A Third Tongue
In today's reading, Sirach talks of the third tongue, the words spoken to hurt.
Slander {Gk [A third tongue] } has shaken many, and scattered them from nation to nation; it has destroyed strong cities, and overturned the houses of the great. Slander {Gk [A third tongue] } has driven virtuous women from their homes, and deprived them of the fruit of their toil. Those who pay heed to slander will not find rest, nor will they settle down in peace. The blow of a whip raises a welt, but a blow of the tongue crushes the bones. - Ecclesiasticus 28:14-17
How easy it is to say something harmful, to spread lies or half-truths, to imply something that leaves an indelible mark on someone's character.
False testimony can be even more devastating than the truth, for it can cause an innocent person to suffer.
It is so hard to discern the truth, merely from what we hear. Who can tell who is being honest and who is not?
Slander plays into the preconceptions of those who hear it. In a way, it is justification for prejudices that demand validation. We want to believe something and when we hear that could be true, we jump on it, claiming victory.
I would probably never say to your face what I might share about you behind your back. That's the third tongue, the one that wags unseen by the one it is talking about.
It is possible, I guess, for something to be implied innocently and snowball into something hurtful, but for the most part, whether implying or stating outright, there is most likely evil intent behind the words of this tongue.
That's what makes this so bad.
And yet we are voracious when it comes to feeding off them.
Maybe part of the blame is in the hearer, as well as the one whose tongue is wagging.
More to come...