Gossip
Gossip is "idle talk or rumor, esp. about the personal or private affairs of others."[1] King Solomon wrote that people who spread slander are fools (Proverbs 10:18). Often envy and jealousy are causes of gossip and it is directed at high fliers within organizations.[2]
Contents
Problems with gossip
Leviticus 19:16:"Do not go about spreading slander among your people."
Gossip is widely considered to be morally or ethically wrong or sinful to the extent it:
- damages the reputation of the object of the gossip
- perpetrates or encourages injustice or lack of charity towards others
- wastes time and distracts from productive endeavors
Sources of gossip
Leading publications of gossip include the National Enquirer. Wikipedia® is a leading purveyor of gossip on the internet, routinely abusing its founder's claim that it is "a free encyclopedia of the highest possible quality" by allowing disproportionately large numbers of pages that contain such content.
Gossip in Religion
According to some interpretations, gossip is prohibited by God in the Ten Commandments. This can be extrapolated from Commandment 9 "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.". Satan manifests in Hollywood such as Entertainment Tonight and liberal media through its insidious gossip, ad hominem and slander such as is seen in tabloids, yellow journalism and journalistic malpractice.
Gossip in Buddhism
In Buddhist morality, the Five Precepts, which are required to receive as a formal oath or vow in order to be a Buddhist (unlike many liberals who call themselves Buddhists while ignoring morality), specifically forbid gossip or "divisive speech" in the Fourth Precept which also forbids lying, lewd or lascivious speech (profanity), and harsh speech.
