It is an interesting subject, and bears scrutiny.
We can only judge people on what we know of them. Most of the time we know very little about people, and in my opinion, intelligent and human people give what I call “default respect”.
With default respect, you give people respect until they say or do something that negates that respect.
And even then, that isn’t the end of the process of forming an opinion.
In my estimation, there are three gradations of people who serve the cause of Leftism: Liberals, MoonBats, and Leftists.
Liberals can be approached interacted with, talked to, and have a chance to change. They hold the wrong views, but usually due to ignorance, lack of time to look at issues, emotionally driven. They are not bad people, just misinformed or mal-informed. They are Useful Idiots, but there can be hope for them. Many may be conservatives who haven’t been mugged yet.
MoonBats are Leftist cannon fodder, the Leftist Foot Soldiers. They are the spittle-lipped, bug-eyed True Believers, and man the ramparts of the Left. They are the Useful Idiots who protest as their Leftist masters drag them away to the execution or torture rooms, screaming “But I am with you! Why are you doing this?” These people cannot be talked to in general, and in general, are avoided.
Leftists are evil. Period. These people are our implacable enemies. These are the people who know all too well that the claptrap that the MoonBats and Liberals believe is hogwash. They understand that the real goal is ultimate power for them and theirs, not to improve the condition of their fellow human beings. These are people are upper level people and decision makers, commissars, party members, etc.
The reason I break them down into these three categories has a direct bearing on the process of judging people, which I do. As they judge me, as they should. Judging is a human trait, and anyone who says judging people is bad is just ignorant. We ALL judge people.
So, when I judge people, I give them default respect. When I hear someone votes Democrat, that makes me judge them, but it is not all-encompassing. If that is all I know of them, then...I make my judgement on that, but it is only a veneer. You keep an open mind.
If I know someone personally and I know they vote Democrat, that personal knowledge of them overrides the knowledge that they vote Democrat.
However, if they vote Democrat, and fully and vocally support Leftist positions and accept Leftist dogma-well, they cross the line from Liberal to MoonBat.
The point is, we can make judgements about people based on various pieces of information, but only a fool would form a final judgement based on incomplete data.
Having a friend who is a Liberal is not incompatible with the concept of judging people on their actions if you are a conservative.
Having a friend who is a MoonBat or a Leftist IS incompatible with being a conservative.
I prefer the word discernment over judgement. But that just reflects how one defines the word. Otherwise, your thesis/analysis is well formulated. You were well educated, sir.
Thoughtful post.
I’m probably conflating this with another recent discussion, but I think of ‘judgment’ as something encompassing the entirety of a person - and I think that sort of judgment belongs to God - only He knows the entirety of anyone.
Of course, we all make decisions regarding whether we want to remain in contact with someone, or whether we find it sensible to take their word or advice on anything, or to trust them.
I don’t think I’d have any interest in associating with Jill Biden, in being her personal friend; and I probably don’t trust her or her motives.
But I’ll leave judgment of the entire person up to God.