nPeace
Veteran Member
We get on each other's bad side from time to time.I believe that each one of us, no matter what religious belief we holds would gain wisdom by looking at what spiritual leaders like Jesus, Muhammad, Buddha Sakyamuni, and so on was actually doing ( of course now we only have the scriptures, but still we can understand that being one who not judge others is better than judging,
I also know that some people in RF see me as one who judge others, and even if i can not see it right away, i do sometimes understand that even i do not try or want to judge other, it still happens.
So both asking one self and asking others (taking teaching of others) can help our own spiritual journey
We cannot avoid that, but that cry, "Don't judge." is a guilt trip people try to lay on others, so that they can sit in their comfort zone... imo.
Actually, when you really give it some serious though, it's really their way of judging you, because by accusing you of judging, are they not judging you?
I don't allow anyone to lay that guilt trip on me, because I understand what Jesus is saying.
Just read the entire chapter, and you will see...
Why would Jesus say what he did in verse 6... “Do not give what is holy to dogs nor throw your pearls before swine, so that they may never trample them under their feet and turn around and rip you open.
Dogs and swine? Jesus was not referring to literal animals. So of coure, in order not to throw precious spiritual treasures to people who display behaviors like these animals, would we not have to judge their character?
So, Jesus was not saying, one cannot judge another's character, or behavior, but rather one should not be looking for faults in others.
However, if one sees individuals displaying certain behaviors, we should be able to identify their character.
(Matthew 7:15-23)
15 “Be on the watch for the false prophets who come to you in sheep’s covering, but inside they are ravenous wolves. 16 By their fruits you will recognize them. Never do people gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles, do they? 17 Likewise, every good tree produces fine fruit, but every rotten tree produces worthless fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear worthless fruit, nor can a rotten tree produce fine fruit. 19 Every tree not producing fine fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Really, then, by their fruits you will recognize those men. 21 “Not everyone saying to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of the heavens, but only the one doing the will of my Father who is in the heavens will. 22 Many will say to me in that day: ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many powerful works in your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them: ‘I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness!’
What do you think?
Isn't that reasonable?
Don't you have to identify the behavior of people, in order to determine if they would be a good associate for you or your children?
Would you just marry anyone, or would you look at how the person behaves - their character?
Don't you have to make a judgment?
The issue is with looking for faults.
That's why Jesus used the example of the straw, verses the log.
One has to examine closely, in order to see a straw in someone's eye. A log though, you can't miss.
So don't look for little things to judge people on... and some things can be overlooked.
Notice Jesus also said, 'Not everyone who says Lord, Lord, but the one doing the will of the father.' and he refers to the former as lawless workers.
Does that not tell us, we need to identify those ones, and does that not require making a judgment?