I realize we all make mistakes and that it often takes time for us learn so we don’t make the same hurtful mistakes again. It certainly took me time to appreciate the vital importance of being responsible for each of my thoughts, words and actions. However, I learned one crucial lesson the first time my words hurt someone, which I share in painful detail in my first book – Lead with Your Heart, Creating a Life of Love, Compassion and Purpose.

Briefly the lesson I learned is that gossip, slander and character assassination are completely irresponsible and were signs of my emotional and spiritual immaturity. Now, this is a lesson each of us needs to learn if we are to move ourselves toward a peaceful world and fix what is wrong in our politics and with society in general.

Each day we hear countless people tearing others down in an attempt to build themselves up. There are also people who listen to and allow themselves to be influenced by negative trash-talk, hate speech, and slanderous attacks on someone seen as a political or social rival. Then there are people who do not question the credibility of those who spread conspiracy theories, or racist, homophobic, divisive, xenophobic, propaganda.

Does anyone actually believe Jesus would think purveyors of gossip and slander offer something worth listening to? They offer nothing  of value to our society. Their agenda is one of sowing discourse and distraction. And some get paid to spread their trash talk.

Jesus would find the current state of vilification of others to be stomach churning. Jesus would question why anyone would allow themselves to be influenced by fake news and the defamation of others.  Jesus would be distressed by those who have become deaf to this epidemic of slanderous irresponsibility. Jesus would remind us hate speech is not free speech. Jesus would remind us gossip, slander, and tearing others down is never aligned with what he taught.

We are charged by God with creating a world where we, our neighbors, our public servants, and our children are safe from being vilified. To do so we must recognize the evil behind all trash talk. No matter how divisive speech is delivered, or by whom, we must turn this evil off. When those who think it is okay to lie about and vilify others have no supporters and no more influence in society, they will cease to exist.

I believe that day will come as fast as you and I want it to when we join together to stop these harbingers of hate from destroying our families, our young people, our society, and our democracy. God is asking each decent person to actively bring about this positive change. You and I must lead the way by refusing to listen to or gossip about others.