Judged not lest you be judged -but how can you not judge?

[CalledtoServe]

One of the more difficult aspects of my Christian walk has been in the area of judging. I know, I’ve got a huge plank in my own eye; gotta take care of that first. But how can you not judge when you are so aware of what is expected in order to live a holy life and are trying so hard to live that life? How can you not see the evils out there and not judge?

How do you as a good Catholic Christian or nonCatholic Christian for that matter avoid judging?

 

[system]

CalledtoServe:

One of the more difficult aspects of my Christian walk has been in the area of judging. I know, I’ve got a huge plank in my own eye; gotta take care of that first. But how can you not judge when you are so aware of what is expected in order to live a holy life and are trying so hard to live that life? How can you not see the evils out there and not judge?

How do you as a good Catholic Christian or nonCatholic Christian for that matter avoid judging?

Here is how I understand it. You ARE supposed to judge actions. This is the only way that we can know the difference between good and evil. You ARE NOT supposed to judge the sinner, ie if they should go to heaven or hell based on their actions. We are not the Judge. I hope this helps.

 

[Shiann]

CalledtoServe:

One of the more difficult aspects of my Christian walk has been in the area of judging. I know, I’ve got a huge plank in my own eye; gotta take care of that first. But how can you not judge when you are so aware of what is expected in order to live a holy life and are trying so hard to live that life? How can you not see the evils out there and not judge?

How do you as a good Catholic Christian or nonCatholic Christian for that matter avoid judging?

It depends on what you call judging…

Many people use the word judge when they mean discern. We make 100’s of discernments every day about a lot of people.

We discern who would make good spouses and friends.

We discern how well someone does their job.

We discern the driving competency level of the guy ahead of us on the freeway.

But this phrase is talking about making judgments, using a scale of morality that we DO NOT use ourselves.

In other words, being hypocritical.

Like cussing someone out for being a gossip- when we ourselves spread vicious rumors.

Judge not, lest you be judged (according to the same standards…)

 

[buffalo]

vicia3:

Here is how I understand it. You ARE supposed to judge actions. This is the only way that we can know the difference between good and evil. You ARE NOT supposed to judge the sinner, ie if they should go to heaven or hell based on their actions. We are not the Judge. I hope this helps.

Correct - true Christian charity requires fratenal correction- that is judging and through love helping your brother see the error of his ways.

From the Catechism,

1435 Conversion is accomplished in daily life by gestures of reconciliation, concern for the poor, the exercise and defense of justice and right,33 by the admission of faults to one’s brethren, fraternal correction, revision of life, examination of conscience, spiritual direction, acceptance of suffering, endurance of persecution for the sake of righteousness. Taking up one’s cross each day and following Jesus is the surest way of penance.34

[1829](javascriptpenWindow(‘cr/1829.htm’) The *fruits *of charity are joy, peace, and mercy; charity demands beneficence and fraternal correction; it is benevolence; it fosters reciprocity and remains disinterested and generous; it is friendship and communion: Love is itself the fulfillment of all our works. There is the goal; that is why we run: we run toward it, and once we reach it, in it we shall find rest.108

 

[BayCityRickL]

I am a cradle Catholic, but I have gone through stages of conviction in my faith.

As I review my own failings, I become increasingly disposed towards forgiving the failings of others. But, at this moment, you wouldn’t find that I am anywhere near perfect.

There is someone in my life who is my biggest challenge in this regard, and I can only describe the experience as trying to love a rattlesnake. I just can’t do it. And, I don’t think I have to beat myself up over it, either.

Take that Duncan guy in the news right now. He has allegedly dispatched four people from this world and sexually abused a couple children, just for starters. I don’t think that bringing him to justice is the same thing as bringing him to judgment. I am sure that there are many dedicated people who will try to rehabilitate him, the sooner the better for him and for all of us.

 

[CalledtoServe]

These are some excellent answers. Now if someone has a judging spirit and a deep desire not to, do you think it is possible to change this attitude through prayer and actions which are not judging in nature? In other words can a change in action change an attitude?

*I am referring to not being able to separate out judgement about a person from judgement about their actions.

 

[Grace_and_Glory]

CalledtoServe:

These are some excellent answers. Now if someone has a judging spirit and a deep desire not to, do you think it is possible to change this attitude through prayer and actions which are not judging in nature? In other words can a change in action change an attitude?

*I am referring to not being able to separate out judgement about a person from judgement about their actions.

Well, what I try to do if I find myself being judgmental is to think good thoughts about the person, and that seems to have made me less judgmental. Assuming based on what you’ve said that your problem isn’t in confusing judging actions with judging people, this might be good. It gets you in the habit of cutting off judgmental thoughts as soon as you notice yourself thinking them and of thinking good of other people. Both are good habits to learn.

 

[AlanFromWichita]

CalledtoServe:

These are some excellent answers. Now if someone has a judging spirit and a deep desire not to, do you think it is possible to change this attitude through prayer and actions which are not judging in nature? In other words can a change in action change an attitude?

*I am referring to not being able to separate out judgement about a person from judgement about their actions.

What a great question!

I have some personal experience in this area. The answer is yes, we can actually change the way we think, and consequently the way we feel about others, in a way that does not first require them not to be jerks.

There have been many things that have all together helped me, including taking spiritual direction, participating in centering prayer and Lectio Divina, and studying mysticism and the spiritual journey, thus helping me “deny my very self” and quit allowing sinful emotional responses from ruling my thoughts and feelings and tainting my words I spoke to others.

Speaking for myself, I have gone from having “severe bipolar disorder” to being the calmest, most centered person I know. It isn’t because I took tranquilizers and settled down; through much direction, study, prayer, and practice in my own family I learned new ways of thinking which literally have wiped away any cause of anxiety.

I might go so far as to suggest all anxiety is based on judgments of the past or judgments of expected or feared future. You don’t see a cat worrying about something that he might have done wrong ten seconds ago. You also don’t normally see a cat too emotionally distraught to catch a mouse – unless specifically antagonized of course.

Alan