I would like to know peoples ideas about judging others. My own theory is that judging others would be as looking down upon them.
We judge on a daily basis. As humans, we receive information through our senses about the world around us. Based on that information, we analyze and act upon it. This is our
personal form of judgment in daily life. Insofar as the human animal is concerned, this is normal and is wired into our instinctual desire to survive (a lower brain function and not upper).
On a greater scale, we have societal judgment. This is the basis for human law, regardless of society or culture.
Feeling sorry for people is also looking down upon them. It is said we mustn’t covet thy neighbor, wouldn’t that mean we shouldn’t look at them lower than yourself as well? What do you think?
As bjust rightfully points out, having empathy or sympathy for another’s plight is not a negative judgment (it is a judgment, for we have weighed evidence that leads us to conclude they are in need of help), but is rather judgment that leads us (hopefully) to the positive end of providing a charitable act.
Perhaps the question asked in the OP could better put as: what are the ethical and moral guides to judgment of things by man? How is the premise supported by Judeo-Christian Scripture?
To get that rolling, I point out that – in accordance to the Genesis account – we are created in God’s likeness. Ergo, we have the capacity to judge
things of this Earth, as long as we do not judge Divine Purpose, nor God’s ultimate judgment for each of us individually and collectively (i.e., humankind).