You know how your workplace is wonderful and exciting and a source of constant joy?
No…?
Maybe this will help:
Already estimated to number 4,000 in the United States, corporate chaplains are a new breed of counsellors slowly finding their way into Canadian workplaces. They are usually people with a strong Christian faith who also possess a background in social work or counselling.
Say what now?
[Lee-Ann Lavoie, a former social worker and current master’s student in counselling] has been a part-time corporate chaplain at the High Country Inn and its sister properties, offering counselling and workshops to serve the personal and spiritual needs of employees.
“One thing I truly believe is that there is spiritual side of life, and everyone has a spiritual side,” Ms. Lavoie says. “Corporate chaplains open people up to that side at work.”
We do?
Lavoie says she’s not there to preach religion. And as long as she doesn’t, the corporations don’t face any legal troubles.
Still, I find it hard to believe no religion will seep into the conversations… consider the company providing the chaplains:
Outreach Canada, a Christian organization based in Delta, B.C., started placing corporate chaplains in businesses in that province and Alberta in 2004. The program has served a dozen companies in industries such as manufacturing, tourism and construction, and currently employs seven chaplains. Earlier this month, Corporate Chaplains Outreach Canada launched in Ontario and has plans to serve the entire country.
But the company says they’re all about spiritual growth, not religious growth.
Whatever that means.
(No really. What does that mean? Someone please tell me.)
Anyone else get the feeling, though, that if it were a Muslim company providing spiritual counselors, there’d be a lot of uncomfortable workers…?
(Thanks to Rachel for the link!)
[tags]atheist, atheism[/tags]
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