Showing posts with label Virtue development - nonjudgmental attitude. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Virtue development - nonjudgmental attitude. Show all posts

Monday, February 24, 2020

Virtue development, nonjudgmental attitude, part two - recognition of inherent worth and dignity


Part two - recognition of inherent worth and dignity.

Judgment is inherently dishonest because we are assuming to  know things which we could not possibly know. Truth requires that we recognize and acknowledge that not only are we ignorant of all that goes on with another, we don’t even know what goes on with ourselves. Our unconscious percolates beneath the level of our awareness and so we often are blind to our own motivations and intentions let alone another’s.

In judgment, we must admit when we are completely honest that we have deceived ourselves and lost our faith in God’s unconditional love for God’s creation. Our loss of faith leaves us in anguish, fear, despair, and guilt. We believe the old saying “Judge not that ye not be judged.” Our fear of our own judgment fuels the judgmental process where we unconsciously play the game of “one or the other.” One of us must be guilty and deserve punishment and it is them not me.

Judgment then leads to separation and divisiveness. We have given up our honesty and our faith and in this pit of despair, hopefully, it dawns on us, at some point, that there must be a better way. That better way is in adopting a nonjudgmental attitude and unconditional positive regard for all of our brothers and sisters because we recognize their inherent worth and dignity.

This recognition of every person’s inherent worth and dignity is the hallmark of the virtue of a nonjudgmental attitude.

Sunday, February 23, 2020

Virtue development, Nonjudgmental attitude, the log in one's own eye.


Chapter three -nonjudgmental attitude
Part one - the log is one’s own eye

The virtue of nonjudgmentalism can go by various names such as tolerance, kindness, compassion, etc. but the other names don’t get to the kernel of authenticity as well as a nonjudgmental attitude does. Carl Rogers, the famous humanistic psychologist, called this virtue “unconditional positive regard” which may be the best name for this virtue of all if it is accurately understood.

Jesus tells us we should not be concerned about the splinter in our brothers and sisters’ eyes when we have a whole log in our own.

How does one develop the virtue of a nonjudgmental attitude?

First, we must recognize and acknowledge that being judgmental is dishones tbecause we assume a position of omniscience which we do not have. We only see the tip of the iceberg. We are only seeing a snippet of a person’s behavior and life. Who are we to extrapolate from this perception to a comprehensive judgement of what a person is about? Sister Helen Prejean, the author of “Dead Man Walking” said that every person is worth more than their worst act.

The judgmental attitude is most likely a projection of our own unconscious shadow which so frightens us and disgusts us that we tend to see these signs and symptoms everywhere. Once we become aware of our own projections, can we call them back and examine their origin within us? In this examination, we seek to be honest about the origin of our attacks and take responsibility for them and leave the other person alone.

Jesus’ statement that we should pay attention to the log in our own eye rather than the splinter in our brothers and sisters eyes is encouragement to develop a nonjudgmental attitude and forgive ourselves and others meaning that we should not make them responsible for our own unhappiness...

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