On religious requirements for jobs
I keep noticing job postings from religious institutions, most of which strongly suggest that applicants better be faithful and devout members of the One True Church, OR ELSE.
A question for ethical discussion: would it be unethical to pretend great enthusiasm for the Second Reformed Holy-Rollin' Double-Dipped Sanctified-in-the-Blood Church of the Whatever in order to get a full time job with a living wage?
Any halfway competent librarian can research a denomination well enough to pretend to be at least casually acquainted with its beliefs and practices. One would have to count time spent faking an interest in its worship services as simply an unpaid job requirement.
After all, the Elmer Gantries of the world do quite well for themselves. Why should I exclude myself from success and riches?
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Carlos @ 8:24PM | 2006-04-08| permalink
I don't think it would be unethical to "fake" (or, to put it another way, "cultivate") an interest in a particular denomination for the sake of a job. The problem is that many of these places require one to explicitly assent to their faith statements--which I think would be unethical if one didn't agree thereto. I've been eliminated from more than one job search for doctrinal reasons. (I also wonder how many secular schools have rejected my application because of my religious background. I've never had an on-campus at one of these places.)
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Felix @ 8:30PM | 2006-04-10| permalink
Your argument presupposes that lying to employers is a bad thing. More and more I'm tempted to conclude that Dark Helmet was right. Evil will always triumph because Good Is Dumb.
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Carlos @ 9:58PM | 2006-04-10| permalink
Ethics aside, often the sort of institution you're talking about will ask for the contact information of your pastor, so I'm not sure you'd be able to fake it.
Job hunting is tough; may the Schwartz be with you!
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