After Ryan Coleman, 34, was hired as a painter by a construction company in Albany, Oregon, he discovered that the outfit – Dahled Up – required its employees to partake in regular Bible study sessions led by a Christian pastor during working hours.

According to this report, he went along with this crap for almost six months before deciding enough was enough. He told the owner, Joel Dahl, that the practice was illegal. The deranged Dahl disagreed, saying :

You’re not going to tell me how to run my own company.

Coleman retorted:

I’m not trying to tell you how to run your own company, but you’re not going to tell me what god to pray to.

Coleman’s religious beliefs are indigenous: He’s half Caucasian and half Native American, with Cherokee and Blackfoot heritage.

Said Corinne Schram, a Portland attorney representing Coleman.

This is so illegal. Unless you are a religious organisation like a church, you cannot force your employees to participate in religious activities.

Dahl’s attorney, Kent Hickam, doesn’t dispute that Dahl requires all of his employees to attend Bible study, but says it’s legal because Dahl pays them to attend.

Mr Dahl feels that it’s unfortunate that he (Coleman) is now trying to exploit Mr Dahl’s honourable intentions for unjustified financial gain.

This is Coleman’s lawsuit alleging religious discrimination under the Oregon Workplace Religious Freedom Act.

Dahl struggled with drugs and alcohol and served time in prison for attempted second-degree assault. He said he’s been clean and sober for seven years. He started his company in 2016, with the idea of helping other convicted felons or people who’ve battled addictions rebuild their lives.

Superstition is a big part of Joel Dahl’s life. The company’s Facebook page features photos of recently completed home remodels – often alongside messages of praise to God or Jesus.

Example:

Fixing up this old house at times I was discouraged ‘cause there was so much to fix. But Me and God did this together and we got er done.

Another post reads:

Just finished these 2 roofs … Look at God go. He is so awesome.



On his personal Facebook page Dahl posted a picture of himself holding a certificate. The caption reads:

Guess who passed his general contractors exsam [sic] with an 88% ? This guy right here. Thank you JESUS for walking me into and through this challenge. Excited to see what GOD has planned next.

It’s now reported that the Pacific Justice Institute, which handles religious liberty cases, has stepped in to defend Dahl.

PJI said

A former prison inmate who turned his life around after embracing Christianity, Dahl operates his company in accordance with Christian principles – his company’s logo, in fact, even has a cross where the second ‘t’ in ‘construction’ would be … Dahled Up hires employees without regard to religion. However, in accordance with its mission to help people who were once in Dahl’s position find the path of the straight and narrow, the company encourages its employees to attend a weekly Bible study to be exposed to the moral lessons the Bible teaches. The study takes place during working hours, and employees who attend receive pay.

PJI President Brad Dacus said:

Joel Dahl hopes to do more with his company than just construction work. He hopes to help inmates who were once like him, and who might otherwise have difficulty finding work because of their past mistakes, find redemption. The Supreme Court has repeatedly held in recent years that Christian business owners are, for the most part, free to operate their companies in accordance with their faith’s principles. We hope to defend Mr. Dahl’s right to do the same, especially given the well-documented power of Christianity to transform even the vilest of offenders into model citizens.

Editor’s note: This is an updated version of a report first posted on August 30, 2018.