# Bible quotes on judging others... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 29, 2003, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-quotes-on-judging-others/185218 "2003-06-29T21:20:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f0a364/32.png) [@kimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kimera)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-quotes-on-judging-others/185218/1 "2003-06-29T21:20:33Z")
I recently met a fundamentalist Christian who insists on passing judgement on me everytime we encounter each other. I recall people posting bible quotes on this board a while ago that speak out against judging others, but I can not find them through a search. If anyone could help me, I would appreciate it. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-quotes-on-judging-others/185218/2 "2003-06-29T21:24:59Z")
Matthew 7:1 - “Judge not, lest ye be judged”. Probably the most widely quoted passage on this matter. Fundies seem to like to forget this one exists. ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-quotes-on-judging-others/185218/3 "2003-06-29T21:28:07Z")
Well it probably won’t do any good when arguing with fundies but: > [@](#): > > \*Jesus says in John 8:7 \* > **So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.** FWIW [http://www.biblegateway.com/](http://www.biblegateway.com/) is a good source for looking up verses. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ccd318/32.png) [@John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Kentzel-Griffin)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-quotes-on-judging-others/185218/4 "2003-06-29T21:50:10Z")
See [To judge or not to judge.](http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/contra/judge.html) The left side gives you two verses saying not to judge; the right side gives five verses saying believers should judge. ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-quotes-on-judging-others/185218/5 "2003-06-29T23:01:57Z")
Not wnating to start a debate but it should be pointe dout that as with all scripture from all religion, the passage must be read in context. Even without the context you will note the passage doesn’t say ‘don’t judge’, it says ‘don’t judge unless you also wish to be judged to the same standard’. In context it’s quite clear this is what it means. Christians are quite free to judge others providing they are willing to be judged by the same standard when they go to heaven or whatever their particular sect believes. **Padeye** that version of John 8:7 is probably not a quote from Jesus. If you read the commentary from Bible Gateway you will notice that “It was almost certainly not part of John’s original Gospel.” Any fundamentalist will probably reject it out of hand as an apocryphal writing. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-quotes-on-judging-others/185218/6 "2003-06-29T23:11:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Q.E.D. \* > \*\*Matthew 7:1 - “Judge not, lest ye be judged”. Probably the most widely quoted passage on this matter. Fundies seem to like to forget this one exists. \*\* Judge Nott was my ancestor.😃 ---
**Author:** ![Eilsel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c68b51/32.png) [@Eilsel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eilsel)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-quotes-on-judging-others/185218/7 "2003-06-29T23:29:56Z")
Just look closely at this person’s face then step back, then look again all puzzled. This will get their attention. Then you say, “Want me to help you with that?” They inquire. You say “you know, that board in your eye.” Any good BAC will get this reference immediately. ---
**Author:** ![samarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@samarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samarm)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-quotes-on-judging-others/185218/8 "2003-06-29T23:35:59Z")
Alternatively just tell them to “\*\*\*\*\* off”, which is what I would probably do. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-quotes-on-judging-others/185218/9 "2003-06-29T23:41:33Z")
I think **samarm** has the appropriate solution. Quoting scripture to discourage fundies is like throwing blood into the water to discourage sharks. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-quotes-on-judging-others/185218/10 "2003-06-30T00:15:49Z")
> [@](#): > > I recall people posting bible quotes on this board a while ago that speak out against judging others, but I can not find them through a search. I would guess that the thread was [[“Judge not, that ye be not judged”:] What Part of No Don’t You Understand?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=191045) in **Great Debates** from just under two weeks ago. (Of course, it was in **GD** because there were numerous points of _disagreement_ regarding the applicability of judgment in the context of Christian (or Jewish) belief and Scripture.) ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-quotes-on-judging-others/185218/11 "2003-06-30T16:57:01Z")
Jesus gives all sorts of advice on what to do with people who produce ‘bad fruit,’ are enemies, have sinned, give bad example, etc… Which all involves judging their actions. It would be important to point out that the prescription of Jesus to not judge is in the context of condemnation of the person, not in the act of judging whether their actions were right or wrong. Quite often, Jesus asks his disciples to do the right thing and not to do the wrong thing. That involves judging what is right and wrong. He then says not to follow the example of those leaders who are doing the wrong thing. Again, that involves judging the actions of others. Jesus’ point was not to take the next step and condemn the person through judgement. Each person, even one’s enemies (and you know they’re an enemy by judging their actions), should be loved and treated with respect and forgiven when they ask forgiveness. Condemnation cuts off the option of love, forgiveness, and reconciliation because the person has been condemned (a nice way of saying damned to hell) in one’s mind and heart. IOW, hate the sin, not the sinner. Peace.