support/condemnation of lifestyle choices according to popular ethics
my workplace allows employees prayer breaks, and emphasises how important it is for managers to be tolerant and flexible to those wishing to take them. yet smoking breaks are banned, smoking is discouraged by various emails, employees are offered free stop-smoking sessions, and one is not allowed to smoke outside our buildings.

religion and smoking. both are choices made by adults about how they want to live. yet the PC brigade won't touch one of them for fear of offense, but openly condemns the other with a sneering peer-down-the-nose attitude.
(lotf, Fri 23 Nov 2007, 18:29, 7 replies)

smoking is nothing to do with PC
Someone sat next to you praying is not going to potentially cause you to get cancer.
Unless they're praying that you get cancer maybe, okay I see your point.
( Professor Fnord Regius Professor of B3ta Chronology, Fri 23 Nov 2007, 18:41, closed)

Do you need some to explain the concept of 'politically correct' to you
Last I heard, religion didn't give you and the people around you cancer.
( Wicca'd Witch needs ideas for a new sig on..., Fri 23 Nov 2007, 19:20, closed)

I don't
recall anyone going to war over 20 Lambert, however.
( JessAction Give me all your expensive brandy and hubcaps., Fri 23 Nov 2007, 20:27, closed)

religion can so give you cancer
if you're a Rastafarian.
(apeloverage committed the vile act of onanism on, Sat 24 Nov 2007, 1:18, closed)

i'm not actually a smoker
many things people do are self destructive, including practising religion and smoking, not to mention countless other lifestlye choices. i dont like seeing my freedom eroded because of politically correct do-gooders who decide to tell me how to live. first it's smoking, which i don't do. then it'll be drinking, which also gives you cancer, and i do this on a regular basis, as do most of my fellow countrymen. then what?

either flexibility and tolerance applies to all, or to none. wicca'd witch proves the point well, as (s)he has a personal opinion that smoking is worse than practising religion. others disagree.
(lotf, Sat 24 Nov 2007, 1:19, closed)

TIme
OK, so why is it OK to spend 20 mins praying, but not ok to spend 20 mins smoking ? From a "work" point of view, you are still being unproductive for 20 mins ?
(kitescreech still here, Sun 25 Nov 2007, 13:17, closed)

I'm a smoker *gasp*
(that was faux shock - not lack of breath.)

There are many cases of discrimination against smokers. Yes, we know it's going to kill us but it is actually still a matter of personal choice and freedom. The point in the original post was about smoking being banned from outside the building. Companies take the stance that a group of smokers congregating outside a building doesn't look good for the company. It would be rather different, I imagine, if employers were to ban employees from standing outside wearing hijabs during breaks - still a matter of personal choice eh?
(Greencloud Wanted to go fishing on, Tue 27 Nov 2007, 12:06, closed)