• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!
  • Welcome to our archives. No new posts are allowed here.

What does the Bible say about Gossip

I still feel sad for you Visbek because even using that quote you do not understand what was behind it. Good evening to you.
lol

Sorry, wrong, I'm not missing some critical context. Jesus told people not to judge others -- and not to be hypocrites. I'd say that using gossip to criticize gossip... yeah, that is a tad hypocritical.

Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. 2 For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. 3 Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s[a] eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your neighbor, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while the log is in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye.

And no, contrary to your claim, that passage says nothing about "gossip" (the conveyance of intimate or chatty information).

Ironically, you plucked a series of statements out of context to try to make the case that "gossip" is barred by the Bible -- a sentiment that probably doesn't make much sense when we put your own phrases into *cough* a fuller context, as well as exercising extreme caution in translation.

For example, 1 Romans uses the Greek term "psithuristes" ("a whisperer, secret slanderer, detractor") in a passage where Paul was heaping insults on non-believers. (The passage, if taken as literally as you suggest, also implies that gossips should be executed: "They know God’s decree, that those who practice such things deserve to die.")

Leviticus was written in a completely different language; translators aren't even sure of the true meaning of the term they translate as "slanderer." The passage also includes critical injunctions such as "don't eat fruit from a new region for 5 years" and "you shall not round off the hair on your temples or mar the edges of your beard" (no longer practiced, not sure why) and "no tattoos" and "when an alien resides in your land, you shall not oppress the alien" (seems like a bunch of people forgot that one...)

Proverbs 11:16 is about keeping confidences, not talking smack about your neighbors.

1 Timothy 5's injunctions against gossips was actually targeted to widows under 60, who apparently ought to be married off quickly to prevent them from being gossipy busybodies... quite a far cry from Paul mixing gossips in with murders and "inventors of evil." It then goes on to say "never accept any accusation against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses" (so much for you accusing Auntie of being an evil gossip), and finishes with a flourish: Drink wine instead of water, so you don't get sick. Useful moral advice right there.

Oh, and then in 1 Timothy 6: "Let all who are under the yoke of slavery regard their masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be blasphemed." I guess someone wasn't exactly forward thinking in their ethics.

Got any more glib injunctions based on sentences taken out of context from the Tanakh or New Testament...?
 
Seriously? You chewed out your 84 year old aunt, for maintaining her social connections? What the heck?

Gossip is actually a critical component of social interaction. It can tamp down selfishness, enhance harmony in a community, keep groups in line...

Stanford research: Hidden benefits of gossip, ostracism

And do you really think it's a bad thing she told you that someone at her retirement home went to the hospital?

Maybe you should cut your auntie some slack.

Yes, gossip is even in the Bible.

Paul's Epistle to Titus: "Even one of their own men, a prophet from Crete, has said about them, "The people of Crete are all liars, cruel animals, and lazy gluttons."

And this guy is picking on his sweet auntie?
 
Paul on homosexuals:

Romans 1:26-27New International Version (NIV)

26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.

Wow.......meow.

That's nasty gossip.
 
lol

Sorry, wrong, I'm not missing some critical context. Jesus told people not to judge others -- and not to be hypocrites. I'd say that using gossip to criticize gossip... yeah, that is a tad hypocritical.

Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. 2 For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. 3 Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s[a] eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your neighbor, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while the log is in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye.

And no, contrary to your claim, that passage says nothing about "gossip" (the conveyance of intimate or chatty information).

Ironically, you plucked a series of statements out of context to try to make the case that "gossip" is barred by the Bible -- a sentiment that probably doesn't make much sense when we put your own phrases into *cough* a fuller context, as well as exercising extreme caution in translation.

For example, 1 Romans uses the Greek term "psithuristes" ("a whisperer, secret slanderer, detractor") in a passage where Paul was heaping insults on non-believers. (The passage, if taken as literally as you suggest, also implies that gossips should be executed: "They know God’s decree, that those who practice such things deserve to die.")

Leviticus was written in a completely different language; translators aren't even sure of the true meaning of the term they translate as "slanderer." The passage also includes critical injunctions such as "don't eat fruit from a new region for 5 years" and "you shall not round off the hair on your temples or mar the edges of your beard" (no longer practiced, not sure why) and "no tattoos" and "when an alien resides in your land, you shall not oppress the alien" (seems like a bunch of people forgot that one...)

Proverbs 11:16 is about keeping confidences, not talking smack about your neighbors.

1 Timothy 5's injunctions against gossips was actually targeted to widows under 60, who apparently ought to be married off quickly to prevent them from being gossipy busybodies... quite a far cry from Paul mixing gossips in with murders and "inventors of evil." It then goes on to say "never accept any accusation against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses" (so much for you accusing Auntie of being an evil gossip), and finishes with a flourish: Drink wine instead of water, so you don't get sick. Useful moral advice right there.

Oh, and then in 1 Timothy 6: "Let all who are under the yoke of slavery regard their masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be blasphemed." I guess someone wasn't exactly forward thinking in their ethics.

Got any more glib injunctions based on sentences taken out of context from the Tanakh or New Testament...?

Yes you are taking out of context. You are so full of hate of anyone who loves the Lord, serves Him as it can be proved by your posts in the Religious forum. You are not interested in out of love posting something but instead with the intent to trash another's post.


I have your number Visbeck and you know what? It's ringing out of order.
 
Paul on homosexuals:

Romans 1:26-27New International Version (NIV)

26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.

Wow.......meow.

That's nasty gossip.

Now, if you read that letter in context , you will see that Paul is saying those 'shameful lusts' was a punishment from God for pagan practices. Paul, although obviously not liking the action, also thought it was a punishment, rather than the sin.
 
Now, if you read that letter in context , you will see that Paul is saying those 'shameful lusts' was a punishment from God for pagan practices. Paul, although obviously not liking the action, also thought it was a punishment, rather than the sin.

Interesting. Where does it say that?
 
Interesting. Where does it say that?

Read romans 1;20-25. It describes people who worship various parts of nature as God. Look in specifically Romans 1:23.
 
Yes, gossip is even in the Bible.

Paul's Epistle to Titus: "Even one of their own men, a prophet from Crete, has said about them, "The people of Crete are all liars, cruel animals, and lazy gluttons."

And this guy is picking on his sweet auntie?
I believe Vesper is female.

Is that another example of gossip? :mrgreen:
 
Yes you are taking out of context. You are so full of hate of anyone who loves the Lord, serves Him as it can be proved by your posts in the Religious forum. You are not interested in out of love posting something but instead with the intent to trash another's post.

I have your number Visbeck and you know what? It's ringing out of order.
lol

Actually, I'm trying to establish context. In doing so, we see that what seems like a simplistic set of injunctions against "gossip" is actually far more complex, especially when attempting to translate from 3 different languages.

And no, I don't hate Christians. I find their reasoning a bit... surprising on occasion. In particular, many don't seem to be particularly scrupulous about consistency, or causal chains, or scholarship, or coherent moral schemas.... It's quite fascinating, really.
 
I believe Vesper is female.

Is that another example of gossip? :mrgreen:

No, it's the lack of loking at the gender symbol underneath the name on the left hand side of the post
 
LOL, It is not gossip of my aunt. Do you know my aunt's name? Is there anything that you could repeat about her that will personally effect her or those around her? No.

It was merely relaying a situation I had to deal with someone who is a gossiper that is very close to me. It's not easy confronting an elder on things you feel they should not do.

But I did because G-d's Word showed me I really needed too but in love. So I did. It turned out well. We talked again today. No gossip. Instead she asked for prayer for others in need. A good thing.

So your God talks to you about the faults of other people? And your aunt disguises gossib as asking for prayer for other people? Hmmm. Very clever of both your aunt and Go. It is the "other people" that makes it gossip.
 
So your God talks to you about the faults of other people? And your aunt disguises gossib as asking for prayer for other people? Hmmm. Very clever of both your aunt and Go. It is the "other people" that makes it gossip.

MY LORD talks to me through HIS WORD! How does your Lord talk to you?
 
Now, if you read that letter in context , you will see that Paul is saying those 'shameful lusts' was a punishment from God for pagan practices. Paul, although obviously not liking the action, also thought it was a punishment, rather than the sin.

You a hater of the Apostle Paul and made that perfectly clear in other threads. And what the heck does this all have to do with this thread?
 
Yes, gossip is even in the Bible.

Paul's Epistle to Titus: "Even one of their own men, a prophet from Crete, has said about them, "The people of Crete are all liars, cruel animals, and lazy gluttons."

And this guy is picking on his sweet auntie?

For the record Vox I am a female. My 84 year old aunt is sweet in many ways but has a problem with gossip. I confronted her with it. It worked well as today she did not gossip when I talked to her. In fact she asked for prayer for people in need without even revealing why. You see when you love someone you find a way out of love to address things you know are wrong that they are doing.

Maybe you have never had someone love you enough to do that for you. Have a nice day.
 
MY LORD talks to me through HIS WORD! How does your Lord talk to you?

I have my own INNER LIGHT, which has been with me through many reincarnations. It constantly nags me, but never about the faults of other people.
 
Last edited:
You a hater of the Apostle Paul and made that perfectly clear in other threads. And what the heck does this all have to do with this thread?

How does pointing out the context of a passage having anything to do with hating anything what so ever?? Don't you think it's important to actually read the context of thing??? Isn't it important to know not only what is said, but the cultural background in which it is said, and an examination of how the various translations treat the original language???

I find that accusation of 'hate' rather...odd.

Haven't you read the entire passage , and attempting to understand the message and the reasons for the message rather than just parsing out a sentence or two without context???

As for my comment, I was pointing out that the passage VOX quoted wasn't about gossiping, but rather the result of a punishment for pagan practices... he wanted to know the context, and I gave the context to him. I wonder why context of scriptural passages isn't important to you.
 
What the Bible Says About Gossip?
Are you a gossip? Look we live in a social society where we share in each other’s lives. Gossip actually serves to break the trust of those the people around you. The Bible has a lot of important statements regarding gossip.
Everyone likes a good story, right? Well, not necessarily. What about the person the story is about? Does that person like you telling their story? Probably not. Spreading rumors only hurts others and destroys our credibility. Who is going to trust us with anything when they think we’ll tell everyone else?

Gossip is also a way we judge others, which really isn’t our job. G-d is in charge of judging people, not us. If you think about it, the busier we are, the less time we have to gossip. We no longer have the time to get wrapped up in someone else’s life.

Is gossip bred out of boredom? Could be... It may start as a simple conversation about people, and then escalates quickly. The Bible clearly tells us to do more than discussing other people’s lives.

Leviticus 19:16 – “Do not go about spreading slander among your people. Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the Lord.” (NIV)
Proverbs 11:13 – “A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret.” (NIV)
Romans 1:29 – “They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips.” (NIV)

1 Timothy 5:13 – “Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to.” (NIV)
Matthew 7:1 – “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” (NIV)
Proverbs 18:8 – “The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man’s inmost parts.” (NIV)

I just got off the phone with my auntie 84 who is still self sufficient. Still drives. Is active in her church and has a male friend for companionship. Yet she seems to know everyone's business in the retirement home. Tonight I called her out on it. She didn't much like it. She had proceeded to tell about a certain person who had the squad called on her two times last night at the retirement home and they ended up taking her to the hospital. Well instead of asking for prayer for a person in time of need, instead it was full of wrongdoings this person had committed. Mostly judgements of others.

First, if you catch yourself falling into gossip – stop. If you don’t pass on the gossip there is nowhere for it to go.Let the gossip and end with you and remember the Golden Rule – if you don’t want people to gossip about you, then don’t participate in gossip.
Proverbs 26:20 – “Without wood, a fire goes out; without gossip, a quarrel dies down.” (NIV)
Deuteronomy 13:14 – “Then you must inquire, probe and investigate it thoroughly.” (NIV)
Matthew 7:12 – “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” (NIV)
Ephesians 4:29 – “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” (NIV)

I called her out but in the end it was civil.

Are you jewish?
 
What the Bible Says About Gossip?
Are you a gossip? Look we live in a social society where we share in each other’s lives. Gossip actually serves to break the trust of those the people around you. The Bible has a lot of important statements regarding gossip.
Everyone likes a good story, right? Well, not necessarily. What about the person the story is about? Does that person like you telling their story? Probably not. Spreading rumors only hurts others and destroys our credibility. Who is going to trust us with anything when they think we’ll tell everyone else?

Gossip is also a way we judge others, which really isn’t our job. G-d is in charge of judging people, not us. If you think about it, the busier we are, the less time we have to gossip. We no longer have the time to get wrapped up in someone else’s life.

Is gossip bred out of boredom? Could be... It may start as a simple conversation about people, and then escalates quickly. The Bible clearly tells us to do more than discussing other people’s lives.

Leviticus 19:16 – “Do not go about spreading slander among your people. Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the Lord.” (NIV)
Proverbs 11:13 – “A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret.” (NIV)
Romans 1:29 – “They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips.” (NIV)

1 Timothy 5:13 – “Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to.” (NIV)
Matthew 7:1 – “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” (NIV)
Proverbs 18:8 – “The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man’s inmost parts.” (NIV)

I just got off the phone with my auntie 84 who is still self sufficient. Still drives. Is active in her church and has a male friend for companionship. Yet she seems to know everyone's business in the retirement home. Tonight I called her out on it. She didn't much like it. She had proceeded to tell about a certain person who had the squad called on her two times last night at the retirement home and they ended up taking her to the hospital. Well instead of asking for prayer for a person in time of need, instead it was full of wrongdoings this person had committed. Mostly judgements of others.

First, if you catch yourself falling into gossip – stop. If you don’t pass on the gossip there is nowhere for it to go.Let the gossip and end with you and remember the Golden Rule – if you don’t want people to gossip about you, then don’t participate in gossip.
Proverbs 26:20 – “Without wood, a fire goes out; without gossip, a quarrel dies down.” (NIV)
Deuteronomy 13:14 – “Then you must inquire, probe and investigate it thoroughly.” (NIV)
Matthew 7:12 – “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” (NIV)
Ephesians 4:29 – “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” (NIV)

I called her out but in the end it was civil.

The left wants to ban the bible , God , guns , and families !
 
Read romans 1;20-25. It describes people who worship various parts of nature as God. Look in specifically Romans 1:23.

Interesting. Actually, when you read all of Romans 1 in context he seems to be describing the ROMANS, who were famous for their idols and their orgies and promiscuity.

Since he is writing to..........the ROMANS.........this is a logical conclusion.

Also interesting that this passage does not condemn homosexual monogamy--only, and very specifically, promiscuity.

Very interesting.

(Also......old Paul DOES seem to be gossiping about the Romans.)

:mrgreen:
 
For the record Vox I am a female. My 84 year old aunt is sweet in many ways but has a problem with gossip. I confronted her with it. It worked well as today she did not gossip when I talked to her. In fact she asked for prayer for people in need without even revealing why. You see when you love someone you find a way out of love to address things you know are wrong that they are doing.

Maybe you have never had someone love you enough to do that for you. Have a nice day.

This proves that if you harass a vulnerable elderly woman enough you can change her and take what little joy she had totally out of her life.

Congratulations. Well done.

Do you feel good about yourself?

:mrgreen:
 
Interesting. Actually, when you read all of Romans 1 in context he seems to be describing the ROMANS, who were famous for their idols and their orgies and promiscuity.

Since he is writing to..........the ROMANS.........this is a logical conclusion.

Also interesting that this passage does not condemn homosexual monogamy--only, and very specifically, promiscuity.

Very interesting.

Well, you have to remember what Paul was doing. He wasn't writing scriptures. He was writing a letter to a specific group about things he considered to be issues with that group. It does not preclude anything else, but it is specific goal. Having homosexuality as a punishment does not mean that it is a GOOD thing.. but the letters of Paul was specifically talking to the pagan practices and warning against them. When he wrote the various letters to places, I bet he didn't expect that his writings would be made into scripture.
 
Well, you have to remember what Paul was doing. He wasn't writing scriptures. He was writing a letter to a specific group about things he considered to be issues with that group. It does not preclude anything else, but it is specific goal. Having homosexuality as a punishment does not mean that it is a GOOD thing.. but the letters of Paul was specifically talking to the pagan practices and warning against them. When he wrote the various letters to places, I bet he didn't expect that his writings would be made into scripture.

Homosexuality as a punishment is a pretty over the top theory.

Do you have other examples of God dealing out such punishments?
 
Homosexuality as a punishment is a pretty over the top theory.

Do you have other examples of God dealing out such punishments?

It's not a theory. It is what the letter of Paul is claiming, if you read the passage in context. I will further say it is Paul opinion, or at least his rhetoric when addressing the specific issue of pagan practices in this particular group. It was addressing a very specific problem with a very specific group.. i.e. that pagan practices that were not Judeo-Christian.
 
Interesting. Actually, when you read all of Romans 1 in context he seems to be describing the ROMANS, who were famous for their idols and their orgies and promiscuity.
I think he was referring to all non-believers in Romans 1. I don't know if he means "non-Christians," though, since he seems to refer to times before the life of Jesus. I don't think he just mean Romans, although he personally was surrounded by them. ;)

As such, it seems like he was trying to bash them with every insult possible. An odd tactic, given that he seems to be saying "don't slander." :mrgreen:
 
It's not a theory. It is what the letter of Paul is claiming, if you read the passage in context. I will further say it is Paul opinion, or at least his rhetoric when addressing the specific issue of pagan practices in this particular group. It was addressing a very specific problem with a very specific group.. i.e. that pagan practices that were not Judeo-Christian.

So you're saying it was Paul's theory.

Actually, it was a common Jewish theory in those days.........that suffering is retributive. It's a pretty silly theory that is not borne out in real life, obviously.

Jesus slapped it down when he healed the man who was born blind and rebuked those who said the man was born blind because either he or his parents had sinned.

The story of Job slaps it down, too.

So, I have to reject the theory. It does go to show that Paul had little to do with Jesus or the theology of Jesus.
 
Back
Top Bottom