J
jedpatrickdatu
Guest
I know it’s not always bad to point out the flaws or harm the reputation of others. An example is telling a friend that his sense of humor is too insensitive and that he should fix it. Another instance is when your boss sexually harasses his employees, you must report him to the police, even if it means revealing to the public he is an offender. A similar situation is warning a friend that his neighbor is a drunkard and is known for violent behavior.
My problem is, when exactly does talking about others negatively sinful? Gossip, or picking others apart behind their backs to make yourself look better, is wrong, yes, but I need a clearer definition. Is it sinful to express opinions or criticisms that involve saying something negative about another? For example, when I scroll through Facebook notifications, is it wrong to say to myself or to another, “Ugh, her make-up is too thick. It doesn’t look good on her.” or “I’m getting tired of these duck-faces! They think it makes them look cute when instead it’s annoying!” There are also statements like “Jack is so insensitive! He shouldn’t have humiliated her like that in front of the class!” Or how about comments about products, like “Apple’s iPhones are so overpriced!” or “Don’t watch that movie, it was awful. The actors were unconvincing and the story was dull.” I’m afraid I do a lot of these things, mostly to vent. Are these examples sinful? When exactly is it all right to say bad things about others?
My problem is, when exactly does talking about others negatively sinful? Gossip, or picking others apart behind their backs to make yourself look better, is wrong, yes, but I need a clearer definition. Is it sinful to express opinions or criticisms that involve saying something negative about another? For example, when I scroll through Facebook notifications, is it wrong to say to myself or to another, “Ugh, her make-up is too thick. It doesn’t look good on her.” or “I’m getting tired of these duck-faces! They think it makes them look cute when instead it’s annoying!” There are also statements like “Jack is so insensitive! He shouldn’t have humiliated her like that in front of the class!” Or how about comments about products, like “Apple’s iPhones are so overpriced!” or “Don’t watch that movie, it was awful. The actors were unconvincing and the story was dull.” I’m afraid I do a lot of these things, mostly to vent. Are these examples sinful? When exactly is it all right to say bad things about others?