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I had a situation a while back in which someone entered my cubicle and placed a religious book inside a bag in which I keep personal belongings. I never found out who did it, because that peson knew they were doing something wrong for which they could get either repremanded or fired, and so they remained a complete sectret.

My questions in this case would be:

1) Why did they feel it necessary to check that they were alone?

2) How often do these people engage in magical ceremonies of this sort?

3) If they were "having problems" with a fellow worker, was it really all that difficult to talk with a supervisor or HR about?

Perhaps they shouldn't have been fired. Perhaps others in the same situation wouldn't be... but we have no way of knowing this person's history in that place.

Nancy, if you see any follow-up stories to this, I'd love to see them.

It would seem that there is some culpability on both sides of this issue. UTA powers that be should not have fired anyone for a first time offense, especially one that was well meant. There is a bit of anti-christianism going round humanist educational haunts.

On the other hand, invading someone’s private space and doing things that were not known to that person is at least a breach of personal respect. Someone leaving a book in your private parcel was also wrong, John. Both Jesus and St. Paul both had multiple occasions to declare that all that they had done was out in the open and not done in a sneaky or clandestine manner – perhaps with exception of immanent persecution or death (being let down from the wall in a basket, for example). But their ministry was “shouted from the rooftops” so to speak, and they were not proclaiming a secret religion with secret rites. The in-house, or more intimate Sacrament of the Lord’s Table WAS more private, by nature; but open to all who came to Christ by faith, and were baptized.

If the situation were investigated further, I am almost sure that the persons who did the praying and anointing were Charismatic. This is their usual MO. They tend to be a bit bolder than your average staid churchgoer, but can sometimes, in their zeal, overstep the bounds of consensus propriety.

I personally believe in anointing with oil, (Sacrament of Holy Unction) as evidenced in James and elsewhere, but it should be in a friendly environment where people know it is being done and have even asked for it. The general MO here should be to pray privately for folks; and even then, in a godly and faith-filled manner, allowing for the sovereignty of God and not in a manner that would seek to violate their volition. Basically praying that GOD would act, who knows how to do so perfectly and effectually.