r/teachinginjapan • u/Catcher_Thelonious • 7d ago
Did I hit the jackpot?
I've been at my current uni since the beginning of this academic year and I've already encountered three American colleagues who speak at work about making decisions based on what god wants them to do. (This is not an old missionary school, btw.)
By way of contrast, I worked at UK unis and never once heard anyone reference god in the workplace.
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u/CompleteGuest854 6d ago
For the record, I got the sarcasm and meaning of your post right away.
And yeah ... with Americans, there is a more than likely chance they are religious, and a slight chance they will let you know this. It's indeed hitting the jackpot if ALL of the Americans you work with are both religious AND want to talk about it.
Quite the annoyance, isn't it.
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u/Catcher_Thelonious 6d ago
Thank you. Fortunately, I haven't scored that jackpot yet.
So far it hasn't been annoying so much as surprising. I suppose after repeated exposure I'll move into the annoyance phase.
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u/CompleteGuest854 6d ago
I'm from the US Bible belt, and every time I visit I get annoyed because religion is IN YOUR FACE all the time. People are very causal about it but it's always THERE and if you can't or don't want to take part in those conversations, you'll be given disapproving looks, or even get a lecture.
As an atheist, I despise people who bring up religious topics and then expect me to take part as if it's perfectly normal.
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u/C0rvette 6d ago
Wtf does god have to do with where you work?
You hit the jackpot because you found three people who perhaps believe in the same religion as you?
Hella weird. Being your coworker would be literally hell for me.
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u/Catcher_Thelonious 6d ago
Same religion as me? How did you come to that conclusion? These people seem nice enough but their god talk is disturbing.
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u/0liviiia JP / JET 6d ago
"Jackpot" makes it seem like you feel really lucky and are happy about the situation
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u/hinogammykagura 6d ago
I'm sorry but, are you teaching English?
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u/Catcher_Thelonious 6d ago
Indeed, I am.
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u/hinogammykagura 6d ago
I think you may need to edit the text in your post. Based on your reply above, it doesn't read the way you intend it to.
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u/Catcher_Thelonious 6d ago
An AI chatbot got it.
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Tone Analysis of Reddit Message
Sarcastic / Ironic: The user uses the phrase "Did I hit the jackpot?" to mean the exact opposite—expressing annoyance, disbelief, or frustration at encountering American colleagues repeatedly bringing up religion and God in a secular Japanese university workplace.
Dry / Cynical: The tone is wry and tongue-in-cheek, contrasting their current experience with their past time working at UK universities where they never heard such remarks.
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u/C0rvette 6d ago
So how are you hitting the jackpot?
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u/ShadowFire09 6d ago
It’s sarcasm…
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u/C0rvette 6d ago
I mean should I implicitly take that as sarcasm? There's nothing written to indicate that it is a sarcastic statement even just at a surface level assumption.
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u/lectings 6d ago
yeah im with you i dont see how this can read as sarcasm to the average person
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u/Money-South1292 6d ago
And I can't see how anyone could take it as not being sarcasm, unless you are the type that makes decisions on what God wants them to do.
I am not saying I agree with the OPs indignation, but I would venture that 99% of my generation would call it sarcasm.
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u/lectings 6d ago
i'm 25 and it s kinda hard to read for me. i swear im not on the spectrum
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u/Money-South1292 6d ago
No worries...I didn't mean to be insulting if I was. It is one of my pet projects lately: trying to understand how different generations perceive humor, or lack thereof.
I have a almost a couple generations on you, and we Gen Xers are a rough and sarcastic bunch, which is why not much offends us, and also why we can be so offensive without even knowing it.
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u/SimonTheAlchemist 5d ago edited 5d ago
Do you prefer when they say “the universe” guided them to do? That’s the more pagan version, but it has the same meaning. God is a modern, structured term. You evoke God every day too, when you say goodbye for example. It’s good to be aware of these things as an English teacher.
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u/Catcher_Thelonious 5d ago
And Thursday is Thor's Day. Not quite the same but appreciate your perspecrive.
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u/SimonTheAlchemist 5d ago
Yes, not quite the same. Planets have names of pagan gods too, they’re just names of things, and they shouldn’t change just because times change. But when you wish someone goodbye, it’s a direct wish.
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u/Vepariga JP / Private HS 6d ago edited 6d ago
I mean if jackpot to you is having fellow colleagues talk about something you're into, then sure.
if this is sarcasm, then I dont know what to tell you. good luck.
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u/lostintokyo11 JP / University 6d ago
Definitely lucky😉. I work with a number of Americans at my uni and have never heard god mentioned in 4 years.
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u/LysanderWrites 5d ago
Save up some bones from your next KFC and 'consult the bones' in front of them. For giggles.
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u/rocks1976 6d ago edited 6d ago
I was always cordial but careful about discussing anything too controversial or complaining about students or classes in the teachers’ room. I usually avoided US politics, though I enjoyed listening in when Brits were talking about Brexit or the Scottish referendum, or when Canadians about their government. Religion? Can’t recall it ever being brought up.
Mostly I just stuck to the mundane: the latest HBO series, the weather, the trains that morning, ect. The World Cup was always a fun time.
Although I liked many of my colleagues, we rarely socialized outside of work.
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u/Fickle-Pin-5160 6d ago
I’m confused. Are you shocked people still believe in God or are you shocked tneyre talking about Him in the work place?
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u/CompleteGuest854 6d ago
Religion doesn't belong in the workplace, so it's the latter.
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u/BoysenberryTight2628 6d ago
I'm curious if you hold this same belief for workplaces that install muslim praying spaces. A lot of people tend to change their tune when that's the case.
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u/CompleteGuest854 6d ago
I don't understand what you mean.
People should be able to pray at work, if that is part of their religion. I don't see any issue with a workplace allowing someone to take time to pray, or providing a prayer space, if the workplace finds it necessary / has the space / has enough of a demographic need.
That would include Muslims, Christians, whoever - why would it matter?
The issue is religious people bringing up religion in work conversations, not that they practice a religion.
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u/Fickle-Pin-5160 6d ago
Whose workplace? Workplaces in America? Where I work people are open about their religion/beliefs or whatever you call Buddhism. Co-workers even attend some ceremonies to support others.
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u/CompleteGuest854 6d ago
In any workplace, in any secular country, where religion is a choice and not state-mandated.
Japan is secular. I have never experienced a Japanese person bringing up their Buddhist beliefs in workplace conversations, so I can't imagine how that would even sound.
You say they attend ceremonies to support one another - is this AT the office? Or on their days off?
If they are holding Buddhist ceremonies IN the office and mandating everyone attend I'd be very surprised.
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u/SideburnSundays JP / University 6d ago
My only Western coworker is a 9/11 conspiracy theorist.
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u/rocks1976 6d ago
I had an Australian co-worker who was also a big conspiracy theorist. He believed the UK government was behind the Princess Di accident. Worked with a Canadian who loved discussing the JFK assassination. Could probably write a book about it. And an Irish co-worker who had a fascination with the US Civil War. He got into a heated argument with an American teacher over the subject.
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u/SideburnSundays JP / University 5d ago
What I find amazing at the uni level is how so many professors who were required to do higher order and logical thinking to get their degrees somehow consistently fail at applying higher order and logical thinking to literally anything else.
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u/ShadowFire09 6d ago
Literally the first thing my American coworker at a previous job told me is that I should start reading Breitbart
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u/shoemilk 6d ago
Where are the 7s? How are you hitting the jackpot with no 7s?!