Can anyone tell me what the 8th commandment is?  Anyone?

Actually, it depends on how you number them but in my book the 8th commandment goes like this: You shall not bear false testimony against your neighbor.  Or, in other words, don’t spread garbage about people.  Out of fear of God and love for God we shouldn’t spread lies about someone at work, betray our best friend’s trust, slander someone’s reputation, but in all things defend others, speak well of others, and attempt to explain stuff in the best possible light.

Now, I admit that this is tough to do.  Talking smack about others is a favorite pasttime of most americans - myself included.  But still, God says to run from it.  Nothing good comes from it.  Speak the truth and speak it to someone’s face. 

I was reminded of this when I did my daily click over to the New York Times to check in on what’s happening in the world.  The lead story was some thin, vague accusation regarding Sen. John McCain and a questionable relationship in his past.  No sources were cited.  No hard details were given.  No counter-evidence was offered.  Just a lead story that essentially amounted to, “Hey, I once heard that McCain….”  That was it.

And while the story broke every rule of upright journalism it was still picked up by every other major news outlet, and by 7AM central time McCain was holding a press conference to call the story out as “untrue” and his team is heading into crisis mode trying to protect his candidacy from a sketchy story.

The ironic thing is that, in the end, the one who comes out looking poorly is the Times, who through garbage like this only adds fuel to the much-held belief that they are not a reputable news outlet but a tool for a wild, left-wing agenda.

The same is true for you and me, isn’t it?  Whenever I indulge in the constant temptation to smear someone behind their back (regardless of whether we do it in all out gossip or if we try to justify it by convincing ourselves that someone else ‘needs’ to know this info) the one who comes out screwed is me.  I often end up looking like a petty, agenda-ridden, bitter dude who shouldn’t be entrusted with protecting the honor of others.  And even in the rare case where everyone around me appreciates what I’m dishing, my Father in Heaven is still wagging his head in disgust.  I never win.

In the end, don’t talk like the Times.  Share facts, shed light, and pass along information but in all things tell the whole story, tell the truth, and tell it to their face.  Honor the 8th commandment.

On a much more philosophical side note:  my take is that in our day and age it is increasingly more difficult to stick to something like the 8th commandment.  After all today “truth” is viewed as subjective and something individually defined.  Something is “true” simply because I believe it.  And this applies not only to my personal morals and attitudes, but to the opinions and thoughts I have of others.   Therefore, I can believe something about you and despite even the best evidence to the contrary, feel comepletely justified in holding and even sharing this opinion with others - all along feeling as though I’ve been “truthful” to myself, to my agenda, to my desires. 

Crazy.