PERKINS, Okla. -- A small-town bank in Oklahoma said the Federal Reserve won’t let it keep religious signs and symbols on display.
Federal Reserve examiners come every four years to make sure banks are complying with a long list of regulations. The examiners came to Perkins last week. And the team from Kansas City deemed a Bible verse of the day, crosses on the teller’s counter and buttons that say "Merry Christmas, God With Us." were inappropriate. The Bible verse of the day on the bank's Internet site also had to be taken down.
--SNIP--
Specifically, the feds believed, the symbols violated the discouragement clause of Regulation B of the bank regulations. According to the clause, "...the use of words, symbols, models and other forms of communication ... express, imply or suggest a discriminatory preference or policy of exclusion."
The feds interpret that to mean, for example, a Jew or Muslin or atheist may be offended and believe they may be discriminated against at this bank. It is an appearance of discrimination.
But customers Eyewitness News 5 talked to said they aren’t buying it.
--SNIP--
http://www.koco.com/r/26162860/detail.html
This may offend some however:
If I owned a business I wouldnt be allowing my employees to practce their religous views while at work either, and thats what a bank is a business.
Regardless of their ethnic originality or religious persuasion. If some one started to hang up crosses, decorate their desks with budhas, or floors with prayer rugs then they simply have the wrong place of employment and its obviously a sign they need to leave.
I says this not as I am or would be offended just as it has nothing to do with the work place, people have their own time to practice their beliefs, go to church, pray, make peace etc.