What is your criteria for judgement?

Question

We see countless questions on here about judging others - their promiscuity, their sincerity, etc.

So my question...what, do you feel, gives you the right to judge others? Certainly, I know I will receive answers saying they don't judge the person - only the actions. But really, they are the same...so - how do you justify your judgement of others?

Answer 1

As a Christian - this won't surprise anyone - my standard is the Bible. If someone is doing something that God says is sinful, I won't stand there and support it and say it is good. For what it's worth, I hold myself to the same standard. That's why I made the choices I made so far in life.

Second, I am allowed to think for myself and have an opinion. I shouldn't have to tolerate, accept, support, etc. anything and everything regardless of how perverse or immoral or unhealthy it is. My having an opinion isn't hurting anybody. I'm not out there picketing to remove people's rights, I'm not throwing stones at the g*y couples or unwed moms in my town, and I do my best to treat everyone, no matter who they are, with respect and consideration. I don't share my opinions nearly so freely in real life as I do here.

I don't expect people to accept or support everything I do, and when they disagree that is fine. They can believe and think what they want. As long as they don't become violent or cross the line, go for it.

Answer 2

One time up in Alaska I was watching beavers work on a dam.  I had issues with grizzly bears.  A huge male grizzly approached through shallow water and was harassing the "king" beaver who was putting up a wise little opposition.  But, I was outraged.  I shouted for my father who came running with the bear gun.  Shoot him!  Shoot him!  I HATED that bear.  I wanted my father to shoot the bear and stop him from bothering the beaver.  But my father laughed at me and said, "He's just trying to make a living like any other creature, hon. And that's his natural right."  

That's been my criteria for "judging" others ever since.  I  DON'T judge.  I just see everyone as doing the best they can at that moment in their lives in whatever place on the learning curve they are in their inevitable rise of individual consciousness, that everyone's just "trying to make a living" as best as they can.  And I see it as all about getting the "all of us" safely into the future.  And, the future wouldn't be any fun if we lost our individualities, which is the goal of judging others, to socially pressure the "all of us" to flock somehow together as one mind.

Answer 3

Judge lest thee be judged.  I don't care what others do but if they start picking on others rights they deserve the same treatment.

Answer 4

Once people start harming others with their behavior, they cross the line from "their own business" to "our business" and it's time to start judging.

People having 567 s*x partners a month? As long as those partners were all consensual, I don't give a rat's posterior about it.

Answer 5

You stole a question idea from me.  I was going to ask this soon.

Anyway, we really shouldn't be judging others.  Judging actions isn't actually quite the same thing.  Let me put it this way.  Have you ever known anybody to say anything stupid (look around here awhile...)?  Even the smartest people say and do stupid things sometimes.  Calling one action they do stupid isn't the same thing as saying they're stupid.

I know this won't be popular here, but I go by what the Bible says about what is right and wrong in most cases.  In other cases where it doesn't appear the Bible is clear, I go by a gut feeling.  There's just some things that really do have that feeling of "being wrong" to them.

Judging another person's character, while something we all do at one point or another, is wrong.  Nearly everybody will say Adolf Hitler was an evil man.  I've said it before.  But when you get down to it, that's not our call to make.  He did evil things, I'll say that much now.  But really, I'm not supposed to be the one who judges his character.

Answer 6

I don't think we have a right to jude anyone.  I try very hard not to judge but wnd up juding those who so harsly judge others!  

I think if we are going to judge, we should judge the good points, honesty in a person, turstworthyness, etc.

Answer 7

i agree with tracey :-)

Answer 8

Judging is just forming an opinion. The only way you can possibly avoid ever judging anything or anyone is if you refuse to ever use your brain.

I do try to be openminded, but obviously I still think some actions are good and others bad. And yeah, there are things that will always make me look down on people. Racism, for instance. Being abusive or violent is another. Perhaps hypocritically, I also look down on people who are intolerant of those with different views or lifestyles. Not liking it is one thing, but treating people like garbage just for being different has no excuse. As for how I justify that, like I said, it's just my opinion. As long as I'm not bullying or hurting anyone over it, why shouldn't I be allowed to feel the way I do?

Answer 9

How they treat others is how I perceive them. Although, I am not one to judge, judgment comes from God alone, not man.

Answer 10

I don't justify myself judging others. I am sinning each time I do it. It doesn't mean I can't disagree with them though. I am judge all the time because I am a Christian. I have just learned to expect it now. I don't take offence easily, even if people think I do, but they can't tell by what I write. They have to see me in person to really know my true feelings.

Answer 11

No one has the right to judge really...but every human seems to do this anyway.  Even knowing it isnt there place, doesnt stop them or us.

Answer 12

i am a huge proponent of mind your own business.  also, i think there's a big difference in not dating a guy with a nosering and not hiring a guy with a nosering...

Answer 13

I justify my condemnation of others' by an internal social/moral barometer. If something is out of whack, and is vehemently against my grain, then the persecuted shall burn at the stake for their sins! LOL

Okay, maybe a little less melodramatic, but yeah, if it doesn't jive with my barometer, then I'll condemn them, no questions asked, or problems with doing so. However, before I smote anyone, I prefer to have all the facts available, first and foremost.

Answer 14

I feel that being a human gives me the right to judge others, just as it gives others the right to judge me.

It does not, however, give me the right to treat others any differently, nor does it give others the right to treat me any differently.

Answer 15

I live in a society.  It is required of every single member of the society to judge his/her own actions and the actions of the others to conform to certain structuring of ways of life for the sake of harmony and working as a team.  If I dont want to be judged or if I dont want to judge others, I will go and live in a forest all alone all by myself, without any help from the society.  I will have to quarry out iron ore and make my own weapons etc as I would have no right to depend on what the community provide.

Answer 16

people are asking people for an OPINION.  NOt hard fact.  

they want to know stuff like how they look and what ethnicity they are.  They already know what ethnicity they are. And if they want an opinion on their looks, well everyone has an opinion.  

No matter what, people are looking for feedback.  They have to take the good and the bad.  

People can be in a good mood or bad mood.  Just like there are happy people intent to share their joy and miserable people out there wanting to spread their misery.  

The word "judgement" is harsh.  In essence, if you don't like the answer just give it a low rating and it will go away.  Some people need to develop thicker skin.  Others shouldn't take things so seriously, and others yet, well, they had it coming.  

This is an OPEN forum from people of all backgrounds.  If you want professional advice, please seek a professional with a real name and a real face instead of an Avatar and name that says "Cuteguy#13".

Answer 17

I judge others based on how their actions effect ME and society at large.

I ask: "Is this persons thoughts and actions something that is beneficial to society and if not to society.. to ME??"

Basically.