Atheist Business with Christian Customers.

[beenherebeforeagain]

One of the great early American businessmen--Benjamin Franklin--belonged to several churches of different denominations and funded the construction of a synagogue--not because he was religious (I'm supportive of the notion that he picked "Deist" only because "Atheist" wasn't common vernacular back then, and would have been offensive...) but because it made good business sense to be seen to be open to everyone's beliefs.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

You're an atheist businessman with a thriving business. 80% of your clientele are Christians.

Do you tell them you don't believe in the biblical god or not?

Nope. I also don't tell my Muslim customers that I think Allah is a phoney. Assuming my business is not directly religiously-related, I don't see why I'd want to push my religious views on customers?

Further, I'd decorate my shop for Christmas decorations, or Hanneka, or whatever, based on my clientele.

I wouldn't claim to BE a Christian, however. Never have, even when in somewhat risky situations. I'm stupid/stubborn like that.

 

[dust1n]

What sort of business would I be running where they'd find out?

A church?

 

[Milton Platt]

You're an atheist businessman with a thriving business. 80% of your clientele are Christians.

Do you tell them you don't believe in the biblical god or not?

I would not hide it if the subject came up, but no reason to wear it on your sleeve,either.

A more interesting question is whether an atheist owned business could refuse service to a theist because what they believed went against what the atheist believed.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

I would not hide it if the subject came up, but no reason to wear it on your sleeve,either.

A more interesting question is whether an atheist owned business could refuse service to a theist because what they believed went against what the atheist believed.

I hope not. That would be odious. I'd boycott the business.

 

[Soundwave99]

No. In the very unlikely case that the topic of religion happens to come up, I'll make soemthing up like "I have to go to the bathroom" or "I have to take an important phone call".

 

[Revoltingest]

Nope. I also don't tell my Muslim customers that I think Allah is a phoney. Assuming my business is not directly religiously-related, I don't see why I'd want to push my religious views on customers?

Further, I'd decorate my shop for Christmas decorations, or Hanneka, or whatever, based on my clientele.

I wouldn't claim to BE a Christian, however. Never have, even when in somewhat risky situations. I'm stupid/stubborn like that.

Tis good business practice to not tell anyone about the bad side of their religion.
They resent that.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

No. In the very unlikely case that the topic of religion happens to come up, I'll make soemthing up like "I have to go to the bathroom" or "I have to take an important phone call".

I think a typical Australian response would be something like...'Oh...you know...I'm not that religious', or something. Which would be semi-expected whether you were theist OR atheist.
I go with 'I'm an atheist' and just roll with the consequences. Funniest reaction to that I ever had was in Papua New Guinea, where the guy asking me had no clue what an atheist was, and asked if that was a type of SDA.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Uh, what's the debate here? Who cares? Is there a specific reason why it would bother anyone?

My guess is that it's being used as a mirror. Because all you dirty theistic types refuse to serve humble atheists like me.



So the OP is perhaps checking to see what atheists think about the situation if the boot was on the other foot, I suppose. I don't remember ever being discriminated against due to my lack of religion in a shop or whatever, so...
*shrugs*

 

[lewisnotmiller]

It depends on what's more important - continuing to make money, or being honest about what you think.

My goal for running a business would be to make money, so I wouldn't see any value in taking the risk of driving away business in the pursuit of being truthful about my internal beliefs.

Are you really suggesting you wouldn't tell customers that they need to dress their age, and their muffin-tops are not attractive?

 

[suncowiam]

If I was selling the cure to cancer and for some weird reason, 80 percent were Christians, yeah, I would tell them I'm an Atheist.

If I was selling crosses, mmm, probably not.

 

[psychoslice]

Business is business, and by not telling the truth is not going to cause anyone up there in the sky to strike you down.

 

[suncowiam]

Uh, what's the debate here? Who cares? Is there a specific reason why it would bother anyone?

My guess is that it's being used as a mirror. Because all you dirty theistic types refuse to serve humble atheists like me.



So the OP is perhaps checking to see what atheists think about the situation if the boot was on the other foot, I suppose. I don't remember ever being discriminated against due to my lack of religion in a shop or whatever, so...
*shrugs*

Probably has to do with this.

Chip and Joanna Gaines and the anti-gay controversy over HGTV's Fixer Upper, explained

 

[Mindmaster]

You're an atheist businessman with a thriving business. 80% of your clientele are Christians.

Do you tell them you don't believe in the biblical god or not?

The only religion I have at work is called money. I find it is neither the place, nor the time for such discussions. Talking about this sort of thing at work would mean I am not doing the work or focusing on it. I don't speak about politics for the same reason, but even though wear I live probably 90% of the folks are Democrats.

 

[Altfish]

You're an atheist businessman with a thriving business. 80% of your clientele are Christians.

Do you tell them you don't believe in the biblical god or not?

I find this a disturbing question!
Why would religion matter as far as a business transaction go.
What if you were a Democrat and 80% of your customers were Trump supporters? Would that matter.
What if you were a Heavy Metal fan and 80% of your customers were Mariah Carey fans?

Why is your religion relevant???

 

[Soundwave99]

I think a typical Australian response would be something like...'Oh...you know...I'm not that religious', or something. Which would be semi-expected whether you were theist OR atheist.
I go with 'I'm an atheist' and just roll with the consequences. Funniest reaction to that I ever had was in Papua New Guinea, where the guy asking me had no clue what an atheist was, and asked if that was a type of SDA.

I see. I live in the US, where most people are really religious, so some people wouldn't take a response like that well. However, the store I work at actually has a policy that if a customer brings up politics or religion, employees are not allowed to give their opinions. Instead, we're supposed to say something along the lines of "That's nice" or some similar nice non-response. I personally think this is a good idea, as those things don't usually have a place in the workplace (except in the break room, amirite?)

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Are you really suggesting you wouldn't tell customers that they need to dress their age, and their muffin-tops are not attractive?

C'mon, even my pragmatism has its limits.

 

[IndigoStorm]

I was in the reception area of my offices a while back and an elderly guy was at the counter,and he spotted me he walked up to me and said: "I can see you are a child of god ... this is for you." and he handed me a card with some or other biblical text on it.

I took it from him and later tossed it into a bin.

What should I have done at the time?

 

[Underhill]

You're an atheist businessman with a thriving business. 80% of your clientele are Christians.

Do you tell them you don't believe in the biblical god or not?

Nope.

 

[Kuzcotopia]

I've been teaching high school for 8 years. No one has any idea.

Kids ask me about something like this, and I tell them it's not my job to influence you on those matters in in any way.

They don't even know my political affiliation, let alone my lack of belief in a god or gods.

I wish it worked the other way. LOTS of teachers I know are very pushy about their faith in Jesus.

Where I live in the Houston area, there are lots of business that claim to be Christian owned.

This is the funniest one. It's off of I-45 near the beltway. It's called His Soils, and there a huge hand painting of a Jesus face. The sell mulch and natural fertilizer. . . Shoveling it for the lord.