Who's doing the forcing? Is it a job? Is the religious practice safe? Then fine. It's part of the job. Quit if you don't like it. My atheism may prevent me from dressing up as Santa because, maybe, I don't want to lie to kids, or something like that. That doesn't mean that I get to take that job and then sit down amongst the elves at the mall in jeans and a FSM t-shirt while little kids sit on my lap to be told that Christmas was stolen from the Pagans and there's no Jesus. You're trying to call me out, but you're exactly right.
Many people have that choice only in theory. Secondly, who's to say what is 'safe'? Obligatory communal prayer every morning at school or work could be considered a form of brainwashing. I certainly don't think it's safe for my kid or even myself. I'm too informed on the human psyche to not be afraid of what others could convince me to think or do under the right circumstances. But if even communal prayer isn't safe, then what is?
School is a special case. That's the government and then there's the first amendment to consider. But we already have bodies that determine what is safe at work (OSHA for example). They've been doing a fine job for years. Nothing changes.
> Who's doing the forcing? Is it a job? Is the religious practice safe?
Well, one of the freedoms of religion in the USA is that we don't have a religious test for office. We get rid of freedom of religion and... that's not "discrimination" right?
+1 for FSM mention. Ironically on their website a few years ago they were (mockingly) showing an inverse correlation between increasing CO2 and piracy just before the wave of Sudanese boat-jackings.
Does that mean you're okay with any discrimination against atheists by forcing them to engage in some religious practice?
Or is atheism not a choice?