Do you tend to judge people by the teachings of the religion they belong to or do you judge the teachings of a religion by the behavior and attitudes of the people who belong to it?


Or do you judge each individual on their own merit? All of us here are human do you tend to make this mistake at times?

I'll be the first to admit that I fall into that trap.

I don't like religions that have a hateful, arrogant ,discriminating, judgemental quality to them. The bible gives mixed messages OT/NT.

I don't care for religions that obviously do not understand human nature/human psychology or that show plain out ignorance but are somehow regarded as superior knowledge, holy or enlightened.

I think a persons "chosen" belief (not in-born) reflects on their core character somewhat.

But regardless of faith, I still pretty much judge the person on their own merit ,maybe not so much over the internet because it's hard to really sum up how they really are and how they choose to live. Good people are good people,no matter what they believe. Their actions speak for themselves.

There are good and bad apples in every bunch but I do not judge any religions at all or even begin to try and stereotype someone based on what religion they are. There is so much variety of individuality within people, just in the churches I grew up in, from super nice people, rotten people, the ones who love to sin and are more worldly, and the ones who are not at least outwardly, that it is easy to recognize there are so many stripes and shades in any group. I have also never met two atheists or agnostics who are alike or two witches who are either. The same goes with nationalities, ethnicities, racial groups.

Now if anything I might fall into the trap when it comes to politics, when someone's main issue is conservative economics, or liberal abortion, or some other issue or platform, then if I feel strongly the opposite on that political issue then I can be judgmental wrongly. It comes down to what is what we feel strongly about. Since my attitude on religion is very accepting of all paths and traditions and respecting each that is why I never judge on that basis. Since I am interested in other cultures and ethnicities and world traditions that also is not something I will judge others by. But it is politics which I feel the strongest about that I will.

It must be horrible I'd imagine to look at other religions as something to consider as those being in them are all bad if they are not your choice. I can see many Christians fall into that trap. How sad it must be for them to look at other paths and feel negative about it...us and them, us and them, us and them...I just see us, all those who follow any path and respect others for it, I just see us, human beings, and feel better off for it.

I used to be racists too against white people in Texas (to the point of violent outbursts) especially but I have so much white blood in me, the majority of it perhaps, and then I read...



...and my mother always taught me to respect religious leaders of any group be it Mormon pastors, Catholic priests, or Apache medicine men.

I do know people can change, that I am better off in that the hatred would have eaten me alive had I let it continue, and that my wife even can tell I am a different person now than then.

My absolute honest opinion.

We are but one species of life amongst countless on this planet. Since I'm a member of a certain species then all my important interactions (emotional, intellectual, etc.) are with those of my kind.

However, I see no difference between humans and the simplest one celled lifeform (or viruses for that matter).

I hate viruses that make me sick.

I hate humans that rob me or cause me harm.

I enjoy the tranquility that watching fish swim in an aquarium brings me.

I enjoy the comradery I share with my friends.

How many germs and viruses will suffer eternal damnation along with all the so called evil humans after death?

Our judgement comes from our own ego and is based on whatever pleases it or defies it.

To sum up, I don't give a rodent's anus what anyone believes in as long as I like them for who they are.

Hmmm it is very difficult to separate the person from the beliefs in some instances.

Day to day living - I generally have zero problems with religious people on a personal, me and them, level.

Yet strangely, last night, I was subjected to a 3 hour long 'reading' from a supposed witch/psychic/pagan. She also told me that she had summoned a demon to 'get' a person and they were the next day in an accident that killed 7 other people (described as collateral damage) and yes the accident was real - it was near my home a few years past.

Now I of course, did not believe her explanation for the cause of the accident. I just sat there nodding and ooooohing and aaaaahing politely (inwardly disapproving).

For in my eyes, if you believe yourself to be the cause of great harm - and have no problem with it, it speaks volumes about you as a person.

Yet now I have a much more negative view of her and to a much lesser extent her religion - although I am not even sure if it has anything to do with her paganism?!?

Why do I have this feeling I'm the only one being honest here?

Because you don't like or understand the answers? I would find it truly odd if Clovis made up a story about him previously being racist.......kudos to him for admitting past failings on his part. I admitted I found it hard to seperate beliefs and people - what more do you want?

Each one of us has stated it is a complex issue/mix, calling all answers on a thread dishonest is a huge judgment call in itself IMO. No wonder you have problems with being judgmental Norwood........

I just don't think people are honest as they like to appear is all. I'm not calling anyone out but I am highly skepital of people in general it's in my nature.

It's my experence that when someone asks about anothers flaws they only mention the one they USED to have. That is no a shot at my friend Clovis people do not like others to see what they do not like in themselves is all.

If I'm judgemental it's because a lot of people live up to thier sterotypes that people have placed on them.

each individual and to some extint by religion. But the person's own actions can rule out judgement by religion.

Sorry all religions even the pagan and the athiest have a hateful, arrogant, discriminating, judgemental quality to them. It is up to the individual to use or not to use these things when dealing with others outside their belief range.

Because you asked for an opinion from everyone. When their opinions differ from yours they can't be honest. I stated this much in one of my threads if you recall.


Opinions are niether truth nor lies, they are opinions based on individual beliefs.

I try not to judge anyone because I dont like to be judged on how I feel.... The do onto others thing.....

No one is inside my heart that knows, but Him.

I try.. Im sure I fail sometimes though, but not on purpose anyways. Hey, no ones walked on water in a real long time!

I judge others and the world around me based on my relgions not theirs. I dont judge a relgion based on the followers actions, but its sources. Afer humans are humans, and error prone. I judge according to my religion, and most poeple in the world whether religious or not, will have a set of criteria, by which they judge others, that is their religion.

Judgment is a part of life, kind of a way to protect ourselves from dangerous situations. We all do good and bad judgments. I try not to judge people by their religion, but I am human and religion plays a big part in how many of us behave. I live as best I can and try not to be judgmental of other based on race, culture or religion, but sometimes I slip up. My religion is very different from the major religions in the world. If people judge me based on the morality of the big three I will fail in their judgment. If I judge members of the big three based the morality of my religion they will fail. What I try to do is judge people based on their behavior with understanding we are all different in our point of view.

Great question, Norwood. To be sure, I only judge people as individuals. If that individual primarily lives their life by following an imaginary friend and 2000+ year-old book of rules, then that person and I are not very compatible.

I don't judge people based on their religion, where they live, their economic status, but individually. As far as I can tell, I'm quite good at sticking to my guns on that one.

I do however judge people individually by how they treat others and how they present themselves, I can be quite harsh too.

i would like to say that i dont judge but it would be a lie. i do judge with in the beat of my heart. i form casts for the things i see and the things i believe to be true. but in that same casting i keep a hammer close by, always willing and able to smash my preformed ideas in to itty bitty pieces. with the next beat of my heart i often find myself wrong as we all have found ourselves to be at one time or another. so wham wham goes the hammer and the next casting takes place. so yes i will judge you but i will always be wrong and more than willing to make changes for these discoveries as they take place. so judge me too, for my actions are based on the simple fact that we cant begin to understand without some form of judgment governing our thoughts. we think, we think we know,we therefore have made a judgment call.


peace out wolfie

Let me say I am a christian, but make another thing clear--- I ain't no saint!

I say this with no intent to step on anyones toes, but I think the problem with atheist is they expect christians to be saints. It don't work that way. And in all fairness, some christians try to portray themselves as being saints and that really ticks some people off.

I take a drink occasionally, I look at the women and I curse--------so what-------I'm human!

Does that make me a bad person? Maybe to "church lady"
Could I be a better person? Sure!
Are atheist bad people? I know some atheist that are better christians than christians.

Stereotyping-problably one of the greatest sins.

best regards,
seax

I think that this is the judgement that the bible is against.

being human we do tend to make blanket statements not just about religion , but different groups of people as well. ( muslims, Jews , gays , blacks , women , men , ...........you get the idea.)

so I don't think there is any one who doesn't do this . And many feel they are correct and justified in doing so.

As I have said I judge according to group until I get to know the person. This does not mean that I won't give a gay person a fair chance of making me feel that he is a good person, or a muslim, or a jew, or those purple people eaters either.

I've havent judged people by their religion or their belives to me its the same as judging some by the color of their skin,which i have to addmit i have done that ,but that was only because i was mixed up with the wrong crowd when there was alot of tension between blacks and hispanics at the time and ther still is.then later on i realized it was stupid to not get along them just because other mexicans didnt like them.

other than that i only look how people act not at what their religion is or what race they belong to.

I will be completely honest for you Norwood. I am a very judgmental person. I don't think there is one human being thats not. If we are all being honest here lets admit that we are judgemental on a daily basis. Now I do not like the fact that I am so judgemental and work on not being so everyday but I am honest enough to admit I am.



ALWAYS A PLEASURE

Amen

Agreed, but some have helluva lot more of that distasteful quality than others

My feelings exactly.

Salaam (Peace)

I judge people by who they are as individuals, including my Muslim brothers and sisters. It is their actions and attitudes I judge, because I do not have the ability to judge their hearts, minds and souls. It is easy to jump to conclusions, and I must keep guard on myself, but I have learned that I can be treated justly and respectfully, or with injustice and disrespect by anyone of any religious faith, or by atheists and agnostics. Human flaws will manifest themselves, no matter what.

You know what when I walk down a street or in a store. I don't ask anyone what they believe if I start talking to them. I just talk to them.

Hmm the way I see it is if you are going to look for the best in others you will find it and also the best in yourself but if you are going to look for the worst in others you will find it but will be blinded to the very worst in yourself.

Ditto!

Well said, Clovis!

I do my best to judge people on their own merits. I don't even look at my friends religion. The only reason it is ever brought up is because I ask so I don't offend people with my jokes. I have christian, agnostic, atheist, pagan, satanic, and even a couple of pantheist(sp?) friends. Good people are good people. To me religion doesn't even need to be on the backburner of conversation, it's only a good way to start an arguement. Honestly one of my biggest problems with religion or even the lack of is the group mentality of us vs. them that it oftens brings.

I have learnt that if you feel it is necessary to judge others. Judge them on what they have individually contributed to the betterment of society and not on the belief system they follow. Judge them on their personal level of compassion and tolerance for others not on the religious dogma they follow. Judge them for giving more than they take not by how much they throw in the collection plate. Judge them for their level of humility and empathy they show to others not for who they associate with.
And most importantly if you are to be the Judge make sure your credentials are in order so no one will accuse you of not being qualified for the position.

That’s why I leave it to the judge to be doing the judging, I am simply not qualified for the position and neither are any of the Christian I know.

Irish

Well said Irish,

I also can only judge myself , in my dealings with others and my reaction to others actions, but try and understand why others do judge.
I believe it's a self accountability thing. Some find it much easier to point out others misdeeds and failures so they need not look at their own.

Love Omnaka

Life is only 10% of what happens and 90% how we individually react to the happening

i do considier on a person by person basis..i beleive the person and the relgion are one in the same,by this i mean how they interpret and reflect the religion even those that claim to be of the same religion are uniquely different, for me in all fairness i take the time to find out... ... .


I can get along with most anyone i get a feel for their 'sensitive' spots, lets face it most people are really kool until you push on a beleif a bit , this is what I want to see how does one handle difference and how tolerant are they really....????? this is a judgment call i do make.....

To be Fair, I do not so much as judge the individual, as Watch them and what they believe to see if their actions match my own or compare and then I can choose if this way is for me, In essence Judging my actions and not yours,

Love Omnaka

Here's a question... within the context of this thread...

Are judgements and opinions of people and groups really the same thing? If so why? If not, why not? Examples are always helpful too.

If you get three people who agree with the same Ideal, Then you have a group, Not sure I understand Your Question, Can you clarify Judgements And opinions of Groups andPeople?
If someone is doing his own thing and he is judged (Whatever) for doing this, then he is an individual, If others take his cause and belief as their own, then put a name to it then they are a group.

Love Omnaka

I'm sure they will give you a fair chance of making them feel that your a good person as well . lol

God tells us that we shouldn't judge anyone since we are all potentially sinful. (since evil is just the absence of good or the nature of God) all sins are all considered potentially evil because it's all rejecting his influence.

we all judge . all the time . realize it or not. we judge groups and people. we make judgments by appearance alone on a daily basis.

As I have said I judge according to group until I get to know the person. This does not mean that I won't give a gay person a fair chance of making me feel that he is a good person, or a muslim, or a jew, or those purple people eaters either.


I'm sure they will give you a fair chance of making them feel that your a good person as well . lol


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and in the case of the purple people eaters tasty.