M&S Muslim Refuses To Serve 'Unclean' Bible - Page 5

blazey · 17-01-2008, 21:48

Anyone who has worked on a till will know that you cant just leave the till, you have to call someone else, and another employee would probably be confused and ask her what the problem is anyway and the customer will still have been made uncomfortable. As a catholic I dont see the problem in her telling the customer she couldn't touch the book. Anyone with any intelligence would be able to listen and understand why the woman couldnt touch the book.

Maybe its the customers fault for not bothering to listen. Maybe she should just go to asda instead and use the self serve tills. Problem solved.

WillowTheWhisp · 17-01-2008, 21:52

Look at something similar but on a practical rather than spiritual level.

Imagine you go into a shop to make several purchases. One of the items you wish to buy is a spotless white tablecloth. The shop assistant has just been weighing out 5lb of spuds and has soil on her hands. She could simply pick up your table cloth and get dirty fingerprints on it but what the heck it's her job and she's supposed to put the thing in a bag for you. Or she could ask you to put it in a bag yourself as she doesn't wish to mark it with her grubby hands. You can see the soil on her hands, you understand what she means so you thank her for being considerate.

Now look at the possibility where there isn't a mucky spud in sight but this young lass knows she has sweaty hands and fears she could leave a nasty greasy mark on your tablecloth. She asks you to put it in a bag yourself but you see no reason why she shouldn't do it. You catch the word 'greasy' or 'sweaty' and are not sure what she means but instead of asking you grudgingly put the cloth in the bag - but not having queried why you mull over this later and it becomes a grievance that the girl perhaps called you something insulting and made you serve yourself. Suddenly this shop assistant whose only concern was not to mark your lovely white table cloth with her sweaty, greasy hands has become a nasty insolent individual who wouldn't do her job properly, has insulted you and deserves to be sacked.

katex · 17-01-2008, 21:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp

But she wasn't airing an opinion. She was showing her respect for the book and the customer by not wishing to defile it. She was the one unclean (for reasons we know not) NOT the flippin book!!!

Well that is the 'excuse' that is being 'spun' and put forward Willow, however, . like the scarecrow, change yer head and think commercial.

blazey · 17-01-2008, 21:57

Why does this have to be thought of with a business head? Business doesn't come into peoples personal feelings and beliefs. There'd be just as much fuss if this had been a school girl.

What would have happened if it had been a catholic refusing to touch the qu'ran? The muslims wouldn't be going mad, they'd understand and think it brilliant that it can be respected by everyone in such a way, and if they took it badly we'd be causing such a huge fuss about it and voting BNP.

This thread disgusts me so i'm not even going to reply again to it.

WillowTheWhisp · 17-01-2008, 21:57

I think this misunderstanding is because we are not used to the idea of showing deference and respect to a book. I think Jews would understand it because they have the same sort of attitude towards the scrolls read in a synagogue. They have special pointer things to touch them with so they don't use their fingers.

The customer herself actually says that she heard the girls say the word unclean but at first didn't know what she meant and then saw her headdress and the Bible and drew a conclusion.

katex · 17-01-2008, 22:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by blazey

Anyone with any intelligence would be able to listen and understand why the woman couldnt touch the book.

Maybe its the customers fault for not bothering to listen. Maybe she should just go to asda instead and use the self serve tills. Problem solved.

AND .. that is exactly what this lady is probably going to do the next time .. losing busines for M & S !!

I would not understand why this woman would not be able to touch the book Blazey (just paper and print).. being an avid atheist .. so guess my IQ is about 78 at mo.

lancsdave · 17-01-2008, 22:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by blazey

Maybe she should just go to asda instead and use the self serve tills. Problem solved.

Asda don't stock the M&S First Bible Stories book

WillowTheWhisp · 17-01-2008, 22:01

The title of this thread should actually be 'unclean muslim refuses to touch Bible'

Lilly · 17-01-2008, 22:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by blazey

Anyone who has worked on a till will know that you cant just leave the till, you have to call someone else, and another employee would probably be confused and ask her what the problem is anyway and the customer will still have been made uncomfortable.

Call someone else then. Take them to one side and ask them to complete the transaction for you. Don't make a fuss in front of the customer.

katex · 17-01-2008, 22:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by blazey

Why does this have to be thought of with a business head? Business doesn't come into peoples personal feelings and beliefs. There'd be just as much fuss if this had been a school girl.

Well, when I engage you as my solicitor (which I will consider, no hard feelings) think your attitude may change.

WillowTheWhisp · 17-01-2008, 22:06

It doesn't actually sound like she did make a fuss. She did serve the woman, just asked her to pick up the book. Calling another member of staff over to do it (which may well have caused a delay and the queue behind to become impatient) would have been making far more of a fuss.

It seems that the majority of people in this thread are so determined to find fault with the girl that they cannot even attempt to see what actually happened and why.

Lilly · 17-01-2008, 22:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp

Look at something similar but on a practical rather than spiritual level.

Imagine you go into a shop to make several purchases. One of the items you wish to buy is a spotless white tablecloth. The shop assistant has just been weighing out 5lb of spuds and has soil on her hands. She could simply pick up your table cloth and get dirty fingerprints on it but what the heck it's her job and she's supposed to put the thing in a bag for you. Or she could ask you to put it in a bag yourself as she doesn't wish to mark it with her grubby hands. You can see the soil on her hands, you understand what she means so you thank her for being considerate.

Now look at the possibility where there isn't a mucky spud in sight but this young lass knows she has sweaty hands and fears she could leave a nasty greasy mark on your tablecloth. She asks you to put it in a bag yourself but you see no reason why she shouldn't do it. You catch the word 'greasy' or 'sweaty' and are not sure what she means but instead of asking you grudgingly put the cloth in the bag - but not having queried why you mull over this later and it becomes a grievance that the girl perhaps called you something insulting and made you serve yourself. Suddenly this shop assistant whose only concern was not to mark your lovely white table cloth with her sweaty, greasy hands has become a nasty insolent individual who wouldn't do her job properly, has insulted you and deserves to be sacked.

Not the same really as the examples you give feature muck that can be seen so it would be obvious to the customer why you would not wish to touch her pristine tablecloth, therefore, no offence could be taken.

WillowTheWhisp · 17-01-2008, 22:09

In my second example I purposely illustrated muck which couldn't be seen. But I wonder if you actually bothered to read it all.

blazey · 17-01-2008, 22:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lilly

Not the same really as the examples you give feature muck that can be seen so it would be obvious to the customer why you would not wish to touch her pristine tablecloth, therefore, no offence could be taken.

Are dirty hands always visible? I always seem to get make up all over myself when i've been applying it, but it blends into the skin colour on my hands and its not easy to see unless my hands are in your face.

How many people who have complained about this even care about the bible or what it means?

Lilly · 17-01-2008, 22:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by blazey

Are dirty hands always visible? I always seem to get make up all over myself when i've been applying it, but it blends into the skin colour on my hands and its not easy to see unless my hands are in your face.

How many people who have complained about this even care about the bible or what it means?

Yes, I for one know what the bible means. I've been going to church on a weekly basis for 30 years so I've picked a bit of it up.