I once heard Bill McLeod say, “The favorite indoor sport of Christians is judging and criticizing.” But evil speaking is strictly forbidden by Scripture. “Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law” (James 4:11). The crux of God’s law is loving the Lord and loving people. When you speak evil of your neighbor, you are breaking the law of God which is the law of love. Evil speaking in this context is paramount to slander.