About gossip and criticsm

I listened to someone talking unkindly about someone else. In fact,
the statements were harsh - possibly true - but harsh. My first
reaction was to think, "That is someone's son you are criticizing. How
sad it would be for his mother if she heard what you are saying."

I have learned two things about criticism of others and gossip.
First, once said it can never be retrieved. Communication is
irreversible.

My Dad told me a story about a person, who after gossiping and saying
untruths about someone, went to a wiseman for advise.

The sage said, "Take a pillow of feathers to the top of the Eiffel
Tower and let the feathers blow out into the wind."

After doing as he was told, the man went back to the wiseman.

He told him, "Now go pick up the feathers."

"But I can't. That's impossible," the man protested.

"Gossip is like those feathers. Once it's been said, it's impossible
to bring it back."

The best thing one can do is to apologize to the person who was told
the gossip and to the person who was defamed.

The second thing I have learned is that most people hearing gossip
think, "If he says that about other people, what does he say about me
when I'm not around."

The Savior taught (Luke 6: 41 and 42):

41 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but
perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
42 Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull
out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the
beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam
out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the
mote that is in thy brother's eye.

Politicians could learn a lot from Jesus Christ.