Narcissists love to get information to bend it to their way of thinking and pass it on as fact. They will ask questions to get you to say things they can use against you.
The most wicked form of gossip is when we tell information privately about the things we have encountered with others and the gossip goes to those people with that information.
Sadly the gossip never relays the information in the spirit it was given, they always make it mean and hateful so that the person they are talking to will hate you, even when you shared something innocently and without guile, they relay it as an attack against the hearers.
Anyone who tells you what others say about you is not your friend. You can count on the information being twisted in some way to make the shared information seem bad or evil.
Proverbs 16:27-29 "…27 A worthless man digs up evil, While his words are like scorching fire. 28 A perverse man spreads strife, And a slanderer separates intimate friends. 29 A man of violence entices his neighbor And leads him in a way that is not good.…"
It is one thing to share what happened to you, it is quite another to share what others have said to you about others. That is moving into the realm of gossip.
If you do not like being gossiped about, then don't gossip yourself. Our personal encounters are one thing, but the encounters of others is their business.
There are far too many wrong judgments made by those who have heard things second hand, they almost never go to the person who made the statements they are angry about. In most cases they just believe the worst about the statements, as if the statements are accurate and treat their target with contempt because of the gossip they believed.
There is a gossip in our family who digs for information and then relays that information to those people they think will be angered by it to cause division. The gossip is a narcissist, he asks questions, skews the conversation when visiting with others and the others have elevated him to the position of "special", so they believe every thing they say.
Get away from the gossip, it is better for him to make up a lie than pass on a half truth.
Wow, that sure is true. They are so full of their own form of righteousness that they have nothing but contempt for those who love the Bible that they claim to believe but do not obey.
President Trump has declared on a couple of occasions that Norman Vincent Peale was his mentor.
Norman Vincent Peale believed that all ways lead to heaven, that faith in faith and faith in prayers were ways to make things happen.
God says: John 14:6
"6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
Peale was deeply invested in the power of the mind to get what one wants from life. There was never any preaching to submit to Christ or become born again.
Peale said this: "change you thoughts and change your world."
God says: 1 Corinthians 2:16 "16“For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ."
God says: Romans 12:2 "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
Peale said this: "Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy."
God says: Psalm 118:8-9 " 8 It is better to take refuge in the LORD Than to trust in man. 9 It is better to take refuge in the LORD Than to trust in princes.…"
God says: Proverbs 28:25-26 "…25 An arrogant man stirs up strife, But he who trusts in the LORD will prosper. 26 He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, But he who walks wisely will be delivered."
Peale said this: "Watch your manner of speech if you wish to develop a peaceful state of mind. Start each day by affirming peaceful, contented and happy attitudes and your days will tend to be pleasant and successful."
God says this: Colossians 3:15 "15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful."
God says: Galatians 5:22 "22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,"
God says: 1 Peter 5: 7 "7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."
Peale says: "“People become really quite remarkable when they start thinking that they can do things. When they believe in themselves they have the first secret of success.”
God says: "Proverbs 3:5-6 "5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding."
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Recapping the point here: Peale teaches us to trust in ourselves, live for happiness and be positive all the time.
On the other hand Christ teaches that we should trust in Him, seeking Him to obey and glorify Him.
Peales way is opposite of God's, it is self glorification, self indulgence while rejecting God's Word as the source of all wisdom and power.
As believers we trust in Christ, those who love Peale's false wisdom believe only in themselves. Self is on the throne of their own heart instead of Christ.
It's simple, if we know the word of God and believe Him, we will see the foolishness of people like Norman Vincent Peale.
