Pope Francis warns against lying, says ‘to gossip is to kill’
(AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) Pope Francis delivers his blessing as he leaves at the end of his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018.
Vatican City • Pope Francis is denouncing gossip as a form of “terrorism” and is warning the faithful against telling lies.
Francis explored the Catholic commandment against “bearing false witness” during his Wednesday general audience.
He warned the faithful in a chilly St. Peter’s Square that “we all live by communicating, and we are continuously on the edge between truth and lies.”
He repeated his complaint about gossip, saying it “kills because the tongue kills like a knife.” He warned: “Gossipers are terrorists because with their tongues they drop a bomb and then leave, and the bomb they drop destroys reputations everywhere.
“Don’t forget: to gossip is to kill.”
Francis frequently rails against gossip in the church and has urged the media in particular to guard against “fake news” and seek the truth.
sltrib.com is now free to access — no subscription required. We made this decision because we believe access to trustworthy, independent news shouldn’t depend on what you can afford — especially as misinformation and AI-generated content continue to rise.
Free to read doesn’t mean free to produce. Our reporters show up every day to ask hard questions and hold powerful institutions to account. That work takes resources. As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on support from people who believe it matters. Make a donation today to fund local news that serves Utah communities.
You can help us bring more local news to more communities today.