Judgment
abracad, · Categories: spirituality"Judge not lest you be judged" said Lord Jesus, along with, "Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.â€
These two admonitions are among the most quoted but least heeded of the great Master's teachings.
We inhabit a culture of blame. When something goes wrong, as it inevitably does in this flawed realm, we immediately seek the villain / culprit / scapegoat to demonize. As though by framing another we somehow absolve ourselves from any responsibility.
Human society revolves around evermore complex laws. No doubt these have their origins in the noble aim of protecting individuals from one another and creating a secure environment where each is encouraged to perform to their best in the knowledge they shall be able to enjoy the fruits of their endeavors.
Indeed there should be disincentives for willfully destructive behavior, and individuals should accept responsibility for the consequences of their actions. Where one wrongs another so the wrongdoer should compensate the wronged. But that should be that. Today's judgment obsession has become an out-of-control monster that frequently holds back progress.
Some religious extremists teach that those who sin shall burn in hell for all eternity. This is not so. God (or Spirit) does not judge, in seeking to punish. God only evaluates in order to further our evolution. The lessons we fail, ie our errors and "sins", must be re-taken, or re-presented in a different way. God does not seek retribution, for not only are we of God, but we each of us are part of God. And why would God to harm His very self...
We are born to experience, we live to learn. We are imperfect. We make mistakes as we go, as do others. But mistakes, and misfortunes, are the very source of our learning and growth.
When something goes wrong, instead of making blame and retribution the priority, wouldn't we be better asking what can be learned? How can we do better next time? Rather than focusing on who should be hung out to dry.
The other side of the judgment coin is forgiveness. And the Lord's Prayer admonishes: "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us". Easy words, but true forgiveness is just about the hardest thing to do. The great tragedy is that failure to forgive harms us at least as much as it does the object of our grudge. If you can't forgive, seek at least to let go that which is passed.
We all have rights; the right to exist, the right to fulfill our potential, the right to happiness... We naturally feel aggrieved when those rights are impeded. And it's OK to fight for those rights. But don't let the judgment of others become an obsession for it's own sake.
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