During the Bobby Baker hearing in Washington in 1963, charges were made that a certain witness was a “character assassin.” A character assassin is a person who attempts to demolish the character of someone else by slander, lies, gossip, or half-truths. The chief weapon of the character assassin is his tongue. With it he injures innocent people.
The tongue is a powerful weapon. The Bible says that “The tongue ... is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison” (James 3:8). Again the Bible says, “The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly” (Proverbs 18:8).
It has been well said, “Some people are very polished; everything they say casts a reflection on someone. They appear very sanctimonious and pious, but their speech betrays them.” We are told in James 1:26, “If any man among you seem to be religious and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.”
It is totally inconsistent with the Christian pattern of life to praise God in one breath and to slander someone in the next. God declares this kind of Christianity to be but vain chatter.
The slanderer is usually known by his gossiping. Like all gossipers, he has few or none of the facts. Because of his lack of understanding, he gets things all mixed up. Like a blotter he soaks it up but gets it all backward. He consciously or subconsciously perverts the facts and assumes the role of judge, becoming harsh and critical.
We are called to be witnesses, but at no time has our God appointed us to the bar of justice as judges. He alone is the judge. We are commanded to pray one for another but never to judge.
Character assassins are not limited to Washington. They can be found in every community. Learn to recognize them for what they are. And above all never aid them in their character assassinations by repeating their slanderous remarks.