Internet Gossip and Slander

The internet and email have been a most useful development of the past few years Information can be exchanged so rapidly between people anywhere in the world that questions can be answered, help can be arranged, problems can be worked out in hours rather than weeks Further, many people are being acquainted with the truth of scripture on our web-sites and tens of thousands of contacts have been made by an ingenious Bible quiz originated by one of our brethren

As a community, we are doing much good with this technological wonder, yet we are also using it to practice old sins — gossip and slander

Strong warnings

We’ve all read the warnings many times

Speak not evil one of another, brethren, He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law (James 4 11)

According to James, habitually speaking evil of others demonstrates that we disrespect the law and feel it is not right The reason for such an extraordinary statement is because the Old Testament has so many exhortations against such behavior they cannot possibly be missed Surely, reasons James, you could only practice this sin if you judged the law to be wrong in forbidding It!

He is no doubt thinking of such passages as Leviticus 19 16-18

Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people [there is to be no gossip] neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: [you will seek his good, not his hurt]… thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

An integral part of the great principle to love our neighbor is to eschew gossip and slander.

James likely had Proverbs 6 in mind as well. Of the seven things God hates, three involve slander ­”a lying tongue…an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, a false witness that speaketh lies” — and one includes both slander and gossip: “He that soweth discord among brethren” (Prov. 6:17-19). If we practice slander and gossip, we are doing what a loving God hates. That is serious sin.

When Internet discussion groups dry up of interesting biblical or religious points, we must not start in on interesting tidbits regarding personalities in the community. “A man of understanding holdeth his peace. A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter” (Prov. 11:12­,13). One of the great powers of the Internet makes such gossip even worse, for anyone can pick up what is written and copy it all over the world using this electronic marvel. So no longer is gossip restricted to going up and down in the land, it can flash to any place in an instant of time.

The prominent are hurt

Once David came forward against Goliath, he became a name on everyone’s tongue in Israel. He was praised by many, but shortly those overshadowed by his success became his enemies and the slander began. No doubt based on this experience, David describes those who will abide in God’s tabernacle and gives fully 25% of his description to: “He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbor, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor…but he honoureth them that fear the LORD” (Psa. 15:3).

Those who stand out in any community are likely subjects for gossip and are targets of those who look for flaws in others. The judges in Israel faced the problem as they were harassed by those who, “make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of nought” (Isa. 29:21). Thankfully, in the kingdom, “all that watch for iniquity are cut off” (v. 20).

In the case of the apostle Paul, it was his success that led to persecution. If he had been ineffective in his preaching, he would have been left alone. But when “a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed,” the unbelieving Jews were filled with envy and stirred up much persecution against the apostle (Acts 13:50; 14:2; 17:5, etc.). Facing such opposition, it’s a wonder Paul didn’t retire to quiet preaching on the fringes of the Jewish community. He would not, however, because he was on fire with the truth, the word burning in his heart as it did with the prophets before him (Isa. 6:8; Jet 20:9).

In our own community, some become prominent because they work hard for the Lord, they are competent and effective. And, unfortunately, we are beset with the same human nature that led some to look for iniquity in David and would turn aside faithful judges for a thing of nought.

The damage of such behavior is magnified by the Internet which makes it possible to spread evil at the click of a button. We have seen slander set forth in just such a manner, and then forwarded endlessly at the click of more buttons. Sometimes it begins with small incidents which should have been covered over in the first place and were never discussed face to face. Then click, click, click and there is no way for the person unfairly, or wrongly, charged to mitigate the harm. No one knows how far the evil words have been spread.

And, we fear, this all takes place under the canopy of cunning confidence that the one slandered will not sue the perpetrator of slander. That’s heinous.

The damage goes beyond the one person who is slandered. Others see what is happening and back off venturing forth in a manner that could make them the object of verbal attacks. They fear to set forth exploratory Bible expositions that may vary from the norm but could provide valuable insights. They fear to handle unusual situations in the mission field that might risk misunderstanding back home. They know that, without knowing the whole context, some may slander them as giving away the truth or breaking down long held positions. From fear of those who make a man an offender for a word, we thus stultify the spiritual development of our community.

Sometimes rebuke is needed

Yet doesn’t scripture say we must sometimes rebuke another? In the very passage of loving our neighbor the law admonished, “thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him” (Lev. 19:17). In the spirit of love, face to face, the people of Israel were to be concerned about one another’s salvation. And we are, too. The key is face to face and in love.

Right in line with the law we find Paul’s instruction:

Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burden, and so fulfill the law of Christ (Gal. 6:1-2).

Look here at the spirit of loving, humble, face to face concern; that’s not what we’ve seen flashing across the Internet.

We say the Old Testament is full of God speaking evil of specific individuals. If He does it, shouldn’t we? “Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant: to his own master he standeth or falleth” (Rom. 14:4). God is God and we are man. We dare not assume to ourselves the judgmental authority of Him who reads the mind and weighs the heart.

Yet in the New Testament Paul warns by name against “Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan” and Demas who “hath forsaken me, having loved this present world;” and John warns about Diotrephes who “receiveth us not…neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church” (I Tim. 1:20; II Tim. 4:10; III John 9-10). Note that in each case there is a break in fellowship. Diotrephes has set up his own fellowship; the others were either disfellowshipped by Paul or had left his fellowship. Today, we make the same public disclosures in the same circumstances. These cases are not, however, what we see coming across the Internet.

In the context of rebuking elders, Paul makes a very telling comment: any rebuke for misconduct should be done “without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality” (I Tim. 5:21). What we have seen on the Internet fails badly of this warning. The very same behavior that is reviled in one brother’s conduct is ignored when practiced by someone else. Why the difference in standard? Regretably, such partiality is carnal, not spiritual.

We have to hand, brethren, a great technology in these last days that can be used for great good or great harm. Surely, guided by the wise principles of scripture, we can use it for good.