Posted on 09/06/2021 12:03:33 PM PDT by rebuildus
I visited an old friend over the weekend. We had not talked for far too long a time. He gave me some sound advice–it was about me.
We were discussing someone who was a mutual friend, and who’d wronged me. Even though I knew it was wrong to carry resentment towards my former friend for what he had done, nevertheless, I have been unable to completely shake that resentment.
In a nutshell, my friend told me something I thought I already knew–that even if my former friend was 100% wrong–I AM WRONG FOR CONTINUING TO RESENT HIM FOR IT!
That statement took away my excuses for acting in a childish way while I walk in an adult’s body.
I felt like I had been backed into a corner, and exposed.
And funny, accepting my friend’s statement caused a freeing, and yet something else inside me was not happy about it at all. I sat with that last night until I went to bed.
There is still something inside fighting this truth, but yet in a way, it feels like the lance has already pierced the dragon.
All that’s left now is allowing the truth to settle inside.
My sin is judging.
Sure, I can look back and see where this started. My mother was a judger, and my father–though certainly not a bad man, was someone who–like many in his Great Depression / World War II generation–struggled with internal conflicts routinely drowned with unfiltered cigarettes, alcohol, bad food, and the trivial news of the day.
The judger needs the failure (real or perceived) of the “bad” actor to feed the judgment!
When I’m at the gym, I notice something inside me judging everyone I see–whether it’s the lifters who curse like sailors, or someone who acts “too strong” or “too weak.” It doesn’t matter–they can’t win. The judger needs its food!
Traumas and Judging While talking with my old friend this weekend, we began to explore how myself and others that we know have been hypnotized by hypnotic techniques presented as “meditation.” That hypnotic state leads to judgment–because in this state, we operate out of a type of automated response, instead of reason.
But my traumas–and by extension, my judgment–indeed started long ago. Hating the judger (mother), or hating the “bad actor” (father)–awakened that original trauma / hypnotic condition, which converted me into being a judger.
Trauma / judgment caused me to judge others as either worse or better than me. In those I judged to be somehow “better” than me, it caused me to become a follower, which set me up to be used by people who placed themselves (and whom I placed) in a “leader” position.
The Way Out It’s a tangled web we become part of, but the only way I have found to become freer (with the hope of complete freedom) is to be willing to acknowledge the truth when it presents itself. I still believe in meditation–but today I practice a simple form of stillness that is almost formless, and thus kept close to reality and hard to screw up! I deal with this topic in more depth in THIS POST.
My old friend helped this process along this weekend, and I am eternally grateful.
As I slowly accept responsibility for MY actions, the leader inside is emerging, and the follower fades. This is something I have always wanted, and it is heartening to see it come forward.
It starts with admitting we are wrong for judging others, even if they have done wrong to us. This is not a new concept. It is the basis of Christianity, and many others who don’t consider themselves Christians subscribe to it too.
Letting go of our pride, and asking God to help us do this, is the ticket back to LIFE. I see my life returning. I hope you maintain or regain your life too.
Patrick Rooney is the Founder of OldSchoolUs.com. He communicates clearly and fearlessly during perilous times about natural health, success, and freedom. To reach Patrick, email him at info@oldschoolus.com.
Bkmk
Several times Jesus stated, “I have not come to judge, but to save.”
I think your sin can be found in your final paragraph.
You write about yourself in the third person.
This is the sin of VANITY and you're going right to HELL.
Also pretending to be SO MUCH SMARTER than others that you
should be TELLING them things... Also Vanity. A Sin.
So when exactly did SATAN convince you that mankind was
extra-stupid and NEEDED YOU to explain anything?
Sure looks like you ought to be repenting of your hubris
and your arrogance. Maybe a shower and a job might set you on the path to redemption.
Great. Glad you’re over it. Our flesh is the problem. Not our body mass per se, but our nature. Even as a reborn new creation in Christ, we can eadily fall into fleshy things.
Just remember you are righteous because you are in Christ, it is His righteousness that we wear, not anything of our own.
One day that will be not just factual but practical.
Until then....freedom in Christ.
Yep.... sure can. Came from a family of judgemental control freaks; well most of them anyway. My grandmother, God rest her soul, was the Queen of judgemental control freaks. My grandfather just rolled with it though doing a stint in WW2 as a Marine surely had something to do with that. I can only imagine some of the things he witnessed first hand.
It takes a long time to “adjust” that attitude and for me personally, it’s an ongoing struggle. I try to always remember, Judge not lest ye be judged.
Yes. And he is correct.
The sin of Judgment is a very difficult one to overcome.
I am still working on it.
“Also pretending to be SO MUCH SMARTER than others that you
should be TELLING them things... Also Vanity. A Sin.”
Pot meet kettle.
Rebuildus, did you read humblegunners post? I mean he nails it. It’s so precise and I like how he did it without being judgmental. This should be bookmarked. You should put it on your mirror and read it every day. It’s a masterpiece! Humblegunner, America needs you and your writings. You seriously need to consider putting out a blog. It would be a hit. And you could post excerts here so we all could read and enjoy your writings. Consider it.
Apparently you too need education.
Or at least experience.
Bless your heart.
” I think your sin can be found in your final paragraph.
You write about yourself in the third person.
This is the sin of VANITY and you’re going right to HELL.
Also pretending to be SO MUCH SMARTER than others that you
should be TELLING them things... Also Vanity. A Sin.
So when exactly did SATAN convince you that mankind was
extra-stupid and NEEDED YOU to explain anything?
Sure looks like you ought to be repenting of your hubris
and your arrogance. Maybe a shower and a job might set you on the path to redemption. “
Gunner,
You need to contemplate the words you wrote.
And I say that as a fellow “judger”.
If it ever happens I am sure I will.
Haha!
I AM WRONG FOR CONTINUING TO RESENT HIM FOR IT!
I grew up with “you can do better than this.” But that is very offensive in today’s world.
The issue here is “not letting go” as stated above.
“
“Judge not “is where most eyes go. We are in the trouble we are today because we are not judging to high standards and holding our selves to the same high standards
I do a demonstration for groups as part of a workshop I do on the topic of Forgiveness.
First, I have a person close their eyes and I walk back about 15 ft from them and slowly walk toward them. When I walk into a stored memory of a sin in their soul it feels as though I walked into a physical rock.
I reach out and take hold of the sin with my hands, pull it away from them, and they come forward as though I have a rope tied to them, even though I am many feet away from them.
Since I have the memory of the sin in my hand, I usually know at what age it happened and who it involved. Also, since I am touching the stored memory it stimulates it and they suddenly remember it without me saying a word.
I repeat three or four times, pulling the sin away from them to show that they come forward each time.
While they are coming forward, almost falling forward I ask them if they would like to forgive this person, when they say YES, I ask them if they would like to forgive themselves too. As they say this they snap backwards like the rope I was pulling broke as they release their soul attachment with the person who wronged them. Remember, there is no rope. It’s how our soul holds onto sin.
When they can’t forgive, I break it into three smaller bites.
First, I ask them to understand the circumstances that made the person the way they are. Their parents, hardships, tribulations...(Gain Understanding)
Second, I point out that the person is suffering and in pain as a result of their actions. (Have Compassion)
Finally, I now ask them that with the understanding and compassion for the person would they like to forgive the person. 99% of the time they say yes.
I explain that when you are angry at a person you are attaching your soul to their soul and giving them control over you. Forgiveness is for you, to set you free and not for the person who wronged you.
Many times, the person who was forgiven contacts the person who forgave them within 24 hrs, even though they had not spoken in years. They feel it too.
I am not making this up and I have done it hundreds of times in churches, at conferences, and even at the Divinity School.
My definition of sin is anything that creates an obstacle to Love in a person’s soul. This is why the wound is greater if you know that you did wrong.
As do we all. Just some more than others.
Back at ya.
Conditional Forgiveness is not forgiveness.
Maybe it is just me but I think you and Humblegunner completely missed it. It is not Rebuildus making the Statement. It is Patrick Rooney. Rebuildus is just reposting Rooney’s words. Pretty sure Rooney has been doing this as a teacher for a long time. Just my 2 cents.
Oh no. I didn’t miss it. It’s all good.
Hey, now Captain Pervo.
This is a family friendly site.
Go to jerkin' in somebody else's rest stop.
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