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Judge

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Time Zone: EST (New York, Toronto)
Messenger: still looking Sent: 8/8/2007 4:04:28 PM
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yeah ten--- early on my path (which i'm still on) i had to check myself many times on that self-righteous/vain issue. my wife kept on me though (as much as i may have rejected her words) and it finally set in. the biggest thing that my wife use to say to me about me was that when i came to the realization on some issue i would expect everyone else to see it when i did. it took me a long time (and i still fight with it at times) to remember that we are all on our own clocks and roads and we will all get some place at some time. and i am ok with the fact that we will all not agree on everything though having to accept that fact on how people view War and oppression is one that causes me a lot of discomfort.

and to me the issues on this site lately about things such as tatoos, and dreads, and shaving, and jeans and such borders on small forms of oppression ----- some individuals trying to tell others how to be in order to be ....what..."higher" as a person or something.

teaching at an inner city school with over 4000 students from all over the world i dread to think how i might feel and interact in my class if i made judgements on my students based on how they looked and dressed.

respect


Messenger: Ten Sent: 8/8/2007 4:57:13 PM
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True I agree with the I, sometimes we take on self-righteous holier than thou attitudes and we are blind to the rest of the world. When I was rising I was the same way as the I when you became a vegetarian, I used to burn fire on my siblings for eating meat and would judge people as bad because of that. At that time I was naive and immature but as I rose I came to over that we can't hold onto material things and ascribe them values priveleging over other things. Its assuming a moral superiority over life - hence the moral sentencing that comes with judgement. What makes one garment royal and while another is chanted? I wonder if that's Jah judgement or people judgement.


Messenger: Ras KebreAB Sent: 8/8/2007 6:42:53 PM
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someone talking to me ?


Messenger: Ark I Sent: 8/8/2007 8:14:55 PM
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still looking, you mentioned the addition:

"don't judge me -- until you have walked in my shoes"

I agree that people should consider what a person has went through, and that this statement may sometimes be different then just "don't judge me", but most of the time it is the same.

Every man thinketh his burden is the heaviest
Every man thinketh his burden is the heaviest
Who feels it knows it Lord
Who feels it knows it Lord
Ya running and ya running and ya running away
Ya running and ya running and ya running away
But ya canīt run away from yourself
Could ya run away from yourself
Can you run away from yourself
Canīt run away from yourself
Canīt run away from yourself

When people whine about their situation, I remind them how minor and soft their situation was compared to so many others. And so many others who were in much worse situations don't do the wickedness that some do in minor situations.


Selassie I taught the judges
--------------------------
Since man has been endowed by the Almighty with the special quality of judging his own self, let alone passing a judgment on others, at the hour of pronouncing judgment he must imagine... finding himself to be in the position of the man in the dock. If one passes a judgment after search of his conscience and careful reflection picturing his own self in the position of he who stands before him for trial, and if he does it with good conscience in the interest of the efficiency of administration of justice, there is no doubt that he will pass the right judgment.
--------------------------


In addition, the only time judging comes into play is when making new laws or changing old laws, or trying to determine if somebody really did what they are accused of.

If somebody does something against the judgement of the Almighty and I speak against their wickedness, then I am not judging a thing. I am only speaking of a judgement that has already been passed.

So Fire Burn all evil doers.



Ark I
RasTafarI
Haile Selassie I




Messenger: still looking Sent: 8/8/2007 8:59:00 PM
Reply

much respect for I words Ark

may i add that when i am looking at this judgement issue i am mainly looking at those that are judging things (tatoos or no tats, dreads or no dreads, jeans or no jeans) that in the big picture of life are rather superficial or minor to I. now if someone is killing, raping, stealing or some other act that is infringing on the life/freedom/happiness of another --- i will probably voice a strong opinion ---- but even in the cases of say killing or stealing, i would like to hear the events leading up to such an act before i make my judgement. I would love to stand on my pedestal and say i would never take something that is not mine or take a life, but unless i was in the dire situation that some find themselves in that commit those acts -- i cannot say 100%.

i remember being in a philosohy class in college and the prof. brought up the issue of canibalistic societies. i was the only one in the class not attacking those societies. i said that, that is what they were brought up to believe as acceptable and that if i was raised in that society i would probably being doing it as well. it is so easy to sit removed from a situation and cast stones and act high and mighty, but the truth is that if all of us on this board were born into a different situation we would either be slightly or drastically different.

ones that we never agree with might be a best supporters and was that we always support may be are biggest critics.

respect


Messenger: still looking Sent: 8/8/2007 9:11:27 PM
Reply

ten- first i would like to say that although we do not agree on all issues (but i think many we do) i truely enjoy reading your thoughts.


now i really agree with this part of your post:

"Its assuming a moral superiority over life - hence the moral sentencing that comes with judgement."

and why now i try very hard (though it is getting easier everyday) to not do this. ------ I (we all will) will always disagree with people, but i do not try to make some moral (as if i am in charge) judgement of them as people. even if it a person that i do not get along with at all i know i am in no positon to make a definitive statement about them as a person. because i am sure they have many friends that think they are great. now i may say to me they are this or think they are that --but that is only in relation to how they interact with me.

again, thanks for the posts

respect


Messenger: Ras KebreAB Sent: 8/8/2007 9:42:19 PM
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I was glad when they said unto I , come now let us go into the House of the Lord God JAH Rastafari

Holy I JAH see and know everything

Blessed Love


Messenger: Selahssie i son Sent: 8/8/2007 10:39:45 PM
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Jah is judge himself.The Judgements of jah are always right but the judgements of men are not always right.In what we judge we shall be judge.The judgements of jah are true and righteous altogether.Judge yourself and it would be well with thee.O Rastafari!Judgement!


Messenger: Rasta J Sent: 8/8/2007 11:07:50 PM
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Greetings Brethren and Sistren in the name of Yahweh, the Ancient of Days, the Beginning and the End.

When Jah commanded us to judge not, I believe he was commanding us to judge not a person's heart or how they may be seen in the eyes of the Lord. I don't believe that Jah meant we shouldn't judge the actions of a person or make other judgements in general.

In the Bible John tells the story of a time when Jesus was speaking in Jerusalem about the Kingdom of God. An adulterous woman was hauled to the front of the crowd, shoved to the ground and dragged to her feet. Religous zealots asked Jesus “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the law it says the likes of her should be put to death - stoned. What do you say?” To this Jesus responded "If any of you are without sin, cast the first stone!!" The crowd was still. One by one the crowd began dispersing until only Jesus and the woman were left. Jesus looked at her only with love and asked "Has no-one condemned you?" "No-one" she whispered. "Neither do I" Jesus replied.

In this story Jesus does not excuse the act of adulterey but he does excuse the adulterer. I believe this story was told to remind us that no matter how much we think we may know better, we are not in a position to see into a person's heart or the eyes of the Lord and therefore should not attempt to do so. This priveledge is to be reserved only for Jah.

Peace and Jah Bless


Messenger: Ras KebreAB Sent: 8/8/2007 11:18:31 PM
Reply


well said


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Haile Selassie I