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Anatomy of a Gossiper
- Fr. Deo Camon, LPT, PhD
- Dec 14, 2020
- 2 min read
This is always the “excuse” of gossipers: they claimed that they are concerned for the person they are talking about, but the truth is they are concerned for their advancement while others are merely accessories or casualties.
The Christian army is the only one that shoots its wounded” (Bob Munford). I saw this quote from an article dealing with gossips.
Supposedly in a battle, you treat those who are wounded fighting with you on a cause.
Unfortunately, this is no longer true. By gossiping, many Christians “wound” each other for whatever intent or purpose. Many Christians love adding insult to injury.
Most often those who have the audacity to gossips are those who are either insecure, inutile or guilty. Gossipers are those who hide their own faults by highlighting the faults of others so as to gain advantage.
However, this is not something new.
This is a perennial problem ever since the establishment of Christian communities that I think has reached its zenith in medieval courts of Europe where you can destroy your enemies’ reputation and lives by whispering gossip in the ears of the king or queen.
At present, gossiping has not yet reached its decline, but similar to the COVID-19 virus is undergoing its nth wave. It has no mutated to so many forms and means not just the usual gossiping that people often do during social visits and “tambay” in the sari-sari store. It is now sophisticated and hi-tech, you gossiping via social media.
Paul briefly mentioned it in his Letter to Timothy, describing those “widows” who are “idle, as they go around from house to house; and not merely idle, but also gossips and busybodies” (1 Timothy 5:13).
Sadly, gossiping nowadays is not done by widows at all (loud out loud).
Paul could have never been more wrong than this. He would have been scandalized by those who are “gossipers” today!
Nowadays, the instruction could have been directed to an entirely different group of persons (laugh out loud). Indeed, not widows!
In Ancient Time, gossip is a powerful tool of slaves and women against their masters. Nowadays, it is still true but it has become a powerful tool to gain power and destroy one’s enemy.
Gossips never came out of style.
The best example of a gossiper is Absalom, the son of David (Read 2 Samuel 15: 1-6)
Absalom was an ambitious person. He wants to be king. Of course, those who gossip (particularly the dangerous type) wants to GAIN something. Whatever it is, the gain is advantageous to the gossiper. Most often, it is to gain the goodwill of those who are in power.
A gossiper wants company.
Absalom gathered around him people who, like him, have complaints or shares their grievances or ambitions. He showed that he is interested in their lives that he is concerned about their situations.
This is always the “excuse” of gossipers: they claimed that they are concerned for the person they are talking about, but the truth is they are concerned for their advancement while others are merely accessories or casualties.
In power plays, most often, the gossipers emerged as heroes while those they “want to help” are often destroyed.
Be careful when people approach you and feigned concern. They are vultures.
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