Waitress kicks church group out of restaurant after she hears their 'prayer.' AITA?

"AITA for telling a church group to leave the restaurant after I heard their prayer?"

So I (21F) work at a small restaurant filled with locals and church groups who frequent the restaurant quite often. For context, I’m in a relationship with someone I met at the restaurant and most of the people here know that. On to the story.

This afternoon I had a church group of 8 come in, I know them all by name, two in particular are Josh and his son Adam, who wasn’t in attendance today. Everything is going fine, normal conversation is flowing and at the end they ask me to join hands with them in prayer.

I don’t practice any religion but for my customers I bow my head in respect, let them say their prayer and finish off with an amen. That didn’t happen today. Josh started the prayer and as we near the end, I feel him squeeze my hand a little and say “and Jesus, we ask you to free this beautiful young lady from her ties to another man for my boy Adam."

"I know in my heart and with you that they are meant to be together but don’t want it to happen in sin, again I ask you to please free this woman from her...” I stopped listening at this point, pulled my hand away and left the table.

I got Adam’s number from a mutual friend of ours and called him to ask wtf his group was on about. He was very apologetic and told me that he had a crush on me way back when I first started to work at the restaurant (almost 2 years ago at this point) that is long gone as he knew we had different beliefs, along with wanting to still come to the restaurant without any awkward tension.

Apparently, his dad took this little crush and effing RAN with it. He told me at church that his group prays about this all the time and that he doesn’t attend as much because of it, along with the fact that their preacher even mentioned it a couple times during group prayer.

I guess he called his dad because he came up to me and berated me for interrupting his prayer and for calling Adam to “tell on him." I told him his prayer made me very uncomfortable as I’m secure in my relationship and will never step out in favor of Adam.

I said “I don’t know what you think praying about it will do, but no form of any god would ask me to leave my partner in your favor to make you and only you happy. You and anyone else actively participating in your fucked up fantasy can leave.” So they did.

Our owner knows these people well and also attends the same church, so obviously, she heard about it. She told me that she knows I have different beliefs but not to talk to people that way in the restaurant, as it’s a bad look on her as well.

I apologized for the hurtful words I used, but I will not let anyone think that praying for me to leave my parter will work nor will I stand being directly disrespected in a group of people like that. AITA?

Here's what top commenters had to say about this one:

Honey_Jessica said:

NTA. Josh's behavior was completely inappropriate and disrespectful. It's understandable that you felt uncomfortable and reacted the way you did. You have the right to stand up for yourself and your relationship.

ChrisInBliss said:

NTA...and hold up SO YOUR BOSS GOES TO THE SAME CHURCH?... so she's known this has been happening FOR A VERY LONG TIME! Didnt think to share that info with you?...

Lay-ZFair said:

NTA and if they were any kind of truly believing people they'd pray for God's will and not their own. So unless you hear from Him, carry on.

lilygaiaxo said:

You’re NTA for how you handled that situation. It’s completely understandable to feel uncomfortable and even violated when someone uses a prayer as a means to express their desires for your personal life, especially when it involves your relationship.

delightful_emmaxox said:

NTA. You have every right to set boundaries when it comes to your relationship and personal beliefs its completely inappropriate for them to pray for you to leave your partner especially in front of you you handled it well by standing up for yourself and calling out their behavior...

Their reaction shows a lack of respect for your autonomy your job doesnt require you to accept disrespect from anyone regardless of their beliefs apologizing for the choice of words is fine but you dont owe anyone an apology for wanting to maintain your relationship.

Ok-Scallion-3415 said:

NTA. F that sh%$. Your boss is almost as big of an AH as the customers. Your boss should have your back because they came into her business and made her employee uncomfortable with some weird a$% sh#$ behavior. Not supporting your staff is the worst look a business can have. Do it enough and people won’t want to work there.

Southern-Influence64 said:

NTA. I’m so sorry that happened to you and although I am a person who prays, this was absolutely one of the most rude and offensive things I’ve ever heard of! You have every right to let the offender know that however, to protect your job, I’d recommend next time avoiding swear words