Judgement

It is quite the messed-up world we live in. Happiness is scarcely found and frankly, the more mainstream methods of seeking it prevent its attainment. So much hurt to go around, so much blame. Who can say what is right and wrong anymore? When they hear the word "judgment", most people have a very immediate response. Usually, it is something like "don't". But what is judgment anyway? The question is in which sense do we mean it? As far as I can tell there are two non-mutually exclusive senses of the word one denotes logic and the other justice. 

First, let us look at logic. Judgment, in this sense, is the interpretation of premises, an estimation of the truth. Every conclusion assumes reality is intelligible that the movement from truth to further truth is possible and that truth exists. Every day we are stuck fast in a culture that does not care about the truth if it exists, but doubts that it does. This kind of judgment out to be used more carefully and more often, so that the lie will dissolve. Pretty soon after that, one will find morality has a point to it after all and that its objectivity is not oppressive but a way of maximizing happiness. This feeds into the moral use of logic.

Second, we will look at the definition involving justice. There are further three sub-distinctions here: the eternal kind, the moral, and the interpersonal-moral. In any case, Aquinas defines the act of judgment as "properly denoting the act of a judge as such." He goes on to explain how this is the vessel through which virtue is carried out. It is a proper act of the will, to uphold what is right and just. This is the moral and practical side of the judgment which is good for man to use as it is a part of him. We need to interpret not only our own mistakes but the lives of others so that we avoid their mistakes and follow their virtue. The interpersonal moral form of judgment denotes the role a person plays in one's life and whether that is properly ordered or not (balanced with knowing one's own virtue i.e. whether the other is a near-occasion of sin or whether the relationship affects mental health to an extent it may compromise one's growth in relationship with God i.e. are they willing your good in the proper order, expression, etc?).[1] There may be times it is acceptable to read what kind of a person your neighbor is, as in contractual situations like marriage or business partnerships, but it should be used with skepticism (because we don't have all the necessary premise), diligence (knowing what is at stake), and only to ensure the common good. The interpersonal-moral for the other person can seem like eternal judgment, even the judgment of their acts can feel like condemnation, however, it is the responsibility of the one who judges to separate a person from an act, word, or thought and to truly care for both souls in true charity. The eternal judgment of a person is an interpretation of the person, whom they become. The great thing about God's judgment is that it is perfect, it omits no aspect that is difficult in our lives and considers one's story from the whole to the parts instead of the human version which is from a few parts to the whole. This is how man's judgment of others can tend to be either excessively harsh (most often) or blinded by admiration. "Even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the foremost" (1 Timothy 1:13-15). This is how mercy and justice work together in God, and why when we judge someone harshly, we should be aware that we are always wrong. Otherwise, we are wont to conclude we are unable to love them, and when we have admiration for someone, it is important to note they are not perfect lest we be disappointed by the revelation of their sin, ignorance, etc. and then apply harsh judgment. In short, one should always use moral judgment, in limited times of necessity use interpersonal moral judgment keep a relationship with God and true love as the purpose (for all parties), and never attempt eternal judgment. If the Church ever apparently uses eternal judgment as with excommunication it is in exercising its duty to souls and always offers reconciliation as a possibility.

In conclusion, life (where there is sin) is often not simple. We need to use our judgment very carefully to navigate through obstacles in a fallen world. We must choose the path of healing if we are to be happy. The road may be treacherous but if one intends to get to the destination and considers that destination worth all struggle, that is not a relevant consideration. We need to be able to see the culture's lies for what they are, which means we need to think about just how well we have been using that judgment. Praise God that He is so merciful a judge that we don't have to worry about being wrong about people, but this is perhaps why He says, “Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgment, you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye." (Matthew 7:1-5) I guess it is hard to trust a blind optometry surgeon. Nowhere in the Bible does it say hypocrisy is a sin but pride on the other hand is, which is a sense of pride at times. However, it does not negate the truth of things said, does it? Know what you know and what you don't and act accordingly. We are not capable of eternal judgment and why bother trying, even with ourselves (lest we blaspheme against the Holy Spirit) because we 1) do not have all the information to do this correctly, and 2) do not have the power to carry out what the sentence would justly be. Nevertheless, judgment is ordered toward the salvation of neighbors: judging acts, intents, and circumstances to reveal something of where they lead and whether they are advisable. It is tragic that so many people interpret moral judgment as though it is eternal judgment, and/or conflate their acts with themselves.

Written by Carter Carruthers & also available soon at Missio Dei