What is slander and why should we tolerate it?

Slander is the worst gradation of hatred and wickedness and the most painful injury inflicted against its target. Slander is the defensive weapon of the inferiority complex. Because it cannot cover its nakedness and mediocrity, it tries to slur those who are standing higher in order to seemingly vindicate itself.

Just because it is a phony and an unjust plot, it is the worst injury inflicted against the one who is being targeted. Prophet David was right when he was appealing to God to “Redeem me from man’s oppression, that I may keep your precepts” (Psalm 119, 134). The enemy, Satan, knows how hard and painful this wickedness is, and it uses it against his toughest adversaries. He aims to bend their perseverance. He also tried to use it against our Lord, through the Pharisees.

Slander occupies the first position among the contents of wickedness, in terms of its cruelty and craftiness. But it also occupies the first position in the contents of the comprehensive love for struggle.

Only the grace and the protection of the divine love which can help one bear the weight of unjust slur. Let the faithful have as an example our Lord, who forgave His devilish slanderers. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23, 34). Those who have managed to bear this most heavy cross have won the appropriate beatitude: “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account” (Matthew 5, 11).

As the carriers and disciples of love, we tolerate and show patience in the face of this most devilish form of injury, having as our model our Lord and learn that “our reward is great in heaven” (Matthew 5, 12).

Translated by Olga Konari Kokkinou from the Greek edition:  Γέροντος Ιωσήφ Βατοπαιδινού, Συζητήσεις στον Άθωνα, Ψυχοφελή Βατοπαιδινά 13,  Ιερά Μεγίστη Μονή Βατοπαιδίου, Έκδοσις Α’ 2003