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We all have chapters we would rather keep unpublished”- Downton Abby
A number of years ago a great message was delivered by Dieter F. Uchtdorf on being merciful and withholding judgmental gossip about others. (“The MercifulObtain Mercy”, GC, April, 2012)
He made a great point when he asked, “Do yougossip, even when what you say may be true?” He was repeating the sentimentfrom the above statement that comes from the popular TV series Downton Abby.Haven’t we all been guilty of doing something in our lives that we are notproud of? Haven’t all of us been found, at some time or other in our lives,“wanting” when it comes to virtuous behavior? Would we like others to “publish”that part of our lives or wouldn’t we be better served if certain parts of ourlives were left undisturbed? The answer is obvious.
Severalyears ago, Dallin H. Oaks gave a talk entitled “Criticism.” In it, he said,“Does… counsel to avoid fault-finding and personal criticism apply only tostatements that are false? Doesn’t it also apply to statements that are true?In a talk I recently gave… I urged that “the fact that something is true is notalways a justification for communicating it.” A letter published in the NewYork Times Magazine described my counsel as “contempt for the truth.” (Feb. 9,1986, p. 86.) I disagree. I rely on the teaching in Ecclesiastes: “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” (Eccl.3:1) Specifically, there is “a time to speak,” and there is also “a time tokeep silence.” (Eccl. 3:7)
Thetemptation for us all is to be anxious messengers of “new information.” Somehowdelivering a message that bears news of the wrongdoings of others seems evenmore exciting. A look at the six o’clock news bears witness to that. Seldom is“good” news reported on. Often, only the vilest acts of man make their wayacross the wire! And it seems that over the course of my lifetime, I have seenevery major historical figure, religious leader, and business giant, attackedby someone about a flawed decision they had made at some point in their life.What is the point of this? To better inform us, or is it driven by othermotives. Motives that are meant to midigate that person’s life’saccomplishment, or degrade the character of a person of note who can no longerdefend themselves, or salacious rumors just to promote or sell a book orpodcast.
Let usnot be the publishers of other people’s unsavory chapters. Let us refrain fromthe worldly ways of rejoicing in the misery of others. Let us be kind andforgiving! Let us not be perpetrators of gossip, even if the gossip is true. Itdoesn’t uplift others, and when we do so, we are only publishing somethingabout the nature of our own souls.
