It seems that judgement is frowned upon in certain spiritual fields - notably in the new age movement. It is seen as being in duality and not of the "all is one" and unconditional love vibe.
Whilst I think it is admirable if someone is really on that higher vibe, my experience of those who say they are is just not borne out in reality. They may be in that space fleetingly but show their true colours sooner or later.
I have no problem with judgement and being in duality. I am a realist. Those who say they never judge are, to me, in denial.
To have an opinion is to judge!
Also there is a difference between having judgement and being judgemental. You can have discernment without condemnation.
Over to you - what are your thoughts (ha...dare I say opinions?) on this?
We have to make judgements all the time - what to cook for dinner, when to cross the road.
I try hard not to pre-judge. That is, not to decide on something without all the facts. Pre-judging is, after all, prejudice.
Duality is part of being human. I don't see much point in being "on a higher vibe" (not really sure what that means - different things to different people, I guess), when much learning here depends on being human.
Thanks for your post Crowan - very welcome. Yes I am open minded and try to gauge a situation, i.e. not prejudge either. I am sometimes badgered on a spiritual chat site because I am quite opinionated but that goes hand in hand with having certain values. I like to think I am understanding and try and see the bigger picture but, unlike some wishy washy new agers, I am NOT scared of calling a spade a spade! (There are those on that same chat site who love me for this - my honesty).
Hi Amy
To my understanding, there is a difference between having an opinion on something and judging something, let us take Marmite, I tried it, I did not like the way it tastes so I choose not to eat it, so my opinion on Marmite is that I personally do not like it, there is no judgment in that, just an opinion.
Now if I was to say that I think that Marmite is bad and other people should not eat it, then I have moved from having a personal opinion that I do not like the taste of Marmite into having a judgment about Marmite.
I am also a realist who understands that I have yet to encounter someone who has a problem that does not have a judgment at the heart of it; as a realist I fully understand that judgments are necessary to create disharmony, stress and suffering; I do not judge judgments to be good or bad, I just acknowledge what they are and the effects they have upon our general state of health and wellbeing.
Hi Crowan
A choice in itself is not a judgment, it is a choice, so if you decide that you are going to have lentils for dinner, that is a choice, unless you judge all other types of food to be bad and lentils to be good, then it is a choice that is being influenced by an underlying judgment, though you still have a choice.
A bit like the Marmite above, I choose not to eat it, but I do not judge it to be good or bad, if that was all I could find to eat, then I would happily eat it.
*gasps* What kind of person are you that does not like Marmite?!