It will be admitted by all thoughtful people that one of the commonest failings in Christendom has been the love of scandal. The evil is most conspicuous where there are high ideals. This seems incongruous, but it is perfectly natural. If men had no ideals and no standards of honourable conduct, it would be difficult even for the most evil-disposed persons to start a scandal about anyone. Conversely when ideals are high and it is hard for men to maintain in practice the standards that they recognise in theory, the way is open for slander of every kind. In every phase of life the evil is found. Every little community has its whispering gallery. Everyone who is at all prominent lives in a fierce light of inspection, many eyes “watching for iniquity”, and many tongues ready to repeat and they may somewhat amplify any slanderous story that may be told. The mean and little mind finds much consolation in contemplating the supposed weakness of those who are more prominent in their little world. Often the stories may be true or have a basis of truth in them, for human nature at its best is faulty enough. Frequently, however, the stories are false, and much harm is wrought not only in the giving of pain to those who are slandered, not only in spoiling the effect of good work and sound instruction, but most of all in the effect on the minds of those who utter such slanders or listen to them.
Every Christian knows that this kind of talk is evil and condemned in strong language in the Bible. Many know that the very word rendered “devil” in the New Testament is also translated “slanderous”. The Apostle said that the deacon’s wives must not be slanderers (devils) (1 Tim. 3 : 2). History reveals that his rule has often been broken.
All Christians would join in condemning this evil in the abstract, but it is so easy to transgress with complacent self – deception and without perceiving the harm that one does. “Of course, I don’t know ; I only repeat this exactly as it was told to me.” In this manner a slander-bearer will try to avoid responsibility while enjoying the work of spreading the spicy news. It is very improbable that the story is repeated exactly. There will be some change of words and change of accent—quite enough to make one step in the giant staircase between the truth and the final story. One step is no worse than another. They all must share the responsibility.
When ill-feeling has been aroused, slander finds a soil of magical fertility. A report that would have been scouted with indignation when the subject of it was a friend, will be accepted readily when he has become estranged. Wrong construction will be put on his words and actions, and base motives will be attributed to him, when other and better thoughts might so easily come to mind.
Even aside from the effects of ill-feeling, men and women are prone to take pleasure in stories of weakness on the part of those who are eminent. Nothing so booms the sale of a book as a report that it reveals the failings and moral lapses of some eminent people. Even if such a slander has been exposed and exploded a hundred times, there are those who will still cling to it and say : “Depend upon it there was a basis of truth in the report”.
It is quite clear all this contravenes the law of love, but it is very difficult to bring the lesson home to the guilty individuals. The Golden Rule will help us if we will allow it. We should not like a man to pass on an unpleasant story about us, even if he did repeat it just as it was told to him. Therefore we should not pass on the story about another. We desire that people should speak fairly and kindly about us, or not mention us at all. We desire that, when more than one construction can be placed on our words and deeds, the best shall be assumed, giving us the benefit of the doubt. We desire that, where there might be more than one motive, and when perhaps to ourselves the motives are mixed, people should be ready to give us credit for the better thoughts, and not assume that all our efforts are inspired by the worst motive that could possibly apply.
In short, we want people to treat us with kindness and consideration, whether we are present or absent. If we are Christians we must apply the rule, and even so treat other men and women.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One