Is Christianity too feminized?

I don't know why I didn't do this earlier but I went to the Catechism of the Catholic Church and surprisingly it doesn't mention gossip at all. Maybe because of the confusion we have been dealing with. It mentions two sins of detraction and calumny, which it defines as follows:

Detraction - who, without objectively valid reason, discloses another's faults and failings to person who did not know them.

Calumny - who, by remarks contrary to the truth, harms the reputation of others and gives occasion for false judgments concerning them.

So it seems to that the Church agrees with you that to say gossip is a sin is too broad of a statement and we have to be more careful. You mentioned slander and backbiting. It sounds like calumny is a synonym for slander and detraction is the same as back biting. I hope this clears it all up.

Quote: FrGamble

I don't know why I didn't do this earlier but I went to the Catechism of the Catholic Church and surprisingly it doesn't mention gossip at all.

Can you explain a little about what this is? In business we have the "Policy and Procedure Manual" for this kind of answer, but in 8 years of Catholic School I do not remember this book mentioned at all.

The Catechism was called for during Vatican II and St. Pope John Paul II was instrumental in finally getting this Herculean task finished in 1994 with a revision in 1997. So depending on when you went to Catholic school they might not have had it yet. But it is a great place to go for answers about what the Catholic Church really believes. If Evenbob sent me his address I would gladly send him the nicest copy I could find.

Quote: FrGamble

The Catechism was called for during Vatican II and St. Pope John Paul II was instrumental in finally getting this Herculean task finished in 1994 with a revision in 1997. So depending on when you went to Catholic school they might not have had it yet. But it is a great place to go for answers about what the Catholic Church really believes. If Evenbob sent me his address I would gladly send him the nicest copy I could find.

Thanks, and that explains it. I was in Catholic School 1976-1984, an interesting period looking back as in 1976 Vatican II was still "new" though as a little kid I did not know better. Just out of curiosity, it it closer in size to a big dictionary or a full encyclopedia?

Other curiosity, are you saying there was no one shall we say "rule book" for the Church before this?

Quote: FrGamble

So it seems to me that the Church agrees with you that to say gossip is a sin is too broad of a statement .

Slander and making things up about somebody
is always wrong no matter what it's called. But
the Church still condemns 'idle talk' and calls
it gossip.

Quote: Evenbob

Slander and making things up about somebody
is always wrong no matter what it's called. But
the Church still condemns 'idle talk' and calls
it gossip.

I'm not sure which Church you are talking about, but it is not the Catholic Church.

Quote: FrGamble

I'm not sure which Church you are talking about, but it is not the Catholic Church.

Matthew 12;36

Quote: FrGamble

I'm not sure which Church you are talking about, but it is not the Catholic Church.

Msgr. Charles Pope, Pastor of Holy Comforter-St. Cyprian parish and popular blogger for the Archdiocese of Washington, disagrees with you.

"Idle talk about others can bring about great harm. One of the more under-rated categories of sin are the sins of speech. There are many ways we sin, but perhaps the most common way is by speech. Too easily, almost without thought, do we engage in gossip, idle chatter, lies, exaggerations, harsh attacks, uncharitable observations and remarks. With our tongue we can spread hatred, incite fear and maliciousness, spread misinformation, cause temptation, discourage, teach error, and ruin reputations."

Quote: Evenbob

Msgr. Charles Pope, Pastor of Holy Comforter-St. Cyprian parish and popular blogger for the Archdiocese of Washington, disagrees with you.

"Idle talk about others can bring about great harm. One of the more under-rated categories of sin are the sins of speech. There are many ways we sin, but perhaps the most common way is by speech. Too easily, almost without thought, do we engage in gossip, idle chatter, lies, exaggerations, harsh attacks, uncharitable observations and remarks. With our tongue we can spread hatred, incite fear and maliciousness, spread misinformation, cause temptation, discourage, teach error, and ruin reputations."

I don't think he disagrees with me and surely you wouldn't disagree with the bold part of his quote would you. It is obvious when read in context what he means by idle chatter. Good try though.

Quote: FrGamble

I don't think he disagrees with me

You said your church has nothing against
idle talk and the monsignor disagrees. Isn't
he of slightly higher rank than you in
your gods army?