Perspective

I think hypocrite is a word that changes with one's perspective. It is a judgment word, like standards or values. In politics the word takes on strong meaning, but like the word values, it almost become subjective, changeable. For example when John Kerry ran for President he used the words family values a lot. But his idea for values and my ideas are clearly not the same. And some people have tried to label present-day candidate Mitt Romney as a hypocrite for changing his views on abortion. In politics and in religion, the word is thrown around a lot, and never nicely.

Judge not lest ye be judged.... that was often used against me during my high-school years. I became a Christian as a sophomore, a rather rambunctious, proud, joyful, noticeable and loud Christian. As far as I know I never actually judged any fellow teenagers--did I, Heffalump?-- but it didn't stop people from being defensive in my presence. (I did judge some of the adults in my life, and you can imagine how well that went over, but I had more grace for those my own age.)

And I forgot where I was going will all of this. Something about wrestling I think....

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15 comments

  1. well then you did a great job because i TOTALLY got Wrestling out of your post... :)

    You are right, though I'd never really lumped Hypocrosy into the sum of subjective terms... Speaking of the grace you had for those your own age, "Grace" is another subjective one...

    It's not good to think this early in the morning. What are you doing to me???

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  2. Yeah, the "judge not" thing really gets flung in your face when you take a stand on certain things. I had a friend who would throw that at me every time I stated my opinion on homosexuality. I guess it just goes to show you how ignorant people can be. Some hate the joy you have some much that they'd do just about whatever to shut you up or ruin it. Of course, we were taught long ago to expect this.

    This post at least had me thinking in terms of "Hogan Knows Best." Wrestling...totally! Don't forget Super-Fly Snooka and Rowdy Roddy Piper!

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  3. Judge not lest ye be judged.

    That saying, I feel is grossly misinterpreted. Ev.Er.Y.One. judges but it is how we act on that judgment is where the rubber meets the road.

    One's perspective is the outcome of what would be the key: their moral compass.

    Who is to decide what you do is really wrong or right? Rather like those who want to strip every trace of God from government. Who then becomes our moral compass? So they effectively ditch the Bible and what happens? Who says suicide, murder, drugs....who says anything, is wrong.

    My moral compass is my Bible, as I hope every one's is, that proclaims God over their life. It takes God's strong presence in our life to avoid becoming a duplicitous minded church when these things in government change how society can interact with each other.

    I read a book on boundaries and had a huge blowup with a sister two years ago (now patched) that gave me a new appreciation on respecting others and not controlling them (the ultimate judge). I can easily agree to disagree now and walk away when someone starts becoming verbally abusive (blog or otherwise). Life is too short, and I don't get my worth from someone else's judgment either. (and no, Da~ I'm not speaking pointedly..hehe)

    Bob did an entire sermon on Moral Compasses. It was OUT.standing. Of course, that is Bob we speaking of...hehe.

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  4. " I feel is grossly misinterpreted. Ev.Er.Y.One. judges but it is how we act on that judgment is where the rubber meets the road. " I made you feel gross?


    No, no no! Emma, you must never judge. NEVER! I don't care if you are a mom of ten and you make all your girls wear dresses and only allow the boys to wear pants, I don't care if you wear your jeans below your butt and show off your flaming smily face boxers, and wear forty pounds of fake bling, or if you walk around in a black burkah in 10,000 degree weather, that helps you hide the bomb strapped to your waist, timed to go off while you ride on the public bus system at peak hours. It is BAD to assume or judge people.

    ER, isn't it?

    Okay, just so you know, I have no point. I have no idea where I am going with any of this. Eventually I will come up with something intelligent. Really. Maybe.---I better call you, Emma, cause I need something intelligent for my blog and after all, it is your fault that I blog so you better have something good for me!

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  5. Henny Penny~ Mud washes off better than jello, and wont stian as bad as cherry jello. But I was talking about Jacob wrestleing...was it Jacob who wrestled with the Lord? Or Esau? No, Easau...(sp?) lost his inheritance for a bowl of soup and Jacob climbed a ladder to get to the ark...?

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  6. Sorry, I have nothing.

    Oh wait! I DO have something for you, but you have to come to my blog to get it...

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  7. HUH?? Are you being funny with me, cause I know where you live and I have big rolls of TP.

    I think you have just made your point about perspective. What IS judging?

    I don't think I was very clear..sorry. Temptation to sin and sin are different just as thinking judgment and acting on judgment is different. We cannot mold our gut reaction of thought (read the book BLINK, it's fabulous).

    I see a woman with a see through shirt running around town, I would think, WHAT the heck is she doing wanting that kind of attention. (of course, after slapping my hand over the boys eyes.)

    Our everyday thought process is a judging one. From what shoes to wear, to what to eat, to decide today will be the last day you scream at your kids. We think: Wow, her shirt is see through, those parents don't take care of their kids, they are so rude to ask me personal questions...etc..etc..

    What about the things you do care about and judge, do you think that God would not have reminded us repeatedly about showing love and grace if he knew we would have a silent thought process?

    K, I've done beat a dead horse with my splaining.

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  8. Oh, thanks for explaining...LOL! I have the mega rolls of TP. You have been warned.

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  9. wow....deep...I'll get back with you....very good though...too deep for me tonight...lol

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  10. I really have no POINT. I guess I just want to explore. We each have definition for different words, some the same, some not the same, and some almost the same. I am just exploring that a little.

    Emma, you are welcome to bring the TP over. I think we are almost out.

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  11. Boy I am behind in my blog reading today! I can definitely say that you were NOT judgemental of your fellow teenagers. I know that being LDS I got a lot of judgements made about me and I still do to this day. You were a wonderful friend who did not judge me or shun me the way some other teens who were Christian sometimes did because they deemed me to not be a Christian despite my strong belief and dependence on Christ in my life. You were supportive, and caring and you were able to see the similarities in our beliefs and let go of the differences and just be my friend. I have always valued that in you.
    I think that Emma is right. We do usually have judgements (or opinions) come to the forefront of our minds in almost everything. How can we not have opinions? They are part of what shapes us. I think that it becomes judging when something makes us feel that another person is less deserving of God's love than we are. There are a lot of people in this world who don't live up to the standards God would have us live up to, and there are times in each of our lives that we fall below those standards, but he doesn't love them or us any less.

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  12. I think very often people confuse prejudice with judgement. If I feel a certain way toward someone because of how they dress, am I judging or do I have a prejudice against people who wear that style? I think that we are expected to have opinions, its how we ACT on those opinions that determine if we are judging or not. (To stick with the example I gave in your last post, if someone believes homosexuality is wrong, that is their prejudice. If that person condemns, punishes or berates a homosexual, they are judging...and that is what we are told NOT to do.)

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  13. Still praying.......

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  14. Anonymous10:43 AM

    Hypocrite - person, people or organization, giving instructions on how to live or act, that don't walk there talk. They usually do just the opposite of what they are telling others to do. Kinda like what is going on the the world today with government and religion, which I don't talk about.
    Judgemental - you can have an opinion or observe another dress, life style, thinking, and not agree with it, but it is how much emotion that you put with the observation that will make it judgemental. Is it a harmful intent behind you thinking, or is it "oh, I wouldn't do that" and let it go.
    Just another opinion to your question.

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