Judgmental Christians?

Question

I am a born and raised Christian...but as I've gotten older, I've come to notice that a lot of the most religious Christians are some of the most judgmental people...even though the Bible says "Thou Shall Not Judge."

The Bible also says, "Love Thy Neighbor"...but a lot of these people don't like people simply b/c they're different from them.

Can anyone explain this? I don't want to lose my faith!

Answer 1

imo theres very few people that walk the walk so to speak ... if u believe in Jesus then be one of those people ...

Answer 2

Even though it is true that we cannot or should not judge the dispostion of another person's soul, yet there are many elements in today's society that really do require judgment.
Two gay parents want to adopt a child. Should they be allowed to? What will be the effects on the child if any?
Gay marriage, women priests, birth control, abortion, war in Iraq, etc. All require some kind of judgement. The voice of the Church has spoken against most of these things. So you really can't avoid some judgement at this point, because to do so would be negligence.
If you believe in certain truths of the faith as Christians do, then things are either in line with that truth or they are not.
So all judgment cannot be avoided. There is need of discernment. But we must be certain of what we are judging.

Answer 3

I understand what you are saying I am a christian myself and go to a very small baptist church. And some of the people there can be VERY judgmental. It is hard for me at times, but we need to forgive, you are right about the bible saying " Love thy neighbor as thyself" and that is more of a reason you should try to deal with those people in a kind and loving way. Not all christians are judgmental and I hope you can find a good Christian friend who isn't so judemental tward you and will help you in your Christian walk... Stay strong i will pray 4 u.

Answer 4

Everyone is judgmental, only some people are more vocal than others. The Bible says, "Judge not, lest ye be judged" and "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." There is hidden meaning in these expressions. First, that we are probably going to judge others, but be prepared that once we do so, we will have to answer for our own failures, if not by man than by God. Second, only God is without sin, and thus is the only one who is qualified to cast stones (an old Biblical punishment still used in Arabian countries today among nonChristians). Loving one's neighbor is a commandment by God. "By their fruits you shall know them," the Bible tells us and those who walk with God become quite apparent as the ones mostly working down at their place of worship or social outreach agencies.

Answer 5

I believe the problem lies in people putting all their belief system into one little book. The Bible is beautiful but it's inconsistent and somewhat misleading. Jesus said so many beautiful things and then the Bible (and man) went and messed it all up.

The only one you should be judging is yourself. Take care of yourself. Leave the rest up to God. You (nor anyone else) knows the true workings of God.

I believe your job is to love everyone as best as you can, tolerate what's left, and if you find a few you just can't deal with, you tell God and He'll take care of it for you.

Light attracts light. Love attracts love. Hatred, well we all know what that does.

www.jenettyshome.com

Answer 6

Please don't lose your faith because of the actions of others. If you are going to lose your faith, let it be over something in your own life that affected you directly. The actions of others should have no bearing, because God will judge each person as an individual and each individual's actions do not decide what is right or wrong - God decides that.

As for Christians being judgmental, I am 45 and I have noticed 2 trends among Christians that have shifted from when I was much younger. The first, is Christians who are so permissive that they will not take a stand against things the Bible clearly says are wrong because they don't want to offend or be politically incorrect. There are churches springing up all over the place which cater to these attitudes. I call them "feel good" churches.

The second trend is Christians who are so convicted in their faith and in what the Bible says is right and wrong, that they have no tolerance whatsoever for those who don't live according to what the Bible says is the correct way to live. They show bigotry and judgment to anyone whose sin is more obvious than their own (we ALL sin). These are the Christians that not only turn more non-Christians AWAY from God, but also turn Christian brother against Christian brother and turn many Christians away from the church itself and many away from God. Neither way is good.

I think there needs to be a healthy balance. We as Christians can stand up for what the Bible says is right and hold true to our faith and beliefs, without infringing upon the rights of others to choose their own way and without degrading others, making them feel small or less than, and without making them feel judged or condemned. Who are WE to judge anyone? We all sin and we will ALL be judged - but by GOD - nobody else has the right to judge anyone.

You raise a very good point. I think we Christians ought to live by the example set by Christ. He fellowshipped with people who were considered the scourge of society in those days. He loved and accepted everybody and He looked at a person's heart and character - not anything else. If we find someone who doesn't measure up to our standards of belief, we can choose to share by example how we believe, without judgment or condemnation, or we can distance ourselves from them. Judging them, behaving unkindly toward them, ridiculing them, shaming them, mocking them, condemning them or acting holier or more worthy than them - NONE of these things are Christian attitudes and Christians should not be doing these things.

Answer 7

I totally agree with you! I think people take things way too far, and condemn others for sins that they themselves commit, and then they hide behind God's forgiveness.

Don't get me wrong: I am a Christian too! I go to church every Sunday, and I even go to a Bible Study every Tuesday night, and I have a Catholic boyfriend! (I'm Episcopalian)

I just think that a lot of the Christians out there tend to condemn others for committing sins, often forgetting that God does not weigh sins on a scale, putting murder above adultery above disrespecting parents above lying or whatever; a sin is a sin, and that's that.

And then there's the judging. Who are we to judge? We're imperfect humans, judging other imperfect humans. The Bible itself says to take out the plank in your own eye before looking to remove the stick in your friend's eye.

Don't allow your judgment of judgmental Christians to get in the way of your faith! Worship based on what you believe, and nothing else. If you believe in the Christian God and accept Jesus Christ as a personal savior, who cares how other Christians act? Focus on yourself the way God wants you to.

Answer 8

Dear friend, What I suggest you from my heart. Even Christians are human beings. if you depend on some one's openion and live your life according to that you are not a strong person. please study the word of God with whole hearted and whole minded and wholed spirited. then ask God's openion He will give some through the His word or vocally

but it seems that you are judging christians that they are judging you dont ever conclude with your self knowledge. Nerver try to live a life directed by human beings most of the time they are wrong even though they come from a very strong faith. but Depand on God who never changes nor forsakes you. God will help you with Compassion.

If you decide to leave the faith by what you see........ the kingdom of God will never loose any thing but you will loose a lot think about it and live as I said.

God Bless you.

Answer 9

Sometimes Christians, being humans, can't help themselves. They see a sin being committed and since they are hard wired for the world primarily, they make the connection "They should be punished. They should be corrected. They should deserve less of my respect and love." After all, that is how most of the world thinks when they see something that isn't right. We're human, but to let the bad apple spoil the bunch is silly. It's like saying "I hate baseball" because one player made fun of you. Christians, you and me, need to learn not to judge and to love one another.

Answer 10

It could be one of two things. First off it could be that people who profess to be Christians are really sons of the Devil as Jesus described in his parable about the wheat and the tares.

Matthew 13:24 Another parable He set before them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man sowing good seed in his field. 25 But while the men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went away. 26 But when the stalk had sprouted and produced fruit, then the tares also appeared. 27 So the servants of the master of the house approached and said to him, 'Sir, was it not good seed you sowed in your field? From where then does it have tares?' 28 "He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' So the servants said to him, 'Do you wish then that we should go and gather them up?' 29 "But he said, 'No, lest gathering up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 30 Leave both to grow together until the harvest; and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather together the tares, and bind them into bundles to burn them, but gather together the wheat into my barn." ' "

Matthew 13:36 Then having dismissed the crowds, Jesus went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field."

37 He answered and said to them: "He that sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 And the field is the world, and the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the evil one. 39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. 40 Therefore just as the tares are gathered and burned with fire, thus it will be at the end of this age. 41 The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who work iniquity, 42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine forth like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"

The other thing it could be is that you have not understood what the Bible teaches about judging people. Jesus said not to engage in harsh and hypocritical judgment without mercy. He didn't say that people could not compare what other people do to what the Bible teaches and say that God says that what they are doing is a sin. That isn't judging their heart, it's just saying what God says about something.

1 Corinthians 5:9 I wrote to you in my epistle not to associate with fornicators. 10 Yet I certainly did not mean with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world! 11 But now I write to you not to associate with anyone named a brother, who is a fornicator, or covetous person, or an idolater, or abusive person, or a drunkard, or a swindler--not even to eat with such a person. 12 For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? 13 But those who are outside God will judge. Therefore "put away from yourselves the evil person."

Answer 11

Don't use other people in deciding whether or not you keep your faith. Keep a personal relationship with whatever higher power you choose. The Bible also says a lot of stuff that is twisted every which way imaginable by humans.

Cheers.