Judging Bruce Jenner, and Everything Else For That Matter
So, Bruce Jenner has his new face (and body) plastered on the cover of Vanity Fair magazine.
I didn't think much of it.
Until a battle began on social media.
Apparently, Jenner is being heralded as a hero, etc. (though I wouldn't know...I am getting it all second hand since I don't generally traverse the slimy sink holes and gritty gutters that is popular Hollywood).
I don't think Jenner is a hero. I think he is a man who is struggling.
But that's not why we're here today.
Let's go back to that battle I mentioned.
Bruce's drastic change has ignited a fire storm.
On one side, you have those who are applauding Bruce for his calculated metamorphosis. On the other, those who are expressing the opposite, declaring the changes unnatural and damaging.
The latter are unceremoniously shoved under the rug, with such exclamations as "THOU SHALT NOT JUDGE!" throwing their Christianity back in their faces.
As the both sides go back and forth, I was struck by that phrase: Thou shalt not judge.
Now, I come from a religious background where we take that statement as "Thou shalt not judge unrighteously." Makes a world of difference when you think of it that way.
There is a HUGE difference between executing judgement on Bruce Jenner by physical, emotional, or mental punishment (which falls in line with the idea that "he that hath no sin cast the first stone.") and looking at what he has done (and will do to continue his quest to become as close to a woman as he can), and deciding that it isn't right.
Now, I know there are some out there who will jump all over me for this, but if you do, be warned that you will be found a hypocrite.
To judge is to form an opinion, to conclude, to think or decide.
By cheering Jenner on, you had to look at his choice, and think about it. Then, form an opinion, decide, ie, conclude, that he did something heroic/brave/good.
So, you judged him.
You did.
Now, it may not feel like you judged him, because in your book judging is strictly negative.
It's not, you know.
God didn't put us on earth and give the command to not judge.
He wants us to judge, to decide for ourselves. That is a right given to all of us. When Adam and Eve partook of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, their minds were opened, and they were able to discern. It was clear what was good and what was bad. It seems odd that God would give that gift and then tell His children not to use it.
What you want is for us to not judge Bruce Jenner to be wrong. You want us, if we can't bring ourselves to cheer him on, to sit on the fence, and be politely benign.
But we can't do that. Not any God-fearing Christians, anyway.
Because of this:
I didn't think much of it.
Until a battle began on social media.
Apparently, Jenner is being heralded as a hero, etc. (though I wouldn't know...I am getting it all second hand since I don't generally traverse the slimy sink holes and gritty gutters that is popular Hollywood).
I don't think Jenner is a hero. I think he is a man who is struggling.
But that's not why we're here today.
Let's go back to that battle I mentioned.
Bruce's drastic change has ignited a fire storm.
On one side, you have those who are applauding Bruce for his calculated metamorphosis. On the other, those who are expressing the opposite, declaring the changes unnatural and damaging.
The latter are unceremoniously shoved under the rug, with such exclamations as "THOU SHALT NOT JUDGE!" throwing their Christianity back in their faces.
As the both sides go back and forth, I was struck by that phrase: Thou shalt not judge.
Now, I come from a religious background where we take that statement as "Thou shalt not judge unrighteously." Makes a world of difference when you think of it that way.
There is a HUGE difference between executing judgement on Bruce Jenner by physical, emotional, or mental punishment (which falls in line with the idea that "he that hath no sin cast the first stone.") and looking at what he has done (and will do to continue his quest to become as close to a woman as he can), and deciding that it isn't right.
Now, I know there are some out there who will jump all over me for this, but if you do, be warned that you will be found a hypocrite.
To judge is to form an opinion, to conclude, to think or decide.
By cheering Jenner on, you had to look at his choice, and think about it. Then, form an opinion, decide, ie, conclude, that he did something heroic/brave/good.
So, you judged him.
You did.
Now, it may not feel like you judged him, because in your book judging is strictly negative.
It's not, you know.
God didn't put us on earth and give the command to not judge.
He wants us to judge, to decide for ourselves. That is a right given to all of us. When Adam and Eve partook of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, their minds were opened, and they were able to discern. It was clear what was good and what was bad. It seems odd that God would give that gift and then tell His children not to use it.
What you want is for us to not judge Bruce Jenner to be wrong. You want us, if we can't bring ourselves to cheer him on, to sit on the fence, and be politely benign.
But we can't do that. Not any God-fearing Christians, anyway.
Because of this:
I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Revelations 3:15-16
So, I will not sit on a fence to appease the masses. I will not shut my mouth because it suits you that I do, because you don't like what I have to say. I will let you spit on me, smite me, condemn me, revile against me, judge me, because that is your right. But I will not let you make me give up my right to decide for myself by throwing "Thou shalt not judge" back at me, because if you do, you are being a hypocrite. You have exerted your right to think, to choose, to judge. Extend the same courtesy to the rest of us, even if you don't like what we have to say.
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