I Judge Your Celebration

Last updated on: June 5, 2015 at 7:30 am by John Mark N. Reynolds

I Judge Your Celebration 2015-06-05T01:20:22-04:00 John Mark N. Reynolds

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

An American may never read the Bible, but he knows that Jesus said:

Judge not, that ye be not judged. for with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

People who tell me not to judge often have this sort of bumper sticker. Isn’t this judging an entire culture?

Jesus did say it and He meant what He said. Sadly, Jesus did not mean our misreading of what He said. No sage is responsible for semi-literacy.

Recently, a Christian writer commented that we had no business, ever , judging anyone for anything. We should mind our own business. Leave aside the self-referential incoherence of judging people for judging people. There is merit to minding our own business. In working out the Socratic “know thyself” or the command to “work out our salvation,” we have enough to do.

I certainly lack the time to judge people I do not know for things I only dimly understand.

However, the same writer recently bid me celebrate the action of a celebrity. Celebrities are celebrated by nature, but this writer wanted me to honor the celebrity for courage. If I took this writer seriously, I would not be able to do so.

I cannot celebrate an action as brave without judging it and supposedly I am to mind my business and judge nobody. . . ever. How do I know if a man is being selfish, giving into desire, or being brave? I must judge, but I am not supposed to judge. If we take “judge not” in the foolish way we are told to take it, then we will never have a celebration or hold a triumph.

“Perhaps,” the weak minded critic will say, “we can judge, but only positively.” We cannot condemn anyone for anything, but we can commend the good. But how can we know the good if we do not know the bad? If we refuse to party for an action, are we not judging it?

If I give a medal to Barack and I give nothing to Hillary, neither condemnation or praise, then Hillary will get the message that I do not approve of her actions in the same way I approved of Barack. Hillary believes she is praiseworthy and I have withhold praise . . . a passive judgement that cannot survive a culture that refuses to actively condemn the most degenerate actions.

The day is coming when we will be told “celebrate or be damned” and the cowards will celebrate lest they be seen as judging. We will all get a party, all be heroes, because celebration will be the new tolerance.

Either that or we will learn to read well and read Jesus in context and see His wisdom. We must judge. Everyone does, but we must remember that the way we judge others is the judgment that will be leveled on us. We cannot have one standard for other people and an easier standard for self. Of course, there is some degenerate somewhere who will decide to judge nobody for anything . . . and then he will be judged by that standard. And so he will. He will be unable to enter Heaven because celebrating his life will be judgment.

He will be left in Hell, not out of a positive judgment, but because there is no other place to put a man who will not judge. Heaven requires approbation and this implies the possibility of condemnation. The man who cannot condemn cannot be rewarded.

And so it goes. We try to avoid nastiness and we end up with forced cheer and the mandated celebration of the foul, the pitiable, or the plain old wicked.

Spiritual Reflections

Previous Post

June 4, 2015

In which I thank Bronte and Montgomery for My Love Life

Next Post

June 6, 2015 It is More Important to Be Beautiful on the Inside

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Apologetics Art Culture Education On Books On Education Philosophy Politics Pop Culture Spiritual Reflections Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 July 2025 June 2025 September 2024 July 2024 June 2024 December 2023 June 2023 September 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What event marked the start of the early church?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Pentecost Jesus’ Baptism The Ascension The Crucifixion

Books by This Author John Mark Reynolds

See All Titles »