Excerpt from Chapter 13 ('Yes, Father-Sister') of The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks:


Testing left-right discrimination was oddly difficult, because she said left or right indifferently...When I drew her attention to this, she said: 'Left/right. Right/left. Why the fuss? What's the difference?'
'Is there a difference?' I asked.
'Of course...But they mean nothing to me. They're no different for me. Hands...Doctors...Sisters...' she added, seeing my puzzlement. 'Don't you understand? They mean nothing - nothing to me. Nothing means anything...at least to me.'

I have no idea what's happening in this topic

Well I'm right that they're my beliefs. Now if we can just pin down those people who believe that they're wrong, we might be getting somewhere...

I smoke weed. I smoke for religious reasons - meaning that I am able to connect with the spiritual aspect of my life a lot easier. I never take more then a hit at a time and I am very disciplined in doing so. This is an act that I have pondered over for years and I have come to the conclusion that I am not wrong in my belief that marijuana is beneficial to me in this way.

Now if you didn't know me or were to hear (or see) my mentioning smoking then you would probably pass a quick judgemnet based on whatever you believe about marijuana. If you were ok with it, you'd probably be ok with me, although we wouldn't be on the same page as I never smoke "recreationally". But if you weren't ok with it then you would probably look at me as a drug user or have some other negative feeling because of your own beliefs.

This isn't necessarily wrong I don't think that you have feelings one way or the other, but it would be wrong to put me into a category of a lesser people because of it. I consciously try so hard not to judge someone for their actions if I do not agree with them, because I just don't know the circumstances. "Thou shall not judge" fits this thread so perfectly because it's true about whatever you believe you are right.

We are all individuals which means we will have different likes and dislikes. To pass a judgement about someone elses actions closes your mind to who that person is based on what you think about the event that just took place.

This would make sense if everybody lived in a vacuum, but they don't. How much does this change if the actions of others start to affect you or your family or your friends or your acquaintances?

If you're ever in Hawaii...
Free Marijuana Church of Honolulu

And then there's Rastafarianism, Bob Marley, etc. I smoked weed one time at a party, didn't realize then that so many people view it as a spiritual experience. Doesn't seem any more harmful than alcohol, we sure have a lot of dumb laws.

Does this mean that you don't judge Hitler and Gandhi's actions and treat them equally? Or do you make a judgment and look at one of them as a better person?

I believe thou shall not judge is a foolish rule.

Then it's time to use common sense as part of your evaluation.

Translation: We need to judge people, but I can't use the word "judge" because it's not allowed by my holy book. If there was nothing in my holy book about it I would be free to say what I really mean, but instead I'm forced to play word games so I don't piss off this simple-minded God guy that won't ever be able to see right through me.

Why do we need to judge people? What do you get out of judging someone?

Murderers off the street, for one. I get to choose my circle of friends carefully, because I've judged whether they're worth a commitment. I get to save time by judging which authors (for example) are worth the time to read. I acknowledge problems and their sources, which makes it easier to solve them.

Yeah, for real. I don't see how it's possible to go on living a safe and healthy life without judging people. And calling it something else doesn't count.

I agree, when we put someone in jail we are judging them, at the very least, to be potential dangers to society. It seems to me that most Christians outright judge them as deserving of punishment, which is much farther than I'd ever (intellectually) go. But clearly we're judging them, it's silly to suggest otherwise and play semantics.

I’m a pretty scary looking guy. I have a shaved head with full arm tattoos and I rarely smile. For the most part I’m a happy person, it’s just that I look as though I’m not. When I’m at home I usually stay indoors (fulfilling Gods plan for me) and I don’t interact with my neighbors at all. In fact, I avoid people as much as I can and my withdrawal from society is probably noticed by my neighborhood.

In the summertime I’m sure one or more of my neighbors has received a nice little aroma of pot through their windows when they’re open. Taking that into account along with the outward appearance I’m sure I’m the kind of guy that your Mommy warned you about.

Of all the possible scenarios that go through the minds of those that “think” they are right about the guy down the street, I’m pretty sure the last idea to cross their minds is that I’m on my computer researching Gods Word and discussing it with others.

That’s what is meant by, “Thou shall not judge.”

Maybe it’s my fault that my image comes across this way. I can understand that. My point is that, you’re wrong!

Its kinda like being a legend in your own mind!

Sure someone may believe they are right in their own mind but they may or may not be right in reality. Many people think this way, its called stubborness and pride, especially when they are easily proven to be wrong and still stick to that notion that they are right.

Pletho

What holy book do you believe in? There is a difference bewteen judgement about about a persons inner thoughts of which no one reallly knows and a mans actions that are open to all. Actions can be judged according to the bible. The only Holy book.

Why is it that theists insist on using outlying examples to refute an argument about what's likely and what isn't?

OH: It's not a good idea to chase gutshot straights for even money.
Theist: My friend hit one yesterday and won the pot. You're wrong.

Clearly OH it should be known by now that I am not like most theists. In fact, some on here may be offended that you put me in the same category.

That's fine. They'll understand that it's one specific (almost uniformly common) trait that we're talking about and not all theistic qualities.

Again:

Possible != Likely

Of course everyone is right here.


This is most probably one of the most important areas in spiritual matters.
When something is clear, there is no need to judge, as it is clear.
So it is clear, its a fact, the truth is right before your eyes.

One of the fears that people have is not knowing. So, instead of saying that I don't know, they make a quick judgement, and percieve forward with that judgement as the truth. This goes on and on, and all those judgements have made, one distorted view of all.

Thou shall not judge, is there not to harm you but to make you realistic. (though I do realize that this won't sound realistic). This is the incredible paradox in most of spirituality.(but only becuase our minds are conditioned).

This is to see it for what it is. Thou shall not judge...........

When you have a rotten apple you don't judge it to be a rotten apple. What you have is a rotten apple.

grunch: sophism, wordy problem

Sure, but we are talking about two different kinds of judging. Believing that you cannot trust someone is different then believing that you are better than that person and that you are more righteous.

When someone has lied to me constantly and they tell me something, I may not trust that what they are saying is the truth. But I am not going to go around saying or thinking that I am a better person then they are, or that they would be better off just making the decisions that I make.

Not judging has to do with not believing that you are a more righteous person than others.

How many times have you critiqued others for the decisions that they have made? What did you get out of that?

We all stand alone on judgment day.

I don't believe in "righteousness," so I guess that means I don't judge anyone? Batting 1000, I'm pretty cool.

Again, putting a murderer in jail counts as critiquing their decisions. Don't you have employees? Do you never critique their decisions? I mean, it's hard to imagine someone in a leadership position not understanding how critiquing the decisions of others can have value - I suspect you're playing semantics again.

I don't believe in judgment day, either. But a judge worth his or her salt would just tell everyone "it's okay, it's not your fault, from now on you don't need to worry."

I guess the one thing I'm guilty of judging is the imaginary metaphysical entity that knows everything and has all powers and yet runs around capriciously torturing people because they disagree with him. I am happy to judge that one, and if it turns out that such a creature actually exists, well, yeah, I will feel like **** in every possible way. I mean, an omnipotent creature wants me to feel like ****, I'm going to feel like ****. If an omnipotent being wants me to be humiliated, then I'll be humiliated. If an omnipotent being wants me to regret my actions, then I will regret my actions. If an omnipotent being breaks every finger on my hand, then I will scream.

But in the current apparent absence of such a cruel thing, I will judge it as a demented illusion.

Nah, you judge the apple as rotten based on sensory cues such as the appearance and smell of the apple.