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When Does News Become Gossip

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by gb93433, Feb 28, 2009.

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  1. gb93433

    gb93433 Active Member
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    A few years ago I preached a sermon on gossip and I was amazeed at how many told me they did not realize what gossip was and that they had been listening to it and ocnsidered it a part of religious life. I realized the same thing for myself.

    Years ago my wife and I qstopped the state SBC paper because we felt ashamed that such news was reported and it was likely that the mailman would read it. I did not want the mailman to associate us with the source of the paper. When I moved to another location in the same state I realized that my mailman knew one of the men who sometimes was talked about. That man and I had witnessed to the same mailman. Once some attacks began on the man we both knew personally, the discussion turned from Christ to the news. I realized that the mailman was reading the state paper. Frankly the majority of times I agreed with the mailman and little with the attackers. In fact some of the attackers were found to make statement which were not true.

    When does news become gossip?
     
    #1 gb93433, Feb 28, 2009
  2. donnA

    donnA Active Member

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    I don't know, but it's an interesting thought.
     
    #2 donnA, Mar 1, 2009
  3. mcdirector

    mcdirector Active Member

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    I think at least in part when you start adding your own commentary to facts.

    For sure when something is passed off as fact when it's not (or hasn't been thoroughly checked out).
     
    #3 mcdirector, Mar 1, 2009
  4. saturneptune

    saturneptune New Member

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    I would add to that news becomes gossip when there is no purpose in passing the story from person to person in small groups standing around talking. It usually involves something someone has done wrong in the eyes of the jaw flappers. If it is being passed for making the talker feel good, or the sheer enjoyment of passing such information that hurts another, then it is not edifying and slience is a better option.
     
    #4 saturneptune, Mar 1, 2009
  5. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    When you enjoy telling someone or anyone else
     
    #5 Salty, Mar 1, 2009
  6. Palatka51

    Palatka51 New Member

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    You answered it in the above sentence. When the news is bearing false witness it is gossip.
     
    #6 Palatka51, Mar 1, 2009
  7. drfuss

    drfuss New Member

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    drfuss: I would like to add something to the above. When you enjoy telling someone else something negative about another person.
     
    #7 drfuss, Mar 1, 2009
  8. Scarlett O.

    Scarlett O. Moderator
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    I'll go so far as to say that even prayer requests can become gossip, let alone the news.

    If one is telling anything, news, prayer requests, or even delivering a message, and one takes delight in the power one feels in dispensing information that no one else knows and feeds on the attention that one gets by having a rapt audience (of 1 or 100), and has forgotten the needs and privacy of the one(s) being talked about....

    .....it is gossip.

    For example, how many times do we all share a prayer request with others or "information" with others and we have no intention of helping those in need or even putting them on our own prayer lists. We just wanted to be the ones to tell it.
     
    #8 Scarlett O., Mar 1, 2009
  9. canadyjd

    canadyjd Well-Known Member

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    I don't believe it has to be false to be gossip.

    As others have stated, the motives for passing on the information may be the key here.

    If you caught a fellow Christian in a sin, and have attempted to follow the Matt. 18 guidelines, you may be required to share that information (at least in part) with others. 2 or 3 at first, and the whole church if the person is still unrepentant.

    But if you make the matter known outside of a broken-hearted, prayer-filled, attempt to bring them to repentance according to the Matt. 18 passage, gossip may be in the air.

    peace to you:praying:
     
    #9 canadyjd, Mar 1, 2009
  10. preachinjesus

    preachinjesus Well-Known Member
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    Maybe its an issue of substantiation.

    Of course I'll suggest that we, Americans, have seen the lines between news and gossip increasingly blurred by a dollar hungry media.

    Good question!
     
    #10 preachinjesus, Mar 1, 2009
  11. Tom Bryant

    Tom Bryant Well-Known Member

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    for me it becomes gossip when I start spreading the news for the wrong motivation; to other people who don't need to know; and/or are not part of the solution to the problem.
     
    #11 Tom Bryant, Mar 1, 2009
  12. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
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    Much like on a blog
     
    #12 Revmitchell, Mar 1, 2009
  13. MB

    MB Well-Known Member

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    When does news become gossip?

    The moment it is unnecessary
    MB
     
    #13 MB, Mar 1, 2009
  14. Tom Bryant

    Tom Bryant Well-Known Member

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    :tongue3: pretty much!
     
    #14 Tom Bryant, Mar 2, 2009
  15. Mexdeaf

    Mexdeaf New Member

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    When I know it is NOYB but I tell you anyway.

    Or when i know it is NOMB but I listen to it.
     
    #15 Mexdeaf, Mar 2, 2009
  16. HankD

    HankD Well-Known Member
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    When it goes beyond the limits of both Scripture and the leading of the Spirit.

    No one who is walking in the Spirit can possibly enjoy hearing, participating or communicating concerning the sin and suffering of one or more of the members of the Body of Christ.

    Some communication among the members, however is necessary as the Scripture warns us to separate and/or restore those who are walking after the flesh.

    We need to know who it is that is walking in the offense.

    1 Timothy 5:20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.​

    1 Corinthians 5:11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.​

    Romans 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.​


    To cite a few scriptural parameters.​


    HankD​
     
    #16 HankD, Mar 2, 2009
    Last edited: Mar 2, 2009
  17. Beth

    Beth New Member

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    reputation

    I think it is gossip when it ruins someone's reputation.
     
    #17 Beth, Mar 2, 2009
  18. HankD

    HankD Well-Known Member
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    Beth, wouldn't you want it to be made public in your community if one of your child's teachers (or perhaps even a Sunday School teacher) was secretly a pervert even though it would ruin his/her reputation?

    Sometimes a reputation must be "ruined" for the protection of the innocent.

    HankD
     
    #18 HankD, Mar 2, 2009
  19. Dr. Timo

    Dr. Timo New Member

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    What we do with information is very important. We are to share the truth in love through God's Spirit. A Godly praying person doesn't get involved with gossip because of their convictions. :thumbsup: :jesus:
     
    #19 Dr. Timo, Mar 2, 2009
  20. Jon-Marc

    Jon-Marc New Member

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    News becomes gossip when the teller's intention is to hurt the person the news is about. That can happen even when asking for prayer for someone. "We need to pray for "Sam", one of our deacons and "Dora", our piano player. He is cheating on his wife with Dora, and I understand she is pregnant by him." Is that a prayer request, or is it just hurtful gossip? It could be true, but there's a right way to request prayer for something like that, and doing it that way is not right. We should only speak the truth in love and not to hurt.
     
    #20 Jon-Marc, Mar 2, 2009
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