Topic: Judgment
The favorite verse used for proof-texting by people who don't want to consider accountability is "Judge not that ye be not judged."
Most of you know how I feel about proof-texting. I refuse to stoop to the level of arrogancy that implies that the intended audience is wayward in forgetting some important scripture. Proof-texting is used in the hope of changing people's minds. It almost never works, except in cases where the minds of the hearers are so easily swayed that it's scary.
"Judge not that ye be not judged" is thrown my direction quite often. I've heard it most often when I've asked someone to join my attempts to hold someone accountable for what people like to call "just a mistake." Problem is that "just a mistake," in these instances, refers to illegal behavior or morally reprehensible behavior.
Examples include drug abuse and distribution, behaviors that result from drug or alcohol abuse, and any form of violence and/or abuse. The favorite place to use the "Judge not" platitude is in protecting a minister or church leader!
Notice that I insist on sticking to behavior. Not labelling a person as inherently "bad." THAT would be judging.
Somehow, religious folks often stretch the theological concepts of grace and mercy to such an extreme that ALL determination of culpability on this earth would be thrown out. The implication is: "Let's just wait until God's Judgment Day." (ie. in the "sweet by and by")
The "Judge not" scolding is intended to stop all conversation. To be honest, it often works with me. I just give up because that's often the only wise thing to do.
Recently, however, I got creative. In one very brief statement, I stopped all conversation myself:
"I'm not judging anyone. Because you are refusing to hold this person accountable, I'm simply questioning your judgment."
To this, I could have added: "Now, please stop judging me!"
