I work at a YMCA "branch." I don't want to get real indepth here, but I work at a place that is an official YMCA "foundation." Anyway, most of you know that YMCA stands for:
<ul>
<li>Young
<li>Men's
<li>Christian
<li>Association
</ul>
The next two weeks a group from a state that is relatively far away from here will be using the campus. The head of the group is someone moderately famous, in the 80s anyway. But today that head of the group told the president of the YMCA organization I work at that 75% of the group of 300 teenagers was Christian, and that the other 25% were either Hindu or Muslim. Interesting!
Until she asked the president to take down the picture of Jesus we have in our dining hall.
The group is paying a fifth of a million dollars to stay for two weeks. This can have a big impact on decisions. The president ordered one of their subordinants to take a bed sheet and cover up the portrait of Jesus. The painting is pretty big, about 4" by 4". So he comes in (the subordinant) and is trying to put the sheet on the frame and picture, and I go and help with a broom because he couldn't do it by himself. We agree that the situation is redicilous. Then I thought about it some more. YM<b>C</b>A. Young Men's <b>Christian</b> Organization. What kind of treachery was this? The group CHOSE to come to this YMCA campus. We didn't make them come. My boss (I work in the kitchen) is furious. They are a very religious person. I am not very religious but seeing a bed sheet on top of the huge portrait of Jesus is infuriating.
So when the guy leaves that I help put the sheet up with, I go and pull it down to where it's hanging by one corner. I don't really care if I get fired for it. Just because the group is paying 200 grand to stay for two weeks doesn't mean that their religion is right and our's is wrong. If I was to go a a Young Men's Hindu Assocation, I wouldn't make them cover up all the cow paintings on the walls! You live with it.
I just couldn't believe the head of the group demanded that we cover up Jesus.
The head of the maintenance department came into the kitchen and we told them the situation. They were furious, and questioned the order. They even said they would quit the job (20+ years at the workplace) if we weren't allowed to take it down.
He said that "some us, just SOME of us" actually believe in the foundations of the YMCA, and we shouldn't have to cover it up if someone doesn't like it. Especially if they chose this campus out of the rest of resorts.
So later the president comes in, tears the sheet off Jesus all the way, and tells my boss that "we're gonna leave Jesus up, but they can express their religion publicly too if they want."
Then the president later apologized and said their decision was irrational and embarassing. I agreed. It shows good leadership that they could take back the order and find a solution to the problem though. They told the leader of the group that Jesus was going to have to stay up or else all of their workers were gonna quit. They agreed to leave Jesus up, but to publicly display their religion as well.
Anyone have any comments on this? What do you think should have been done? Was the leader of the group's order to cover up a painting of Jesus in the dining hall appropriate? Should it have been covered? Should the group be allowed to express their religion publicly at a YMCA?
Go for it!