Slander

[coadie]

Originally Posted by missourimary

Ever read Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky?


I can ignore them or pray for them, but I can't change what's been said. I can sue them, but that won't stop the whispers, and could intensify them. But I can walk away from them. I don't have to support them, lend them an ear or give them information to build on.

I think eventually what they've done catches up to them, whether they're caught or not. But in some circles, it's allowed to go on and destroy good people for way too long. I'd hate to be in the shoes of some I've walked away from.

Here is some interesting information about gossip from the Jewish perspective:
http://www.5min.com/Video/Parasha-Ta...-Gossip-942985
http://www.lashonhara.org/
http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/vi...id=65&letter=C

I appreciate the Jewish links

We had an evangelist that knew Hebrew. He mentioned the Hebrew had many more expressions for the words killing and murder. One of the translations for killing was a murderous tongue.

[missourimary]

Originally Posted by coadie

I appreciate the Jewish links

We had an evangelist that knew Hebrew. He mentioned the Hebrew had many more expressions for the words killing and murder. One of the translations for killing was a murderous tongue.

I was looking for something about that the other day. Never found the link I was looking for. But I've heard the same thing, and fully believe it.

Mt 5:21Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: 22But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

[quote]1 Jn 3:14 ...He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. 15Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. 16Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 18My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. 19And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. [/qutoe]

Clarke's Commentary of the Bible, Mt 5:

Raca - ריקה from the Hebrew רק rak, to be empty. It signifies a vain, empty, worthless fellow, shallow brains, a term of great contempt. Such expressions were punished among the Gentoos by a heavy fine. See all the cases, Code of Gentoo Laws, chap. 15: sec. 2.

Thou fool - Moreh, probably from מרה marah, to rebel, a rebel against God, apostate from all good. This term implied, among the Jews, the highest enormity, and most aggravated guilt. Among the Gentoos, such an expression was punished by cutting out the tongue, and thrusting a hot iron, of ten fingers breadth, into the mouth of the person who used it. Code of Gentoo Laws, chap. 15: sec. 2. p. 212

So at one time there were punishments for certain kinds of slander...

And Gill's Exposition of the entire Bible says:

but whosoever shall say thou fool, shall be danger of hell fire. The word "fool" does not signify a man of weak parts, one that is very ignorant in things natural; this the word Raca imports; but a wicked reprobate man; in which sense Solomon often uses the word. The Persic version renders it here "wicked". There is a manifest gradation in the text from causeless anger in the breast, or reproachful words; and from thence to a censorious judging of a man's spiritual and eternal estate, which is what is here condemned. "Thou fool", is, thou wicked man, thou ungodly wretch, thou graceless creature, whose portion will be eternal damnation. Calling a man by such names was not allowed of by the Jews themselves, whose rules are:

"he that calls his neighbour a servant, let him be excommunicated; a bastard, let him be beaten with forty stripes; "a wicked man", let him descend with him into his life or livelihood (z).''

The gloss upon it is,

"as if he should say, to this the sanhedrim is not obliged, but it is lawful to hate him, yea to lessen his sustenance, and exercise his trade,''

which was done to bring him to poverty and distress. So, it seems, the sanhedrim were not obliged to take notice of him. Again, they say,

"it is forbidden a man to call his neighbour by a name of reproach (a) everyone that calls his neighbour "a wicked man", shall be brought down to hell;''

Considering that and the punishment that Clarke's states, I can almost feel sorry for the ones who've said the most hurtful and damaging things to me and about me. God, have mercy on them even when I struggle to. The damage they've done themselves is much greater than the hurt they've caused me.