Questions about gossip

[Rbaker]

So I just watched a video by Fr. Mike from Ascension Presents (Great videos btw), about gossip. He really did a good job of explaining it, but I still had a few questions that maybe some of you could answer.

I know about how the catechism mentions rash judgement, detraction, and calumny, so I don’t need any help there. I went back on to some old posts from the forums, and people seemed really confused about this as well, mainly about whether gossip was mortal or venial.

Here is what I have always thought (correct me if I am wrong).

Rash judgement, detraction, and calumny are usually (if not always) grave faults.
But, for it to be a mortal sin, you would have to know you were committing these forms of gossip, and then consent to it.

However, it seems that these types of sins could also be venial. For instance, you could say make a rash judgement against someone, without even realizing what you said may be a ford of gossip. For example, I have interacted with many people who, during car rides will say something like “That guy in front of us does drugs or is drunk” because of how erratically his driving is. Now, I highly doubt that they realize they are committing gossip at the time, and if they did they wouldn’t consent to it. It seems to be more of a reaction.

It seems that many of us participate in gossip without even knowing it, and that we really should guard our lips with more care.

Does this make sense to anyone?

 

[Rbaker]

I guess basically is what I am saying is this:

Gossip is mortal if you are intentionally saying something to degrade the character/morals of another person, or are trying to make the person you are gossiping to view someone in a negative way.

It would be venial if you slip into it unknowingly.

 

[Katherine438]

I guess basically is what I am saying is this:

Gossip is mortal if you are intentionally saying something to degrade the character/morals of another person, or are trying to make the person you are gossiping to view someone in a negative way.

It would be venial if you slip into it unknowingly.

I agree with your assessment.

 

[Rbaker]

I agree with your assessment.

Thanks for the reply! Either way, I think it is something that a lot of people unknowingly struggle with, and that we could make the world a much more peaceful place if we tried to put an end to this type of talk

 

[Katherine438]

Thanks for the reply! Either way, I think it is something that a lot of people unknowingly struggle with, and that we could make the world a much more peaceful place if we tried to put an end to this type of talk

I have gossiped without realizing what I was doing at the time … and then when I did, I was so upset with myself … so I do believe in that type of case it is a venial sin … going to have to double check this with my priest next confession.

 

[angell1]

So I just watched a video by Fr. Mike from Ascension Presents (Great videos btw), about gossip. He really did a good job of explaining it, but I still had a few questions that maybe some of you could answer.

I know about how the catechism mentions rash judgement, detraction, and calumny, so I don’t need any help there. I went back on to some old posts from the forums, and people seemed really confused about this as well, mainly about whether gossip was mortal or venial.

Here is what I have always thought (correct me if I am wrong).

Rash judgement, detraction, and calumny are usually (if not always) grave faults.
But, for it to be a mortal sin, you would have to know you were committing these forms of gossip, and then consent to it.

However, it seems that these types of sins could also be venial. For instance, you could say make a rash judgement against someone, without even realizing what you said may be a ford of gossip. For example, I have interacted with many people who, during car rides will say something like “That guy in front of us does drugs or is drunk” because of how erratically his driving is. Now, I highly doubt that they realize they are committing gossip at the time, and if they did they wouldn’t consent to it. It seems to be more of a reaction.

It seems that many of us participate in gossip without even knowing it, and that we really should guard our lips with more care.

Does this make sense to anyone?

it also depends on what the topic is.

for example, telling your friend that your sister gets in trouble with your parents because she doesn’t want to do household chores is not the same thing as saying that your brother had an affair with his secretary at work

one situation is minor, the other is not

 

[thistle]

Modern Catholic Dictionary:

GOSSIP. Idle talk, especially about others. The morality of gossip is determined by the degree to which time is wasted in useless conversation, by the failure in justice or charity committed against others, and by the damage done to people’s reputation by those who gossip.

 

[Milton_Sermoud]

According with Fr. Paulo Ricardo (we could say he is a “famous” Father, he studied in Rome, including) he said the gossip is a MORTAL sin when someone WISH breaks up a friendship.
Now according with the Manual of Moral Theology, wrote by Del Greco, he tolds “the rash suspect and doubt” is a VENIAL sin.
The rash judgement, “to manifest a defect of others¹” and detraction² it is MORTAL sins.

¹: when cause a kind of dishonor in another person; when talk the defect with a prudent one, knowing who he does not speaks that to anyone, it is a venial sin.
²: to know the gravity of sin, it is necessary consider the condition of the one slanderous and who slanders.

I advise you talk with a Priest, since the one know more than we.
All of I wrote it is from the already mentioned Manual.

PS.: Sorry for my bad english, I do not live in USA.

 

[InOmnemTerram]

I guess basically is what I am saying is this:

Gossip is mortal if you are intentionally saying something to degrade the character/morals of another person, or are trying to make the person you are gossiping to view someone in a negative way.

It would be venial if you slip into it unknowingly.

That strikes me as being a rather scrupulous or rigorist definition.

There’s a vast difference between choosing to make someone look bad and choosing to gravely injure their reputation.

It’s not a grave sin to make someone look like a jerk. It is a grave sin to do so in a way that seriously injures them and which goes against justice.

 

[Rbaker]

That strikes me as being a rather scrupulous or rigorist definition.

There’s a vast difference between choosing to make someone look bad and choosing to gravely injure their reputation.

It’s not a grave sin to make someone look like a jerk. It is a grave sin to do so in a way that seriously injures them and which goes against justice.

I would tend to disagree.You say that is isn’t a grave sin to make someone look like a jerk. What if they didn’t deserve it. It is VERY possible that you don’t have all the facts.

If I know someone who was rude to me, and I start telling people “Little Johnny is such a jerk, you should have heard what he said to me. He must be crazy.” That is totally of out line. Maybe he was having a rough day, or maybe he didn’t even intend to be rude.

Hey, we may even be thinking the same thing. Like I said… unintentionally… you’re fine.
But intentionally trying to bash someone’s character… Not good