Your email was an excellent example of reasonability and professionalism.
The owner of the sister company is being a jack-ass. His company may have a valid reason for publicising this movie, but this connection isn’t clear and he should know that it is controversial and likely to raise eyebrows. And the fact that he then suggests using this as an opportunity at witnessing calls into question his whole motivation.
Your best course of action is to pass this one ‘upstairs’. Let your bosses decide if they are running a company or a church outreach.
OK How are they a sponsor of the production? Do they sponsor other movies? I’m guessing no because you probably havn’t seen other movie posters taped to the door.
My guess is that his church group has bought a screening of the film, like church groups have done across the country. Maybe he is giving free tickets to his employees. What does sister company do? Do they advertise films in general?
I would talk to the boss of the brother company (yours) and have him or her talk to this guy.
It was like someone turning on a bright light, when I had been stumbling around in a dark room. Oh sure, up until now I had enough brain power to keep breathing and keep my heart beating without actively thinking about it, but nothing like this! And my first precious epiphany, as I joined the ranks to the truly sentient was “Libertarian is an asshat.” Go figure.
I think that this business, if they want to, has every right to show that poster.
But that sister company owner was a bit of a loon to say what he did in the way that he did. Yow! But, once again, this business has every right, if they want to, to show that poster.
It is a movie poster. That’s what it is. I’ve seen many movie posters before, publicising many types of movies, some that I know I would find far more “disturbing” than this one. So what are you gonna do? :shrug: It’s their business and they can display whatever they want. (Of course, they’ve gotta deal with the consequences, but that’s their problem and ultimately, nobody else’s.)
Jodi’s right—kick this one to the higher-ups and stay away. The OP is just an employee and no good can come from a “mere employee” trying to tell one of the co-owners (who’s obviously only has a tenuous grasp on reality) what to do. Because (one more time) the company has every right to show that poster. All the bellyaching in the world can’t change that!
Oh, and just for the record, count me in as one of those people who cringes a little inside when I hear (or read) “Jesus” being used as an epithet. I hear it all the time; I don’t say much because all that will happen is that people will roll their eyes at me or peg me as some sort of “fanatic.” But it does, most definitely, bug me.
I dunno. This sort of thing works both ways. I’m not claiming any special victim status and I certainly don’t think I’ve got a hard time of it in general, but there’s hypocrisy and/or obliviousness on both sides of most issues, including this one.
The part that draws a reckless false dichotomy, and says that one can only mean either A or B. Your pea-brain reasoned that I must have been addressing either the OP or you. Indeed I am addressing you presently, but only as one addresses a mosquito that has flown into one’s ear. Rest assured that when I composed the post over which you are obsessing, I gave no thought to you at all. Even now it is a struggle to recall a “Ludovic”. Go find some other blood to suck.
I disagree. They have no right putting a poster that might offend scads of people in a common area they share with another company, without seeking input from that other company first.
What if Brother Company has a lot of Jewish customers? Or employees?
If I were to walk into a lobby to do business with someone, and I saw a poster in their lobby for, say, a revival meeting by Fred Phelps, I wouldn’t care if it was the company I was there to see or their sister company who put that poster up. I would walk out, and never do business with either again.
If Sister Co wants to support Gibson’s film, let them do it in an area that is clearly their own. Otherwise, that disturbing poster (and the reportedly anti-Semitic film it advertises) will be associated with both companies, and that’s not right.
I concur (and I am a dyed in the wool atheist). I don’t understand why this is causing so much anger. Why would that poster be confusing any clients, unless you happen to work for the Atheists of America, or the Church of Satan?
To be safe, for your company, put up an appendum to the poster, “Passion Proudly supported by Sister Company.”
I think that I can field this one. You see, for many folks it is not just a matter of not believing in the Christian mythos, it is that we actually see Christianity as an active force for harm and misery in this world. That is where the offence and anger comes from. I am not sure about the “confusion” but I took that as the OP’s polite way of pointing out that there is a time and a place for this sort of thing, and that the door to reception to a place of business is neither.
Futlie Gesture put it best. My company would not have a problem with this poster, nor ANY movie poster, if it had been presented with a little more information. As it was, it was taped to the door by itself. This sister company is a computer networking company, not ever a sponsor of any movie prior to this event. What The Passion of The Christ has to do with computers I’m not really sure.
The owner of Sister Company is recently “Born-Again” as it’s called, so he may have an increased insterest in religious matters. Theres not a thing wrong with this in any way, I’m just clarifying.
Owner of Sister Company comes to me today to ask who specifically was offended by the poster. He stated that as he pays half the rent for our lobby, that he can post whatever he wants. He doesnt object to us putting up items that have our company name on them in the shared area. Apparently, he’s not seeing the distinction here.
Well the conversation did not go well, his voice kept going up. I tried to get him to understand our position, but he ended up storming out, threatening to talk to our CEO. CEO however, is in agreement with my actions, so I’m not very concerned in that regard.
This will all smooth out. I have no objection to the poster being displayed with an announcement around it saying “Sister Company is sponsoring…” But that is not what was presented. The fact is that we were all CONFUSED because a movie poster was taped up on the door in the first place. And yes, offended. I was offended (I am Catholic), and other coworkers were offended as well, so I think its reasonable to assume some of our customers would be.
Ahhh, the classic Libertarian tapdance. If you did not mean the readers, nor the OP, but just someone, somewhere, out there, you should be writing your own rant, rather than baiting the board with generic accusations of taking a name in vain without anything substantive to back it up.
I’m certainly not a religious person, but I fail to see what is offensive about the poster. If I were in ThatDuckisEvil’s place, I would take it down, because movie posters taped to a door in a place of business looks tacky, but I don’t think I would be offended.
Can someone explain to me what is offensive about this poster as opposed to tacky?
Thanks Binarydrone, but I already understand and accept that Christianity can be harmful as true. FWIW, I was teamed up against by three members of my family a few days ago to tell me that everything I though regarding atheism, morality and whatnots (especially the whatnots) was wrong, and that I was doing it so I could ignore god. My mom was crying for pete’s sake! I know something about the misery Christianity can be responsible for.
I live in a small, very Christian, town and I am used to seeing posters, signs, etc. for all sorts of Christian events. Perhaps that is why it seems surprising people would be offended over a poster for an upcoming movie. Now, if the poster had simply said, “Honk if you’re saved. Burn in HELL if you are not!” I would understand the concern. (we need a partial-tongue-in-cheek smilie…)
Here’s a thought. If a company’s business is making movies, and posters of the last ten movies made are always posted in the lobby, then adding another, even if it is of a religious subject, seems permissible, even expected.
But if religious posters are not common in a secular workplace, and suddenly a provocative one appears all by its lonesome where no poster has gone before, then it appears the intent is a proselytizing one and the situation should be handled differently.
In this case, the latter appears to be what’s happening.
Well in Reality, ThatDuckisEvil, you handled it very well.
However, in Fantasy, I’d have loved to have seen, just as he was about to turn, the double-doors burst open behind you and Bono stride out in a black leather jacket (preferably leading in a choir) and shouting:
"Well, the God We Believe In Ain’t Short of Advertising Space, Mister…!!!"
What happens when Bobby Labonte’s Passion-Of-The-Christmobile spins out and goes into the wall? What kind of message will that send our young people? (I think this fear is related to the old-time reluctance to name warships things like Britannia and Deutschland.
And something about this line: “I look forward to meeting Bobby Labonte and his team in the pits” strikes me as humorous.
But only because I am a sinner.*
*Though not as forlorn and lost as one who would misspell the name of the anointed one, Slim Whitman.
Glad your own CEO is backing you, so you’re not worried about what will happen to you. And sorry this well-intentioned-fuckwit can’t get his mind around the concept of proper venues for certain topics.
I’d also like to second the view that you’ve handled things about as well as could have been done.
Oh, you’d be surprised the rights owners have on their own property – even part owners. Of course, we don’t know who owns the building, or what the terms of the lease are, but unless they have arrangements to the contrary, they have every “right” to use (and decorate) the common areas as they see fit. As does the OP’er’s company. Which means this guy can put the poster up, and the OP’er’s boss can take it down. And they can fight it out between them, without putting the HR duck in the middle of it.
BIANARYDRONE –
Considering the breadth of beliefs and practices sheltered under the title of “Christianity,” it is a sign of stupidity or ignorance (or both) to believe that there is some monolithic entity known as "Christianity, and to further believe that that non-existent monolith is necessarily “an active force of harm and misery in this world.” But hey, believe what you want. Lord knows I do.
