# Gossip = Confession of Others' Sins?



## InSlaveryToChrist (Jul 8, 2011)

I wonder if we should define gossip as _merely_ confession of others' sins, because that would prohibit any conversation about other people's faults (and we do that on PB all the time). Would it be more truthful to say that the bringing up of others' sins is wrong (or transforms into gossip), IF you're not _first_ committed to correct _yourself_ in regards to that specific sin that you're accusing your neighbor of, AND IF you're not going to do anything about your neighbor's sin but just watch quietly from the side and let him harden/perish in his sin?


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## Joseph Scibbe (Jul 8, 2011)

I would think it is gossip if:
1. You have not brought it to the person being mentioned
2. They would not want this shared.

Also, gossip tends to get out of control and often ends up being other than truthful.


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## Zenas (Jul 8, 2011)

I'm actually addressing a situation right now where I believe several parties have gossiped about my wife and I. They retold a false version of a conversation to others to insinuate my wife and I are deadbeats that don't pay our bills. We contacted the other person involved in the conversation, and she said nothing close to what they are alleging. 

I think that gossip can be both the dissemination of false information, but also the dissemination of true information. 

In my situation, they bore false witness and gossiped. However, if they hadn't lied, they'd still be gossiping, because they would be disseminating this perception of us without actually addressing the problem. The problem wouldn't be public, it'd be private, and they would need to confront us privately about our wrongdoing instead of exposing us to mocking publicly. 

That's make take on it at least.


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## InSlaveryToChrist (Jul 8, 2011)

Zenas said:


> I'm actually addressing a situation right now where I believe several parties have gossiped about my wife and I. They retold a false version of a conversation to others to insinuate my wife and I are deadbeats that don't pay our bills. We contacted the other person involved in the conversation, and she said nothing close to what they are alleging.
> 
> I think that gossip can be both the dissemination of false information, but also the dissemination of true information.
> 
> ...



So, you wouldn't equate gossip as violation of the 9th Commandment? In my own definition, gossip doesn't carry with itself this _lying_ aspect. Isn't _lying_ and _gossip_ two different things/sins in the Bible's language?


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## Jack K (Jul 8, 2011)

Few words of any sort can be fully defined in a single, pithy sentence. But the clever line that gossip is confessing others' sins is still a helpful way to look at it.

This is because it helps us see the _heart_ of gossip, which is that we love to cover up our own faults and subtly make ouselves look better by sharing the faults of others. In contrast, a mature believer becomes unafraid to confess his own sins and does not need to inflate his reputation for the sake of his ego. Because of this, he also feels no urge to expose others' sins except, reluctantly, when it is clearly necessary. So you see, a guy's approach to confession of his own sin and his approach to gossip are connected at the heart level.


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## Zenas (Jul 8, 2011)

InSlaveryToChrist said:


> Zenas said:
> 
> 
> > I'm actually addressing a situation right now where I believe several parties have gossiped about my wife and I. They retold a false version of a conversation to others to insinuate my wife and I are deadbeats that don't pay our bills. We contacted the other person involved in the conversation, and she said nothing close to what they are alleging.
> ...



I think you're 100% right. There is lying and there is gossip. You can do both, or you can do one or the other.


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## VictorBravo (Jul 8, 2011)

InSlaveryToChrist said:


> So, you wouldn't equate gossip as violation of the 9th Commandment? In my own definition, gossip doesn't carry with itself this _lying_ aspect. Isn't _lying_ and _gossip_ two different things/sins in the Bible's language?



The Westminster Shorter Catechism is instructive:



> Question 77
> What is required in the Ninth Commandment?
> Answer 77
> The Ninth Commandment requireth the maintaining and promoting of truth between man and man, and of our own and our neighbour's good name, especially in witness- bearing.
> ...



We see the 9th Commandment is not limited to simply lying, but things that are injurious too. There can be situations in which what you say is true, not necessarily a sin, but still injurious to your neighbor's good name.

I'm sure you can think of many examples. One I can think of is perhaps your friend has a peculiar habit, like singing nursery rhymes while scrubbing himself in the shower. That is not the sort of truth that you normally ought to spread around in that man's place of business.


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## Scott1 (Jul 8, 2011)

The ninth commandment, broadly applied is designed to promote truth in protecting and not treating casually the "good name" of others, beginning, but not ending in the household of faith.

It is looked at from the standpoint of the greater command to love God, and like unto it, love your neighbor.



> Westminster Larger Catechism
> 
> ....
> Question 145: What are the sins forbidden in the ninth commandment?
> ...


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## CharlieJ (Jul 8, 2011)

I think gossip applies primarily to private persons, not to public actions or institutions. Also, I don't think it's gossip if the information is truly helpful to those receiving it. For example, I know of an educational institution that has a history of treating it's own staff and faculty in arbitrary and abusive ways. When approached about this issue, they deny it. A former employee at that institution has published documents conclusively demonstrating what has gone on. She circulates this information to current students, employees, and alumni. She encourages currently employees to find other work and students not to become employees there.

Is this gossip, because the institution doesn't want this to become public? It sounds like love to me. Even if her motives were wrong, which would be a sin, it's still genuinely helpful information, because it keeps people from making choices that they would regret later.

Or, if you knew a pastor in your city had skipped across state lines because of sexual immorality and started over where no one knew, wouldn't you warn people at that church?


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## VictorBravo (Jul 8, 2011)

CharlieJ said:


> Or, if you knew a pastor in your city had skipped across state lines because of sexual immorality and started over where no one knew, wouldn't you warn people at that church?



Even here, I think the best approach would be to contact the pastor directly and tell him that if he didn't confess to his church, you would bring it to their attention. It may well be that you don't know the details and would get it wrong.

Of course, if the pastor had been disciplined by the former church and it was a matter of record, then telling the church members of that record, and where they could find the information, would be fine.


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## Zenas (Jul 8, 2011)

VictorBravo said:


> CharlieJ said:
> 
> 
> > Or, if you knew a pastor in your city had skipped across state lines because of sexual immorality and started over where no one knew, wouldn't you warn people at that church?
> ...


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## JBaldwin (Jul 8, 2011)

I agree that the issue is the heart of gossip which is to make oneself to appear better than anothe person. It is helpful to me to think in terms of whether or not I'm injuring another individual with my words. 

In Matthew, Jesus spoke about not judging one another and moments later said that we should judge righteously. Gossip, I think falls into the "judging" category and speaking the truth about an individual or situation in order to determine the right or wrong of an action falls into the same category. I think this is where the confusion is.


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