Ignacio Jimenez, mayor of Icononzo, has banned gossip in his town, in Columbia.
That's an amazing concept. Gossipers will incur jail time. The reason for the ban is that people were actually being murdered due to rumors.
I can't imagine such a ban actually working in the US -- it sounds like something that the ACLU would be against. People have an American right to free speech, even if the speech is harmful. But I have an idea. Even if we can't have an official civic ban, maybe pastors could ban gossip in their church. There certainly are clear biblical grounds for this -- consider especially 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.
I'm not sure what the best punishment should be. But I think some sort of community service would be appropriate, since it would minister to the community that was damaged by the gossip.
Of course, it would be only fair to warn newcomers about the ban. Maybe we need a standard symbol to indicate that you are in a 'no gossip' zone. How about a logo with a mouth whispering into an ear, surrounded by the classic red circle with a slash? It would work sort of like the drug-free zones around schools. Or like the quiet zones they used to have around hospitals.
Are you ready to take the 'no gossip' challenge?
5 comments:
I think I'm ready to take the challenge, but I better find out what the punishment is first! I've seen serious harm come in Christian groups where individuals resorted to gossip because they didn't think Jesus' steps in Matthew 18 applied to their particular circumstance.
Well, Ray, you are actually a good example for all of us, but you are not a gossip.
What I find very prevalent in the church is that people don't think it's gossip as long as it's true. I also notice the tendency for people to feel that it is somehow important or helpful to share the information.
And the tricky think is that sometimes they are right. But a lot of the time they are wrong.
Two Rivers Baptist church in Nashville TN has it written into the church membership docs that you do not gossip, which I was impressed by.
Even if it is true, there's no call for gossip. I've been the subject more than once and it is a horrible experience. "True" gossip still hurts because of the misinterpretation put on the facts, or just that the facts are on the loose, unattended as it were.
My litmus test is this: would X want me to say this about them? Would I say it if X were standing next to me? I try, but I don't always get it right.
Hi QuantumTea,
I agree. I love how you put it -- between the misinterpreted and unattended facts, bad things happen.
I enjoyed meeting you in Columbus. Thanks for visiting my blog.
p.s. I visited yours, and am interested in the sock project. It sounds like a lot of work.
hey ann did you hear about..... ummmmm never mind!!!! heheheheheheh
Post a Comment