Gossip

Last Sunday during fast and testimony I sat in front of two sisters who gossiped about one of the brothers who got up and bore his testimony, laid his soul bare in front of the congregation.  They said he had been kicked out of the church and re-baptized and they said it with such disdain as if to say they were so much holier than he is.
Now what they seem to have forgotten is that by being re-baptized he was forgiven and washed clean in the eyes of the Lord.  So why were these two sisters refusing to recognize that and still speak ill of this man for committing sins that had been forgiven?  Am I to believe that they know more than the Lord?
Or do they just love to dish about the sins and short comings of others because it makes their own good works seem all the better, while they just rationalize their own sins?
This is a common and consistent problem for any church but ours especially, it drives people out of our faith because of how insipid gossip is and how often it occurs.  I mean who wants to be surrounded by sisters like these while they worship a savior who taught us not to judge?  He taught that because if your busy judging, your not busy loving them, it's either one or the other.
The reason I'm writing this is because it is such a common, consistent and fixable issue that more needs to be done to prevent such "holier than thou" attitudes in our community, churches and Temples.  More people would feel welcome at church and around us all if we gossiped less.  No one likes feeling judged, do they?
When you feel the Spirit in the presence of another, do you feel judged by them?  I don't.  I always feel welcomed and loved.  I feel like they cut me slack for my short comings, they grant me considerable understanding and they inspire me through kind words and deeds as well as by example to be better, to do better than I currently do.  And that is how we can treat others so they feel the same.  That allows for them to correct themselves for the best of reasons rather than simply getting defensive and then ignoring anything we have to say because we have come across as judgmental, self righteous and perhaps shallow.
Because to judge correctly one must have perfect knowledge, you must in essence know everything.  And since none of us knows the heart of another, not truly, otherwise we would never be surprise in a positive or negative sense by their actions.  There is plenty regarding any situation we don't know, only God has the ability to know it all.  Which is why Jesus said we are not to judge, it is not our place and it is not within our ability to do it correctly.
The scriptures are full of those who gossip, who speak negatively, who slander and defame and those people are never looked upon in a good light.  The Pharisees, the Sanhedrin, Laman and Lemuel all did it.
And who are the people who never did?  Those that were righteous enough to have the room to talk.  Jesus, Elijah, Enoch, they all were so righteous they were translated or resurrected because they found favor with God due to their service to Him and His will.
So who would you rather have others compare you to the Pharisees, Laman and Lemuel or Jesus, Elijah, Enoch?  Who are you emulating in the way that you treat and speak to and about others?
As a church which stereo type is more prevalent, Mormons being understanding and compassionate or Mormons being judgmental, i.e. homophobic and institutionally sexist?
Because there is truth to both sides of that argument but most people acquire their view of us through personal experience not just through the media.  So the new website about homosexuality and how the church is speaking to and about gay people is a step in the right direction.  So there is hope that through compassion and understanding we can move past mistakes both recent and ongoing in terms of being a beacon of peace, love, understanding and hope for the current generation and those that follow.
 The parable of the mustard seed is about a humble seed that grows like a weed and over takes everything in its path.  And this is how the Kingdom of God spreads from one to another until all is consumed by the light.  And the way we speak and the way we think is the first step and therefore of the utmost importance in achieving those ends.
We can do worse, that much is true but we also can and should do better as a church, as a community and first and foremost individually because that is where change always begins; within each one of us.