These days, oh boy, these days, have you ever heard someone say, “Don’t judge me!”, which is often said with anger? 

         A thin, famished-looking young man, dressed in plaid pants which were too short, wearing a poke-a-dot collared shirt, large sunglasses, and a black derby hat, before anyone could say anything, he said, “Walk a mile in my shoes, see what i see, hear what i hear, feel what i feel, THEN maybe you’ll understand why i do what i do, ‘till then don’t judge me.” He said all that to no one in particular, all said with a sneer on his face and condescension in his voice. No one had said anything, no one made a face or rolled their eyes at him, yet there he was throwing his defense out. What in the world was going on with him that he was absolutely compelled to say all that to no one in particular. When he said it all, no one replied, no one did anything but continue on with what they were doing. His comment made no difference, did nothing and changed nothing.

         These days, we hear it all the time, especially on college campuses. It’s almost as if when the words are spoken, “don’t judge me”, they feel it lets them out of being liable, magically winning immediate unanimous approval from everyone around. All the person has to do is say the magic words, “Don’t judge me” and suddenly they’re untouchable.

         i was at a coffee shop waiting for a friend. A slightly overweight young woman, who may have been on a diet, got a cookie with her morning coffee. i noticed with a glance and thought to myself that the cookie looked pretty good, still, i said nothing, just sat there with my coffee. But, she saw me looking at the cookie. She glared at me and out her mouth came, “Don’t judge me”. And i wondered, judge her about what?

         To me, i puzzled within myself, what do these people mean when they say those three magic words that suddenly make them home free? “Don’t judge me!” They use the words as if it’s a Harry Potter magic spell. Truly though, i believe what they’re really saying is more the unspoken agenda of “don’t think less of me”, “don’t think i’m a bad person”, and “don’t even think you’re better than me”. Honestly, it all just looks like fear to me. But fear of what? Public opinion? Looking as fat as is actually the truth? Appearing as silly as we truly are?

         Some even go so far as to pull scripture out of context, declaring “Even Jesus said judge not lest you be judged.”

“Don’t judge me!”

         Do any of those folks have any idea how completely impossible it is for any one of us to not have an opinion of right and wrong? We may not want to admit it, and it may be buried underneath layers and layers of politically correct thinking, but we all, absolutely all, have preferences and personal opinions. We can’t hide in the “no judgment zone” forever, that’s not life, nor does life work that way. Exercising our ability to judge, deciding right and wrong, is how we decide to be moral or immoral, ethical or unethical, principled or unprincipled. Hiding in the “don’t judge me” phrase makes us morally, ethically, and principally stupid. Yes, i said stupid, and my definition of stupid is ignorance that has been told and refuses to listen.

         As C.S. Lewis said, “God is our one and only, sole ally in the universe, and we have alienated him from ourselves.” i say, It is an absolute necessity for us to make God’s preferences and standards to be our standards, and if He didn’t set the standard there would only be darkness, chaos, dying, and death.

         “Don’t judge me” seems to be a way of someone telling us they want what they want, and they take no responsibility for any standards. In 1st Corinthians, however, the Greek word is different than in other places where the word “judge” is concerned. In this case, Paul uses the Greek word, anakrino, which is also translated as “scrutinize,” “investigate,” “discern,” or “examine.” So while Jesus forbids us from “judging” others in the sense of condemning them, we are still called to “judge all things,” using our power of intellect to investigate the world and discern the truth. Ahh, the truth, is that what is ultimately being avoided? “Don’t judge me”, “talk to the hand ‘cause the ears don’t wanna hear.” Think my friend, use your brain and think.

         Here is a beautiful catechism: Having a moral conscience being present at the heart of the person, instructs and urges them at the appropriate moment to do good and to avoid evil. It also judges particular choices, approving those that are good and denouncing those that are evil. It bears witness to the authority of truth in reference to Ultimate Goodness to whom we are drawn, and it welcomes God’s standards and preferences. When we listen to our moral compass, a man who lives with concern and has thoughts for the future can hear God speaking.

         i am confident that for those who hide in “Don’t judge me”, their moral compass is, by degrees, becoming blinded through the habit of rebellion and purposeful wrongness. They seem to think their ignorance is somehow invincible.

         Many think saying “Don’t judge me” seems to let them out of having a conscience, the very feedback loop which enables them to assume responsibility for their actions. i’m astounded that they think just saying magic words like, “Don’t judge me”, somehow relieves them of any culpability for their actions.

         i have thought it would be interesting to have a conversation with someone who invokes the “Don’t judge me” phrase, asking them, in their opinion, just what, exactly, do they believe they’re being judged about, and what do they mean by their use of the word “judge”? Somehow, i just don’t think the conversation would go well. Maybe some of us are so afraid of offending anyone or being accused of being intolerant, we’re forgetting how to tell right from wrong. i figure, anyone who claims, “Don’t judge me” has already judged themselves and has, on some level, already realized the wrongness of their actions. What do you think?