Rumours and hate speech

By The Standard | Mar. 7, 2021

We are now familiar with the use of hate speech or character assassination to bring down other people. Rumours are unproven statements which are just hearsay: but can have devastating consequences for the victims. At law they say one is innocent until proven guilty. Hate speech normally convicts a person without any substantiated facts. The political arena is riddled with such practices, together with other social spheres that compete for recognition or leadership positions in society. Anyone perceived as a hindrance to one’s ambitions can be targeted. Jealousy and envy can also attract unwarranted hatred. False allegations are easily manufactured to discredit opponents. Other people can be recruited for the purposes of supporting rumours in order to seek to validate them. Followers can wilfully partake in crucifying the targets to assist in the assassination of someone’s integrity.

BY PROSPER TINGINI

The ninth commandment given to mankind by the Lord our God reads: “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour (Exodus 20:16).” It is a fact that a number of people have been wrongfully convicted on the basis of falsehoods, usually supported by the false witnesses. Some people are actually bribed or given some incentives to act as malicious conspirators of a standing hatred between individuals. They become catalysts in the settlement of grudges between the opposing parties. In Exodus 23:1-3, the Lord declared: “You shall not utter a false report. You shall not join hands with a wicked man, to be a malicious witness. You shall not follow a multitude to do evil, nor shall you bear witness in a suit, turning aside after a multitude, so as to pervert justice, nor shall you be partial to a poor man’s suit.”

There are people that take maximum delight in ruining other’s reputations. When people can’t kill your dreams, they will then try to assassinate your character. False allegations are a chronic form of mental abuse. When hate speech or hating doesn’t work for them, they start telling and spreading lies about you. People with evil demons are often irritated by the good spirits in others. Involving yourselves in character assassinations of others is taking part in the emotional violence against innocent people. A friend of your enemy is not necessarily your enemy, so don’t bring the friends into the equation, unless you know of their negative contributions into the matter at hand.

Lessons can be learnt through what the Lord our God prohibits us from doing, in terms of participating in matters of malicious intent. He tells us not to be part of a multitude, gathered to defeat justice. The truth should always prevail. Deliberate falsehoods are an abomination to the Lord. Don’t conclude about people just because of what others say about them. Never draw up conclusions based on what others tell you about someone. Rely on facts. Don’t also inherit other people’s enemies. Making people your enemies just because they are not in good books with your friends shows lack of sense and misplaced judgement. Some domestic disputes can involve a disagreement between a husband and wife, brothers and sisters, etc. Don’t involve your children in your family disputes. Stop using them to fight those you don’t like. They’re not weapons of war. Your children should have the liberty to decide things for themselves without parental influence. While you may need to guide them in their choices of friends, never plant the seeds of hatred in the hearts of your children against other people, especially relatives.

If you don’t see it with your own eyes, then you must hear it with your own ears first before rushing to a conclusion. Don’t make haste to join the multitude to hate someone. That person may have no offence at all. Use your common sense.

Avoid being used as a weapon in other people’s battles. It is not every battle that you must involve yourself in. When people fight dirty, refuse to take sides. Refrain from speaking badly of others or hating people just because you are not of the same school of thought. Not belonging to the same political party, church, tribe, and etc, does not make someone your enemy. How you respond to people whose opinions are different reflects your maturity of character. Thinking that your opinions are always better than other people’s views is foolishness. It is a waste of knowledge to think that the people you like are only the ones that are like you. People who think that their opinions are always superior to others are usually of vulnerable mentally and are often prone to overestimating their relevance in society, by ignoring chances to learn from others. The people who don’t think like you are your greatest source of enlightenment. It is normally people that are not like us that help us to grow the most. Don’t castigate them. Organisations that attain maximum growth are usually those that value diversity and inclusion.

There are always two sides to a story, be it an argument, dispute or rivalry. One side of the story is the half-truth. It may be the false or wrong half, therefore don’t judge people until you know the other half; that is the whole truth. Try to always understand a person’s line of thinking by first understanding the reasons behind their thoughts.

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If people say bad things about you, or bring some false judgements as if they have all the facts about you, refrain from rushing to be angry. Your unfiltered reactions may cause further damage to your reputation, if you lack self-control. Take note that dogs bark if they don’t know the person. People who are intimidated by you often talk or speak evil about you in the hope that others won’t find you appealing. The real problem is not that they are unhappy about you, but that they themselves are unsettled and lack confidence in their own capabilities. Their negative spirits or demons are often contagious, and can afflict those around them. It is best to stay away from people who are in the habit of demonising others, so as to save your own spirit from being possessed by their demons.

Rumours are carried by haters. Stop the destructive habit of talking about people behind their back. Speaking evil about someone else while they aren’t there to defend themselves says more about you than the person you’re talking about. When you have issues with people, try to discuss it with them. Stop discussing the issues with others. Don’t talk about someone’s shortcomings before you have talked directly with them.

Jesus teaches us to settle our differences face to face. In Matthew 5:22-24, he speaks: “But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without cause shall be in danger of the judgement. And whoever speaks evil about his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come back and offer your gift.”