon but not in Utah. I have never worked with someone who is such a know-all. She has a high school degree, I have a Master's but she behaves like she runs the office. The rest of us are not supposed to hurt her feelings. She brought in employees from other departments to teach them about the LDS church. Also, she takes office supplies from the office to her church to use them when she volunteersat church

Then ease into another subject.

Oh and the shady things that go behind recruiting in Utah. I was on a hiring committee, where the HR manager looked over their resume and said "Hmmm, I don't see they served a mission. I don't know if they're the right fit..." The job had nothing to do with missions, but the HR manager was also a bishop in real life, so they wouldn't trust a BYU grad, who didn't serve a mission.

I've never had a problem with it. Indeed they're most often surprised to find out I was Mormon even when I was an active believing Mormon. Religion and work should be separate and are as separate as you make them is my experience.

Sorry, wrong spot



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/08/2018 03:54PM by Heidi GWOTR.

Years ago I worked for a very well known Utah company run and staffed by Mormons. Eight people around a lunch table talking about Mormonism. If I said something I was officially accused of being disruptive.

I work somewhere like 99% Mormon and last week, a bunch of them were snobbishly talking about people who leave the church.

They talk about Mormon-related things ALL DAY LONG. Relief society lessons, what’s going on in the Ward...it gets so annoying.

I used to work at Hill Air Force base as a civillian. Most of the civillians I worked with were devout LDS while the Airman were all non-Mormon and very young. The Ogden Temple was having its open house and many of the Mormon employees were trying to get the military personnel to go to the open house. This was becoming a problem in the workplace especially as it is illegal in the Federal workplace. One airman asked what he could say that eould shut them up. I told him to ask them what their temple name is. He tried it and religion was never brought up again.

If you are in a hostile work environment caused by religious zealot who can't separate work from the personal then document, document, document

A friend worked for a Utah County company. She was TBM when she was hired and consistently received good reviews, promotion, and raises. Until the day she left TSCC. They made her life miserable trying to get her to quit. She stayed as long as she could take it because she was making good money, comparable jobs were hard to find and she is stubborn.

Eventually they fired her. She filed with the EEOC and because she had good documentation she won a sweet settlement. But most satisfying was wiping the smug look off her TBM ex-bosses' face.

I work with many Mormons and they are some of the meanest, backstabbing liars I have ever encountered. I have worked in quite a few different professional settings and am highly educated. My experience with them has been that they will gang up on those that are not LDS and try to make their life hell. Once they figure out that you’re not mormon and not willing to convert, that’s when they get nasty. I have had them try to sabotage my job and spread rumors to make me look bad. Sadly enough the boss in this scenario is also mormon. He favors the LDS employees and has been pushing the non LDS employees out as fast as he can. I have worked with all sorts of people including different races, religions, etc. and my experience with Mormons has been the WORST! If anything, it reaffirms my belief that Mormonism is a cult and many of them are just plain evil people that think they are righteous and have the authority to judge others. It’s been a disgusting experience!

No matter where you work or who you work with stick to a firm answer.

"I don't discuss Religion or Politics". And never, ever tell who you vote for. "Secret Ballot" - and keep it that way.

Will save you a lot of grief and keep you out of a lot of problems those discussions can cause.

Never talk about the 'church'.

Talk Through it
Talk Around it
Talk Over it

Talk about ANYTHING but the uselessness of mormonizm-