Judge not?

Argue for and against Christianity

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Zzyzx
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Judge not?

Post #1

Post by Zzyzx »

WHY does the bible judge people while saying 'judge not'?

WHY do Christians judge people while claiming to follow the bible that clearly says 'judge not'?
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Re: Judge not?

Post #2

Post by 1213 »

Zzyzx wrote: ↑Thu Aug 27, 2026 9:22 pm WHY does the bible judge people while saying 'judge not'?
I think it would be good to notice, it says:

Don't judge, so that you won't be judged. For with whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you.
Matt. 7:1-2

So, you can judge, but you should then be prepared to be judged by the same standard.

Also, telling that something is wrong, is not the same as judging someone, giving the penalty for the crime.
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Re: Judge not?

Post #3

Post by bjs1 »

Zzyzx wrote: ↑Thu Aug 27, 2026 9:22 pm WHY does the bible judge people while saying 'judge not'?

WHY do Christians judge people while claiming to follow the bible that clearly says 'judge not'?
I am unsure what you think it means to judge someone.

According to Webster's, to judge a person means: to form an estimate or evaluation [of someone], especially to form a negative opinion [of that person].

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/judge

The Google AI says that to judge someone means: to form a critical or negative opinion about a person's character, choices, or actions without fully knowing their situation or background

A book can’t judge a person. A book can’t know a person or have any opinion, much less a negative opinion about a person’s character.

It is impossible for the Bible to judge someone.

Christians should not judge people. We are all imperfect, so Christians do judge others sometimes. Christians should make an effort not to judge others.

That said, I have noticed that people sometimes adjust the meaning of “judging” so that saying something is morally wrong is counted as judging the person. Under standard definitions, that’s not what the word means.
Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge.
-Charles Darwin

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Re: Judge not?

Post #4

Post by Clownboat »

bjs1 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 02, 2026 9:41 am A book can’t judge a person.

I would like to test this claim.
According to the collection of books we call the Bible, what happens to an atheist when they die?
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Re: Judge not?

Post #5

Post by bjs1 »

Clownboat wrote: ↑Fri Sep 04, 2026 3:53 pm
bjs1 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 02, 2026 9:41 am A book can’t judge a person.

I would like to test this claim.
According to the collection of books we call the Bible, what happens to an atheist when they die?
Is there any answer to this question which would mean that a book is able to form an opinion or evaluation of someone?

I recognize that people sometimes change the definition of “judge” to get the results they want. If we don’t do that, if we stick with the actual meaning of the words, how exactly could a book judge someone?
Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge.
-Charles Darwin

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Re: Judge not?

Post #6

Post by bluegreenearth »

bjs1 wrote: ↑Sat Sep 05, 2026 3:00 pm
Clownboat wrote: ↑Fri Sep 04, 2026 3:53 pm
bjs1 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 02, 2026 9:41 am A book can’t judge a person.

I would like to test this claim.
According to the collection of books we call the Bible, what happens to an atheist when they die?
Is there any answer to this question which would mean that a book is able to form an opinion or evaluation of someone?

I recognize that people sometimes change the definition of “judge” to get the results they want. If we don’t do that, if we stick with the actual meaning of the words, how exactly could a book judge someone?
It is obvious from the context of Clownboat's inquiry that the "book" itself is not being accused of judging anyone. Every rational person understands that books don't write themselves but are authored by people. Therefore, responding by asking if a book as an object can form an opinion or evaluation of someone is an intellectually dishonest maneuver on your part because it deliberately fails to properly interpret and address Clownboat's actual challenge.

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Re: Judge not?

Post #7

Post by POI »

bluegreenearth wrote: ↑Sat Sep 05, 2026 10:10 pm Therefore, responding by asking if a book as an object can form an opinion or evaluation of someone is an intellectually dishonest maneuver on your part because it deliberately fails to properly interpret and address Clownboat's actual challenge.
Nailed it. Further, though off topic, I also find it interesting that some believers have no problem using standard definitions and Google AI when it's suites them, but then again perform the same type(s) of intellectual dishonesty when it comes to other expressed condoned moral topics, like "slavery" and "rape" expressed from the same collection of book(s). Anywho, I digress....
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Re: Judge not?

Post #8

Post by tam »

Peace to you,

While I understand what bjs is saying, and I also understand what BGE is saying, maybe we can play this one out.
Clownboat wrote: ↑Fri Sep 04, 2026 3:53 pm
bjs1 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 02, 2026 9:41 am A book can’t judge a person.

I would like to test this claim.
According to the collection of books we call the Bible, what happens to an atheist when they die?
Nothing, at least not until the resurrection of the dead. They 'sleep' in Hades (the world of the dead) until the resurrection of the dead.

At the resurrection of the dead (the second resurrection), atheists (and everyone who did not take part in the first resurrection) are resurrected either to life, or to judgment and the second death.

Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Daniel 12:2

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. Rev 20:11-14

So the bible is not judging anyone here at the judgment. The One (God - the Ancient of Days) who is seated on the great white throne is the Judge. The dead are judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. That judgment has not yet happened.

**Please note: no one here at the second resurrection is Christian because all Christians were resurrected at the first resurrection, a thousand years earlier.

**

There are, however, those who like to claim that atheists (and others) will go to 'hell' or be condemned to eternal death, or whatever their version of final judgment might be - simply for not being Christian. But then what would be the point of the books recording what people had done?

Deeds like the following (although this is not the judgment at the resurrection of the dead, it is the same concept):

Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’


These ones who are being called righteous are not Christian. Christians are included in the brothers and sisters of Christ. Yet these ones who did good to Christ are invited into the Kingdom and given life as well. My Lord is the one who showed me this.

(The sheep and goats are people who are alive on the earth when Christ returns.)

Paul also touches on this in Romans 2:

For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. 14 (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.) 16 This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.

(the law is love)



Peace again to you,
your servant and a slave of Christ,
tammy
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- For Christ (who is the Spirit)

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Re: Judge not?

Post #9

Post by bjs1 »

bluegreenearth wrote: ↑Sat Sep 05, 2026 10:10 pm
bjs1 wrote: ↑Sat Sep 05, 2026 3:00 pm
Clownboat wrote: ↑Fri Sep 04, 2026 3:53 pm
bjs1 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 02, 2026 9:41 am A book can’t judge a person.

I would like to test this claim.
According to the collection of books we call the Bible, what happens to an atheist when they die?
Is there any answer to this question which would mean that a book is able to form an opinion or evaluation of someone?

I recognize that people sometimes change the definition of “judge” to get the results they want. If we don’t do that, if we stick with the actual meaning of the words, how exactly could a book judge someone?
It is obvious from the context of Clownboat's inquiry that the "book" itself is not being accused of judging anyone. Every rational person understands that books don't write themselves but are authored by people. Therefore, responding by asking if a book as an object can form an opinion or evaluation of someone is an intellectually dishonest maneuver on your part because it deliberately fails to properly interpret and address Clownboat's actual challenge.
Perhaps I am a little slow and you will need to be clearer for me.

A book cannot judge anyone. Since we lack personal knowledge of the authors, we cannot say if they judged anyone. People who have been dead for thousands of years cannot judge anyone alive today.

What exactly is the challenge? If you believe there is a genuine challenge here, perhaps you could state it plainly so that I don’t have to “interpret” anyone’s meaning.
Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge.
-Charles Darwin

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Re: Judge not?

Post #10

Post by bjs1 »

POI wrote: ↑Mon Sep 07, 2026 1:34 am
bluegreenearth wrote: ↑Sat Sep 05, 2026 10:10 pm Therefore, responding by asking if a book as an object can form an opinion or evaluation of someone is an intellectually dishonest maneuver on your part because it deliberately fails to properly interpret and address Clownboat's actual challenge.
Nailed it. Further, though off topic, I also find it interesting that some believers have no problem using standard definitions and Google AI when it's suites them, but then again perform the same type(s) of intellectual dishonesty when it comes to other expressed condoned moral topics, like "slavery" and "rape" expressed from the same collection of book(s). Anywho, I digress....
I find it interesting that you accuse believers of changing the meaning of words to fit their purposes. For my own part, unless I state that I am making a specific point about the language, you may always assume that I am using the dictionary defition of the words.

And to be clear: A book cannot judge people. People who have been dead for thousands of years cannot judge people. Saying something is morally good or bad is not judging people. Saying that certain actions lead to negative consequences is not judging people. A definition of what constitutes judging someone has been provided.
Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge.
-Charles Darwin

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