Speaking ill of the dead

Lady Bug · Jun 13, 2010

Is there something in the Christian faith that tells us that we shouldn't speak badly of the dead, or is that a cultural phenomenon?

I would surmise that if we as Christians shouldn't speak ill of persons who are living, why do so for those who have passed - we're supposed to pray for them anyway.

Eucharisted · Jun 14, 2010

'Honor thy father and mother' and 'love one another as I love thee'.

Rhamiel · Jun 14, 2010

as a christian, i would say it is a venial sin agianst charity
but as an italian-american, it is a super arch cardinal sin lol

so i think it is about 50/50 lol

AllForJesus · Jun 14, 2010

Lord have mercy on their souls we say here in Leb, were they good or bad.

Unashamed Jesus Freak · Jun 14, 2010

I haven't heard anyone (that I know) speak ill of the dead.

AMDG · Jun 14, 2010

Unashamed Jesus Freak said:
I haven't heard anyone (that I know) speak ill of the dead.

Oh yes you have. Stalin? Hitler? Mao? Herod? Pontius Pilate? Judas Iscariot? (Bet you could add more to the list.) Last time I checked, they are dead and their names don't exactly receive accolades.

benedictaoo · Jun 14, 2010

You can't speak things like, may they rot in hell... but you don't have to make them out to be Saints if they weren't good ppl.

I don't see any point in speaking ill about someone who's dead because it's over now... but on the other hand, I find it fascinating how once they are dead, all of a sudden they have all this good to them that you never knew when they were alive.

actually I think ppl dying is kind of therapeutic for the rest of us as far as being able to see the good in them when before we couldn't or wouldn't....

but if they are bad and you hated them... The best you can do is pray for mercy on their soul because they were so horrible.

2WhomShallWeGo · Jun 14, 2010

benedictaoo said:
You can't speak things like, may they rot in hell... but you don't have to make them out to be Saints if they weren't good ppl.

I don't see any point in speaking ill about someone who's dead because it's over now... but on the other hand, I find it fascinating how once they are dead, all of a sudden they have all this good to them that you never knew when they were alive.

actually I think ppl dying is kind of therapeutic for the rest of us as far as being able to see the good in them when before we couldn't or wouldn't....

but if they are bad and you hated them... The best you can do is pray for mercy on their soul because they were so horrible.

JimR-OCDS · Jun 14, 2010

Lady Bug said:
Is there something in the Christian faith that tells us that we shouldn't speak badly of the dead, or is that a cultural phenomenon?

I would surmise that if we as Christians shouldn't speak ill of persons who are living, why do so for those who have passed - we're supposed to pray for them anyway.

We shouldn't speak ill of the dead just as we shouldn't speak ill of the living.

The disrespect in speaking ill of the dead of course is that the dead aren't here to defend themselves.

Jim

JimR-OCDS · Jun 14, 2010

AMDG said:
Oh yes you have. Stalin? Hitler? Mao? Herod? Pontius Pilate? Judas Iscariot? (Bet you could add more to the list.) Last time I checked, they are dead and their names don't exactly receive accolades.

We can speak about what they did in life, but we don't know the state of their souls. Only God knows.

Jim

Antigone · Jun 14, 2010

I always thought it was more of a common decency kind of thing, since the dead aren't here to defend themselves, but I'm willing to make exceptions for evil overlord dictator types of people.

MariaRegina · Jun 14, 2010

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benedictaoo · Jun 14, 2010

yes mam. (is that how it's spelled...)

Lady Bug · Jun 14, 2010

thanks Maria for the admonition, I really would like this topic to remain a serious topic; I care about this topic and I do not want it derailed, thanks.

Maggie893 · Jun 14, 2010

As to the OP, I think that since we are called as Christians to the Spiritual acts of Mercy which includes praying for the living and the dead, that it would be hypocritical to pray for the dead and malign them at the same time.

I don't think we can in good conscience speak badly of the dead for the same reasons we shouldn't speak bad of the living.

just my .02

PilgrimToChrist · Jun 14, 2010

There were two evil brothers. They were rich, and used their money to keep their ways from the public eye. They even attended the same church, and looked to be perfect Christians.

Then, their pastor retired, and a new one was hired. Not only could he see right through the brothers' deception, but he also spoke well and true, and the church started to swell in numbers. A fund-raising campaign was started to build a new assembly.

All of a sudden, one of the brothers died. The remaining brother sought out the new pastor the day before the funeral and handed him a check for the amount needed to finish paying for the new building.

"I have only one condition," he said. "At his funeral, you must say my brother was a saint." The pastor gave his word, and deposited the check.

The next day, at the funeral, the pastor did not hold back. "He was an evil man," he said. "He cheated on his wife and abused his family." After going on in this vein for a small time, he concluded with,

"But, compared to his brother, he was a saint."

Unashamed Jesus Freak · Jun 14, 2010

AMDG said:
Oh yes you have. Stalin? Hitler? Mao? Herod? Pontius Pilate? Judas Iscariot? (Bet you could add more to the list.) Last time I checked, they are dead and their names don't exactly receive accolades.

Well, since you put it that way...

2WhomShallWeGo · Jun 14, 2010

PilgrimToChrist said:
There were two evil brothers. They were rich, and used their money to keep their ways from the public eye. They even attended the same church, and looked to be perfect Christians.

Then, their pastor retired, and a new one was hired. Not only could he see right through the brothers' deception, but he also spoke well and true, and the church started to swell in numbers. A fund-raising campaign was started to build a new assembly.

All of a sudden, one of the brothers died. The remaining brother sought out the new pastor the day before the funeral and handed him a check for the amount needed to finish paying for the new building.

"I have only one condition," he said. "At his funeral, you must say my brother was a saint." The pastor gave his word, and deposited the check.

The next day, at the funeral, the pastor did not hold back. "He was an evil man," he said. "He cheated on his wife and abused his family." After going on in this vein for a small time, he concluded with,

"But, compared to his brother, he was a saint."

Lol

Rebekka · Jun 15, 2010

If I can't speak ill of the dead, and lying is a sin as well, this means that I'd better not mention my mother-in-law ever again...

benedictaoo · Jun 15, 2010

I don't understand why speaking ill of the dead is any different or worse then speaking ill of the living.

Speaking ill of the dead

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