According to one of my spiritual references anytime we judge another person we are actually condemning ourselves. I guess there is a heck of a lot of self-condemnation going on because there is certainly a lot of judging. I think I agree with that precept. I know my judgements of others have never led to any actual contentment for me. I also like the idea that judgement is self condemnation because self righteous people really annoy me. I hope that doesn't mean I am judging them! But I bet it does. Still don't you hate it when people make negative assumptions about your intentions?
I am no saint but in general my intentions are benign. I don't think that is at all extraordinary. I think most people I know have done some pretty regrettable stuff. I don't know anyone (well maybe one) who claims to always act from a pure heart. The thing is this, how can we ever be friends with anyone if we expect perfection as a condition of our friendship? I am not sure I would even want a perfect friend.
I know a few people that present themselves as role models for the rest of us. There I go judging again (progress not perfection as they say I guess). Anyway these role model people make me really uncomfortable. They are no fun at all! I liked the part in Huckleberry Finn where Huck resigns himself to going to Hell for being an abolitionist. He comforted himself by deciding he would rather go to Hell with Tom Sawyer than to Heaven with all those hypocrites.
So if you have glaring character defects and you sometimes act regrettably be consoled to some extent. I would probably like to hang out with you. Then again I'm not sure I should be associating with kind of people that would have me as a friend.
Russell
No comments:
Post a Comment