US court upholds firing for anti-gay Bible quotes

Reuters via forbes ^ | 1/6/04 | Reuters

[machman]

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A federal appeals court Tuesday upheld a lower court ruling that Hewlett-Packard Co. did not violate the rights of a devout Christian employee when it fired him for posting Biblical scriptures on his cubicle that were critical of homosexuality.

The San Francisco-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit held that HP did not discriminate against Richard Peterson when it fired him after he posted quotes from the Bible in his cubicle in response to company posters featuring gay employees.

The HP posters, which carried the slogan "Diversity is Our Strength," were part of an effort to promote the computer and printer maker's bid to hire and retain a diverse work force.

Peterson was fired for insubordination after refusing to remove the biblical postings, which managers determined could be viewed as offensive.

Judge Stephen Reinhardt wrote that Peterson, a veteran HP employee who worked in HP's Boise, Idaho office, had failed to provide evidence he was sacked for his religious beliefs.

Instead, Reinhardt held Peterson was fired for repeatedly disregarding instructions to remove his biblical postings, including one from Leviticus explicitly addressing homosexuality.

A passage, which Peterson had conceded was "intended to be hurtful," reads: "If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them."

Judge Reinhardt said it would have been an "undue hardship" for HP to have accommodated Peterson's demands that he be allowed to post scriptures in response to the posters, or that he remove his postings in exchange for HP taking down its posters promoting diversity.

Either option would have also hurt the company's efforts to "attract and retain a qualified, diverse work force, which the company reasonably views as vital to its commercial success," Reinhardt wrote.

Lawyers for Peterson and Palo Alto, California-based HP could not be immediately reached for comment.

Copyright 2004, Reuters News Service

[machman]

Didn't see this posted yet....

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[joesnuffy]

It was Nero...who tortured and executed Christians in a most vile fashion...impaling them upon
poles then covering them with oil and setting them on fire along the highways and paths...
He bragged about illuminating the world...with his torches....

The crimes these believers were charged with......crimes against humanity....hate crimes...
They quoted Christ and the bible ..urging sinners to repent ...reminding them of what God's
thoughts were on the proclivities and sins of their day...

HP makes good Romans
IMO

[WinOne4TheGipper]

Apparently, HP isn't as concerned with diversity as they want you to believe. Dude, we're getting a Dell...

[Prime Choice]

I wonder...how does a poster depict gay people as a show of "diversity"? Does it have them dress up as The Village People? What?

Funny how HP's "diversity" doesn't include Bible-literate Christians.

That's the last time I buy any of their products.

[dhs12345]

You have to follow an employer's rules. It is possible that HP might have been sued.

Religion and politics are best not discussed/displayed at work.

I just hope the same is true for anything posted that might be offensive to Christians.

[mcg1969]

Gotta be honest, man, this is a private company, not the government. They're welcome to screw up their workforce however they want.

[King Black Robe]

Exactly. No problem here. I'll never buy HP again unless I have no other option. I'll even spend more to avoid them.

[King Black Robe]

Religion and politics are best not discussed/displayed at work.

Then HP should have taken down their posters that are offensive to Christians.

[dhs12345]

Agreed. Double standards should not be tollerated.

[King Black Robe]

You're absolutely right. And we are welcome to buy from other companies in response. It works pretty well that way.

[SF Republican]

HP makes good Romans IMO IMO there is a big difference between impaling people & setting them on fire as opposed to firing them

[Hodar]

Instead, Reinhardt held Peterson was fired for repeatedly disregarding instructions to remove his biblical postings, including one from Leviticus explicitly addressing homosexuality.

If HP has to tolerate Reinhardt's expression of religion in the work place; they must tolerate everyone's. Thus the Koran's directives to kill Jews where you can find them is also permitted. HP has no choice, they cannot favor one religion over another; thus no one gets to denounce anyone. Imagine, a work place where you can't post religious directives to kill Jews, or stone gays.

[The_Eaglet]

Who appointed Reinhardt?

It looks like I will need to avoid purchasing HP and Compaq products.

[Byron_the_Aussie]

HP's PC? Thanks for posting this, Machman. I have to update some Laserjet 5Ls soon. Any suggestions on another company making good laser printers?

[machman]

Gotta be honest, man, this is a private company, not the government. They're welcome to screw up their workforce however they want.

I agree, but how long do you think a policy at any large company would last if it had a slogan like "traditional values are our strength" and showed a man and a woman with kids in a poster, and actively said that homosexuality is wrong.

[B Knotts]

Looks like I bought HP products for the last time.

[polemikos]

9th Circuit Court

Not surprised.

"Diversity is Our Strength"

Actually, it used to be "Competence is Our Strength".

Diversity in non-job-related areas is a weakness.

[randog]

I wonder...how does a poster depict gay people as a show of "diversity"?

That one's got me scratching my head, too. I mean, how is your electronics company enhanced by hiring folks that like odd sex? Does HP think employing an equal number of butt, breast, and leg men is a boon to their company, and would they trumpet it if they did?

[Dave S]

Funny how HP's "diversity" doesn't include Bible-literate Christians.

You want the courts to tell you that your local religious book store has to hire a cross dressing Satanist? HP is a private company and it can have whatever objectives its shareholders allow it to have. If the employees don't like those objectives they either shut up or get out. The employee who was fired, was not fired for his beliefs, he was fired for attempting to force his beliefs on others in contradiction to the company's objectives. That is insubordination and no company will allow that to stand. Good riddance. Why is it that so many so called cases of religious intolerance are brought on by the victims themselves?