Kevin Slams Slamming

“Fox News Slams Obama”
“Vatican Slams Avatar”
“Donald Trump Slams Rosie O’Donnell”
“Lindsay Lohan Slams Her Father”
“Pink Slams Britney Spears”
“British Paper Slams Canada”

Is that enough? I’m having a difficult time on the internet finding any celebrity who hasn’t been ‘slammed’, or slammed someone else.

“Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave.
Their tongues are filled with lies.
Snake Venom drips from their lips.
Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.
They rush to commit murder.” Romans 3:13-15

I understand that I might be accused of looking at the negative aspects of human activity, but it just seems so obvious to me that the Bible paints a completely accurate and timeless portrait of the human condition. Really now. Do we live in a world where people treat each other with humility and compassion? Is your school or workplace a place where everybody looks out for the interests of each other?

When something goes wrong, do people line up in order to take the fall? The things that I read in the scriptures line up with both the things that I see in the world and in my own personal life. It’s as if we’re living out our own version of Survivor, forming alliances and strategically voting others off of the island.

If you work with an alcoholic who frequently ‘calls in sick’, what kinds of things are said about the man when he isn’t around? Are you and your coworkers more than happy to pull up the slack while the guy lies at home nursing a hangover? Or is there a certain amount of complaining that goes on? What if Sheila in sales makes some really bad decisions? She maxes out her credit card and has her car repossessed. Do you and your team talk about how you can help or do you talk about how dumb she was? Have you ever made jokes about the failure of another?

I’ve only been in the workforce for about 20 years, but my experience thus far has been quite consistent. In the places where I have worked, it’s as if we work amongst a team of cannibalistic sharks. Whenever we see the other shedding blood, we’re quick to add to the putdown or make jokes at the expense of the other. We’re watching and waiting to exploit the weaknesses of those around us as some means of personal survival.

I met a man this week who is a police officer. His work experience lines up completely with that of my own. He told me that, ‘As long as everything goes fine, the team works well together. But if anything goes wrong, don’t expect anyone to put their life on the line for you. You’re on your own.’

If your life is filled with stories of how people say nice things behind the backs of their coworkers, let me know. Perhaps the Bible really is outdated and the ‘slamming’ is just reserved for the celebrities of our time.