"Do not regard the feelings of a person who speaks to you about his
neighbor disparagingly, but rather say to him: "Stop, brother! I fall
into graver sins every day, so how can I criticize him?" In this way
you will achieve two things: you will heal yourself and your neighbor
with one plaster. This is one of the shortest ways to the forgiveness
of sins; I mean, not to judge. 'Judge not, and ye shall not be
judged.' (Luke 6:37)"


- St. John Climacus
["The Ladder of Divine Ascent," (Boston: Holy Transfiguration
Monastery, 1978), Step 10: On Slander or Calumny]