Saturday, May 19, 2007

Calumny

Terry has a superb post about calumny and the sins related to it. I am a lifelong Catholic but am sad to say that I have seen devout people carelessly spread rumors, falsehoods and confidential information about others, causing untold harm. It is usually innocent children who suffer the most from rumors and calumny. In our own family there has been deep suffering caused by relatives who passed judgment and spread stories, stories which they should not have repeated even if convinced that what they were spreading was indeed the truth. As a young person I was reproached by relatives and people in the community about alleged behaviors of members of my family, as if it were all my fault. The young often do not see that such behavior is nothing but a cruel attempt at manipulation, and do not know how to respond. I did not know how to respond then, but I certainly do now, and am not afraid to tell people where to go. At any rate, gossip and rumor-mongering have destroyed extended families and church groups; it takes great virtue to live through such an attack but it is possible. Not only is it possible, but it is necessary to be kind and forgiving to our detractors, even if they see kindness as either weakness or condescension, but that is a reflection of their own smallness. Share

5 comments:

Terry Nelson said...

Thank you Elena.

Anonymous said...

What upsets me the most is when 'good' catholics USE prayer as a means of gossiping.

I joined a Rosary group here and I remember one lady say 'please pray for Mrs X her husband is having an affair and she is in much pain..but then again Mrs X refused to have sex so what was the husband to do'...yea THAT was her prayer request.
Nothing worse than a prayer with CLAWS.

Good piece Elena. I will read Terry's post later.

Yours in friendship,

MariePS: WORSE was said at the conclusion of the Rosary...I asked the leader of the Rosary to excuse me as I would NOT be going back..I DONT do the Jerry Springer Rosary!

elena maria vidal said...

Thank YOU, Terry, for the inspiration.

Oh, Marie, I know exactly to what you are referring. "Please pray for so and so, etc, etc, etc," is too often a means to pass on juicy gossip under the cover of a prayer request. We must be VERY discreet in such a request.

Anonymous said...

Striving to feel superior to others does bring out the worst in us. Must be why our Lord stressed the importance of humility.

Anonymous said...

LOL Elena I guess I was in their 'prayer request' upon the next Rosary meeting heehee!

Humour aside, they may fool others, they may fool themselves, but NOONE fools God.

Peace and blessings to you Elena:)

Marie PS: I have completed my Meme, it was fun!