Judgment

A Tract Book Essay

By

Anthony J. Fejfar, J.D., Esq., Coif

© Copyright 2007 by Anthony J. Fejfar

In the Christian Gospel, the Book of Matthew, Jesus tells the disciples

not to judge others harshly, that is, not to be judgmental, “For as you judge,

so you shall be judged, and the measure which you measure will be

measured out to you.” In this teaching, Jesus shows us that he is a

moderate relativist. Jesus does not deny that truth of some sort exists,

neither does Jesus assert that absolute truth exists, instead, he tells us that we

will be judged (an absolute) by the same standards we use to judge others (a

relative standard).

Jesus also says that the measure or standard you use to measure or

analyze others will be the same measure that is used to measure or analyze

you. Now, the situation is made even more interesting because of karma.

The law of Karma states that we will eventually be reciprocally placed in a

situation which parallels the situation that we have found others. If I am

rich and treat the poor well or poorly, I will eventually live a life where I will

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be poor and will be treated well or poorly just as I treated the poor in this

life.

Later in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells a parable about a man

who owed a debt to his King. Debtor A, was taken before the King and

was questioned. The man has no way to pay the debt. The King ordered

that Debtor A and his family be sold into slavery to pay the debt. Debtor A,

begged for mercy, and the King relented, forgiving the man’s debt. Debtor

A was on his way home, happy that his debt had been forgiven, when he

came upon another man, Debtor B, who owed him, the King’s debtor, a

small amount of money. The forgiven debtor, now creditor, Debtor A, had

the man, Debtor B, thrown into debtor’s prison. Soon, word got back to the

King as to what had happened. Following the teaching of Jesus, the King

applied the same judgment and measure to the King’s debtor, Debtor A, that

Debtor A has applied to Debtor B. Thus, the King handed the original

debtor, Debtor A, over to the torturers for punishment.

It is clear, then, that if Debtor A has given Debtor B additional time

to pay, or had forgiven the debt the same judgment would have been applied

to him, Debtor A, by the King, rather than torture. Torture obviously

symbolizes a kind of Hell. So, I argue that good judgment, tempered with

compassion is best, but that, now judgment at all is better than a sort of

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vindictive judgmentalism, which is all some people are capable of since they

lack good judgment.