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FT At Work—Yes Or No?

Read FT at work?

  • Often

    Votes: 2 66.7%

  • Sometimes

    Votes: 1 33.3%

  • Rarely

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    3
A

Anonymous

Guest
I'm currently staying in a hostel (don't ask...long story) in Shrewsbury and have a subscription to FT. After reading my copy, I pass it on to a couple of others in the building for a read, including one of the members of staff. For the past two months, another member of staff - who is extremely religious, despite disguising it under a veneer of affable camaraderie and one-of-the-lads matiness - has been taking my copy of FT, whenever his colleague's borrowed it, and then making it "disappear" (i.e., either shredding it or taking it out of the building). He's been known to do things like this before. My friend on the staff has been trying to reimburse me for the lost mags, but I've so far managed to stop her spending money to cover up for his narrowminded views.

Has anyone else ever run into a problem like this, where someone steals their FT on pseudo-religious grounds (saving me from all those nasty infidel questions, doubtlessly) and, if so, what did you do about it? I've no actual proof that he's been half-inching my FTs, but it's undoubtedly him and I don't think he should be allowed to get away with it (or cost my staff friend her money).

Thoughts?

[... apologies if this is the wrong forum, but it's about the mag itself, after all ...]
 
I haven't come across anyone censoring like this but I do get some very odd looks from people when I talk about Fortean stuff. Sort of the "blimey you've got three heads" look :roll:
 
rhassaris: How strange. Have you spoken to them about it?

Some other courses of action:

1. Really freak them out by leaving copies of the Satanic Bible or Shaved Nuns Quaterly lying around.

2. Break into their house and try and find the stash of FTs and other great stuff they have nicked over the years - as if they are shredding them!!! They are storing them under the stairs so they can remind themselves what a terrible sinful world it is. Then when the temptation is too storng they swig a bottle of scotch, scatter them on the floor, strip down to their undies and roll around on them - catapulting them into another couple of weeks of self-loathing. Probably.
 
I'd ask the management above him to to clarify if there is any set poilicy on what material is/isn't allowed and get them to emphasise to all staff that they are not authorised to take such arbitrary action - whoever they are - it's theft.

anyone found to be , may be disciplined. It ain't on.

-
 
I've come across one or two weirdies like that, (actually there's one in my family but I'd best say no more). Suffice it to say puritanism is indeed alive and well in England.

My answer would be don't lend your FT out. I don't!
 
i have a small pocket dictionary somewhere. it was purchased at a jumble sale. the previous owner or possibly someone who thought they needed to look after them has edited it with tippex. mainly religious words blanked out like judaism. will have to hunt out the dictionary as it is fascinating to think of words that they might have edited and look them up to see if they did. also some sex related words have been removed.
 
Actually, after posting this yesterday I happened to find out that another guest/resident saw the member of staff with it in his hands. The other resident said "oh, nice one, Bob*, freedom of speech"; Bob got very snarky and said something like "well, what about MY freedom of speech, having this sort of thing on the premises?". And he walked off with it (I was out of the building at the time otherwise I'd have stamped my feet and screamed like a girl).

Rrose_Selavy: The manager is the one who told me he's done things like this before. She's rather exasperated with him to say the least, especially as his job title is "Support Officer". Perhaps it should be amended to "Criminal Damage Officer". :)

Mind you, I have a "support consultation" with him on Monday and I'm moving to a new place soon(ish). Perhaps I shall start by telling him that I can't possibly ask for support from a narrowminded bigot who commits acts of wanton destruction under the pretext of freedom of speech while diminishing the rights of others to same. Although someone has suggested this might cause a ruckus. Can't see why... ;)


* = Not his real name.
 
Maybe some of us from forum can organise a mob and have a quiet word with the "Support Officer" Ronnie & Reggie style - :madeyes:

Only joking - of course :smokin:

Perhaps he should be given a free subscription if he can't afford to buy his own copy?
 
I was once browsing the FT website in a computer class a long time ago (8 or so years) showing it to classmates ect. The next day a classmate told me he couldn't access the site through his home ISP, who I later found out were Christians and blocked access to anything 'offensive'
 
Online censorship filters -- it's all in the spec

DanTheGPI said:
I was once browsing the FT website in a computer class a long time ago (8 or so years) showing it to classmates ect. The next day a classmate told me he couldn't access the site through his home ISP, who I later found out were Christians and blocked access to anything 'offensive'
Click to expand...

Online filters tend to be extremely generic. They tend to censor, e.g. medical sites because they mention body parts; any reference to feminism or, hee hee, censorship is normally excluded. I would imagine FT would be blackmarked because we are not afraid to discuss things such as witches, the devil etc.

See, we can all be evil together here, cackle, cackle.
 
I suppose you could leave copies of the 10 commandments laying about the place in prominent positions, with the one about not stealing highlighted in bright colours...
 
The range of reactions of people on the grounds of their belief systems never ceases to amaze me! I used to show my Evangelical friends FT to see what they'd think (these were guys who read ancient scriptures as if they were 20th century prose and end up pondering if they would be allowed ride motorcycles on the streets of gold in the New Jeruslam and for whom what kind of chair was Christ seated on "at the right hand of the Father" could form a serious topic of speculation - seriously!) and their reaction was very positive. They reveled in the evidence within its pages of a supernatural world beyond the bounds of that described by the naturalistic worldview (my phrasing, not theirs!), although I never did see them buy their own copy I like to think that their perusal of mine might have broadened their horizons somewhat!
 
The range of reactions of people on the grounds of their belief systems never ceases to amaze me!
Click to expand...

Just goes to show how much people will use religion as a gloss to their prejudices. Some people think that a mag like FT 'confirms' the existence of god because of all the 'supernatural' stuff it presents as being at large in the world. Others reckon it's all the devil's work, and shouldn't even be touched with a shitty stick.

Just can't win with any of them, really.
 
When I try to encourage people to read FT all I get is "I'm not into that ghost rubbish". When I try to explain that FT isn't all a load of "ghost rubbish" they just look blank, say "whatever" and go on to talk about all the "football rubbish" :lol:

Anyway, I still try to convert the masses to be a bit more open minded.

Ain't working too well yet.
 
Maybe you should point out that as a source of reported Forteana the average copy of FT pales into insignificance next to the Bible - and confiscate his copy.
 
Raise a fuss. This guy was caught red-handed and it's not a first offense. His boss should be more than "exasperated." You have a right to demand an apology and restitution from him; failing that, you have the right to push for his dismissal. If you can't get satisfaction at this level, get it at the next. If you run out of levels, file a theft complaint with the police. The management won't like that!

In what way does someone else having a magazine infringe on this guy's freedom of speech? If I went around saying that my right to be a vegetarian is infringed by the person next to me being served meat, I'd be laughed out of the kitchen.

You have to nip this sort of non-thinking in the bud, or there's no telling where it will end.
 
PeniG said:
You have to nip this sort of non-thinking in the bud, or there's no telling where it will end.
Click to expand...
Quite right. Some people are too quick to take offence where none's intended. Idiots!
 
Wander around asking loudly: "Now, where is that set of ministry stickers and church newsletters I left inside my copy of FT?"..

:twisted:
 
I'm fascinated by the comment made by the miscreant: "What about MY freedom of speech?" There is a certain type of 'Christian' who views the mere existence of any sort of contradictory or secular material as oppressive, as if Jesus will smite them for being in the same building as a copy of FT. (I figure Jesus is a big boy and can stick up for himself quite well, thank you) If he (the thief, not Jesus) is still around, I'd love you to ask him precisely HOW the pesence of this magazine infringes on his freedom of speech.
 
Leaferne said:
as if Jesus will smite them for being in the same building as a copy of FT. (I figure Jesus is a big boy and can stick up for himself quite well, thank you)
Click to expand...

Then again if it did prompt an outbreak of smiting that'd be cool too.
 
I've never thought of FT as a magazine that 'promotes' any paticular religion or belief system, otherwhise it would be impossible to have storys about incorruptable saints bodies, allah's in aubagines, inteligent design and santa claus's possible pagan ancestory in the same magazine.

A good idea might be at this councilling meeting (if it hasn't yet occoured) to say that one of the things upsetting you is that someone keeps stealing your magazine that you pay for, don't mention or even indicate that you think it's him, but if he keeps stum that it was him taking it then if he's half the christian he claims to be you can lay a guilt trip on him without even having to muddy the waters or cause a scene by accuseing him to his face.
 
:twisted: Or nail him to a door and tell him about Pope Julius the Third.

That'll surprise him.
 
FT at work?

How many of y'all read FT at work? Come on, be honest!
 
We've talked about this before, in a sense, so I've merged your post in with this topic.

Yes, I read it at work.
 
robbo616 said:
:twisted: Or nail him to a door and tell him about Pope Julius the Third.
Click to expand...

Probably not. The type of fundementalist Christian who would object to FT is not likely to be a Catholic. He'd probably just agree that the Papacy is the Devil's Plaything. :roll:
 
FT is my usual break time reading material. I often share Strange Deaths with the other nurses and caregivers. I have ,at times been criticized for for it , but I must do my part to corrupt the younger generation- most of my co-workers are college students in health related courses of study.
 
Criticised for what? Reading articles out-loud? Doesn't everyone do this, from whatever they happen to be reading?
 
I get PAID to read FT at work!

I actually get away with reading FT at work, DURING work. Yay!

At my library, I'm responsible for purchasing our books on strange phenomena and the paranormal, so the "Reviews" section of FT is always a safe part to be looking at. But I can get away with reading the rest of the magazine by claiming I need it to "develop the broad knowledge needed for making wise purchases in my subject area".

(I'm also responsible for buying the books in our religion section, which is somewhat difficult for me as I am an athiest, but I do my best.)
 
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