Bully Ban

Heard a call this week to ban bullying in the workplace. Sounds like a good idea. No one likes being bullied. It’s a noxious and repulsive practice. Yet enough people seem to get some sort of sick enjoyment out of the misery of others. Especially the misery that is of their creation.

Unsurprisingly this call came from a legal firm that just happens to specialise in workplace law. Sounds like they are trying to drum up some extra business. They know better than most that it’s difficult to define bullying. There would be so much left to interpretation and nothing will be black or white. What might have been a fair but negative performance review could potentially be misconstrued as bullying.

It would open the floodgates to litigation. It will be considered the ‘easy’ route to help fix a poor situation.

To a degree people do need to have more resilience instead of being quick to jump on the legal action train. There are long-term ramifications, not just the short term ones. Will legal action actually fix the problem or just create different problems?

Perhaps one tough situation is teaching you resilience. Maybe having the courage to find another job is a better course of action. What a relief it will be once you find that your experience is not the norm.

Bullying says more about them than it does you anyway. We could do without it and any action that leads to the promotion of healthy workplace practices is a good thing. It takes some leadership and guts. Bullies are hard to budge. Acts of bullying should be out in the open and persistent bullies outed and dealt with. But to call for a blanket ban is just plain ridiculous.

Parents & Their Phones

There was a segment on an FM radio station asking the question, “Would you agree with a ban on phones at childrens sporting events?”

One the hosts had observed a culture of parents being physically present at their child’s sporting activities yet being mentally and emotionally absent. Instead giving their full attention to their smart phones. Not making calls or texts but for the games. Meanwhile their children are out on the field/pitch/court/etc trying to achieve success and crave some acknowledgement from the people that matter the most.

It is beside the point that the wording of the question is poor. They weren’t actually calling for a blanket ban on phones. Rather they wanted the matter raised in our individual conscience so that we may reconsider our priorities and ban ourselves from our phones in given situations.

One caller suggested that children shouldn’t rely on their parent’s praise to attain success. True, but surely they need it regardless. Otherwise you create emotionally stunted adults with mummy/daddy issues.

Granted that some jobs require the ability to be contacted at all times. Even then, perhaps a change in vocation would be in order to gain some work/life balance.

It’s a good idea. Put the phone away. Turn it off. Bury it in your handbag. These moments with your children done last long.

It’s Vintage

“Vintage Jesus”

by Mark Driscoll

What’s old becomes new again. Although some things never get old.

Mark Driscoll, from Seattle’s Mars Hill Church, unapologetically focuses on Jesus for this book (and preceeding sermon series). His aim was to show that Jesus Christ is as relevant today as he ever has been. There are 12 chapters that ask 12 questions about Jesus. All very common and important questions.

Driscoll enjoys taking on these questions. He tackles the conjecture the questions create head on. Lefty intellectuals look out.

It is a detailed book. The amount of detail is palatable but perhaps not for the brand new Christian. For them it might be a tad full on. Proceed with caution, read before giving it to a friend.

Driscoll pulls no punches. It’s all about Jesus. If it’s not about Jesus then we are just taking our eyes off the ball.

Raging

“The Rage Against God”

by Peter Hitchens

Peter is the brother of well-known atheist/journalist/author, Christopher Hitchens. He is a pure example of how intelligent humans can grow into a faith in God. Despite the assertions of his brother to the contrary.

Understanding his background, outlined in the book, is to understand how he became an atheist in the first place. He had many examples of people in authority, some in his church based boarding school, misuse the trust vested in them. Once trust was broken it was almost impossible to regain. But of course it wasn’t God that broke trust, but mere humans.

Peter spent much of his working life in the former USSR. He uses it as a case study into atheistic political regimes. His first hand knowledge and experience is a huge eye opener. Atheists would try to dismiss his assertions on the USSR. History shows that these totalitarian regimes committed atrocities much worse than anything in Christian history. To a large degree their driving force in committing these atrocities was their passionate purging of everything Christian.

Peter surely had to overcome much to accept Jesus Christ as God. It makes his story interesting and inspirational.

Another One By The Genius

“Childhood”
by Bill Cosby

Not much to say on this one that hasn’t been said for others that I have read. Bill Cosby in typically honest in this humorous reflection on his childhood.

It’s not meant as such but I regard his books as the best sources for instruction through all phases of life.

Somewhat exaggerated yet very practical, leaving behind the theoretical.