How can one be righteous and not be judgmental?

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Rita77

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righteousness (in a religious since) is moral action in accordance with God but can also be judgmental. I think a good example of be righteous but not being judgemental is only giving the facts (teachings) and not telling a person what they did or didn’t do was wrong.
 
there is a fine line between righteous and being judgemental. we should be righteous but not judgmental.
 
I think a good dose of humility would do. You can be righteous and remain meek and humble. Christ is the example for this.
 
The truly righteous are not judgemental, not rash in judgement: They know that they are capable of committing the very worst sins if God withholds his grace from them. The saying, “There go I but for the grace of God” is very real to the righteous because they know they are truly nothing but dust and can only commit sins when left to themselves, and they are aware that anything good they do comes from God and not from themselves. The truly righteous are humble and know they are nothing and that God is everything. They esteem others as better than themselves and even consider themselves to be nothing but misery, like St. Faustina did. St. Francis of Assisi even considered himself nothing but a worm. They figure that if some big sinner were given the graces they were given the sinner could even exceed them in virtue. Let none of us consider ourselves righteous unless we are humble and know that we are nothing and that God is everything. The only perfect creature is the Blessed Virgin Mary and I have read (I think from a work of St. Louis Marie de Montfort) that even she, in her great perfection, is dust compared to God.
 
We can tell that what a person did was right or wrong, it is actually an obligation in the spirit of charity. Otherwise we will sacrifice the objective truth, although we must give due regard to particular circumstances. It is the essence of fraternal correction. (Mat 18:15-18)
 
Willy_Jose said:
We can tell that what a person did was right or wrong, it is actually an obligation in the spirit of charity. Otherwise we will sacrifice the objective truth, although we must give due regard to particular circumstances. It is the essence of fraternal correction. (Mat 18:15-18)
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So correct! Also, Christ could be righteous, angry and judgemental…in the temple where he threw out the money-changers and merchants. Not rash…that is the error. But we must all become judgemental from time to time, whether regarding unjust laws, sinful behavior, or needed discipline of someone who has strayed.
 
Rita77 said:
righteousness (in a religious since) is moral action in accordance with God but can also be judgmental. I think a good example of be righteous but not being judgemental is only giving the facts (teachings) and not telling a person what they did or didn’t do was wrong.
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I think…righteous judgment occurs in specific situations.

Please note: All Judgments should be dealt with Patience and Kindness.
If a person is under another authority, the authority must judge the person and the situation as to guide to the goal…
If a person is seeking advice, the counselor must judge…
If a person is seeking companionship, the companion can judge the person and the situation, if they are willing to place their relationship on the line.

If a person is not under authority, seeking advice or companionship, Judgment should be passed only by the Lawgiver, and not by His Followers.

Thoughts?
 
Judgement, as distinguished from official disciplining, can be done by peers. Fraternal correction is first done in private, between peers. The highest authority is Truth. Only when there is no resolution will it be escalated to higher authority. Remember St Paul once rebuked St Peter’s behavior.
 
Rita77 said:
righteousness (in a religious since) is moral action in accordance with God but can also be judgmental. I think a good example of be righteous but not being judgemental is only giving the facts (teachings) and not telling a person what they did or didn’t do was wrong.
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I’d be careful feeling this way. We can judge actions, but are to leave the judging of a human heart to God. For example, if you see a neighbor shoplifting. You can judge that action as evil and you can even confront the neighbor (charitably) on the matter keeping in mind that though there exists an evil action we do not know all the circumstances. If we are not to “judge,” then that sets up all kinds of bad situations… If you’re a parent of a child and that child has a friend who is dealing drugs, you couldn’t “judge” that and decide to forbid your child from “hanging out” with the friend. Not without being a hypocrite anyway.
 
this has helped a lot. I’m glade I posted. you here on CA a lot “don’t judge” all the time. I understand it so much better now thanks everyone. I think humility and kindness is necessary when judgment is necessary. We need to stand up for our faith and morals.
 
Maybe it would be better if we said “don’t assume.” You know what they say…😛
 
We can judge our neighbor’s actions but not his intentions, which are known only to him and God (unless the person makes an evil intention known); and we can not judge a person’s heart, only his external behaviors. Thus, we can judge that our neighbor’s behavior is evil, but we can not say that our neighbor himself is evil (because we do not know his heart - this is known to God alone). Jesus tells us not to judge (judge rashly), as only He (God) can read what is in a man’s heart who objectively sins. Jesus’ own words: “Judge not, lest you be judged.” Giving fraternal correction is not considered rash judgement, but it is a spiritual act of mercy. Rash judgement is the evil Jesus speaks of when he tells us not to judge. Rash judgement is judging your neighbor to be evil and/or condemned to hell - being judgemental is condemnatory. Who knows who is definitely going to hell? only God knows, no matter how black and white it may appear to people. God can judge men’s hearts - we can’t (except maybe a few Saints could). Those in lawful authority can lawfully judge a person’s behaviors as being worthy of correction/punishment, as long as they remain impartial.
 
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