You're listening to Catholic Sprouts, the daily podcast for Catholic kids that strives to plant seeds of faith.

Hey there, Sprouts. Welcome back to our discussion of the Eighth Commandment. Thou shalt not bear false witness. Thou shalt be truthful. We've already talked about the fact that there is truth, despite what the world might say,

and that truth is Jesus Christ.

We've talked about the devastating effect of lies, how we need to speak the truth, but how in certain situations we might instead need to be silent.

We've talked about what it means to live the truth and how we as Catholics have a creed that explains what this truth is that we believe as Catholics.

And today we're going to talk about two smaller issues, but definitely important issues when we talk about truthfulness.

And these two topics we're going to discuss today are gossip and hypocrisy.

So first of all, gossip. So when we gossip, we are talking behind someone's back, and we are

oftentimes saying things that are hurtful or disparaging about that person. Gossip can most definitely

be lies. We can be making up lies about someone and that is obviously a sin. But gossip can also

be when we are sharing things that are actually true. For example, if we know that our friend

stole something and they lied about it and we're just

gathering our friends around to tell them all and to really make this person seem terrible because

we know this truth, that is still gossip. If we are in possession of the truth about someone else, if we have either found

it out or they have trusted us enough to tell us, then we have a responsibility to use that

truth well. There most definitely are situations where we need to speak up and tell the truth,

even if it gets someone else in trouble. But that is never the purpose of gossip.

When someone gossips, even when they are telling something that is true,

the purpose is to harm someone else's reputation. In the group that you are in, when you're behind

this person's back, you're trying to make this whole group think poorly of another person.

Now, this is obviously a sin. We should always be motivated by love. If someone has done something that is bad, yes, we can speak about it, but only in a way that is loving and that will develop good for this person.

Not something that will make it worse or tear them down.

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