When Jezebel is Your Baby Sitter and Spike is a Friend of a Friend on Facebook: Christians and Judging Others

"None of us liveth to himself" ~Romans 14:7

By Unknow (http://mgallolaw.com/gavel.jpg) [CC-BY-SA-3.0
 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

I've been thinking about judging lately.


We're fond in today's relativistic society of saying "Don't judge".  It is easy to focus on Matthew 7:1 ("Do not judge."), but to ignore 1 Corinthians 15:33 ("Do not be deceived: Bad company ruins good morals).

When was the last time you allowed your defenseless, impressionable young child into the care of another, without using your judgment?

When did you last allow your young daughter of marriageable age to spend time with a young man, without exercising discernment?

Paul did not mince words in telling the Corinthians that they are to judge the behavior and choices of other believers (1 Corinthians 5: 12-13).  

Sea Salt
 By --Pinpin 20:24, 19 September 2006 (UTC) (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-2.5
 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5),
 GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) 

Clearly, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23), but, we must have some role in protecting ourselves from exposure to immorality.  Call me old fashioned, but I think that this responsibility especially extends to men, in regards to what they allow women to be exposed to through their association.

The current trend in popular society to suggest that morality is a personal matter, and varies relative to personal opinion and experiences, is a dangerous one.  I think that we can see where it has gotten us.  Add to that the fact that feminism has bought for women both "freedom" from the protection of men (physically,emotionally, and otherwise) and the presumed responsibility of protecting themselves...and we are in the midst of quite a cultural mess.

Jesus Christ will stand in final judgment.  That is his role, not ours. However, while we are here, we must use our judgment, informed by scripture, to protect and advise our families and the whole body of Christ, to ensure that the 'salt will not lose it's savor' (Matt. 5:13).

I am only 44 years old.  I am not so far removed from those that are in their 20s and 30s right now.  But, the things that I see in the media and social networking feeds are positively shocking to someone of my generation.  That means that in just 20 years, we have made tremendous progress in our descent into a moral abyss.  I cannot imagine where we will be in another 20.  


Add to that the fact that media was not nearly as readily available or technologically advanced as it is now.  Social networking, and, in fact, the internet itself, was not readily available at ones fingertips, during most of that time.  The access and exposure to aspects of culture that one would not allow in ones living room have multiplied exponentially and are now...readily available in ones living room.  It is a situation ripe for unprecedented desensitization.  


There was a time, not at all long past, when men did not allow other men to curse in front of a woman.  We now have a generation of young adults, women included, who are perfectly comfortable with far worse.

I can't see any way to protect ourselves or our families, other than using our judgment, and teaching our children to do the same.


Pax Christi,
~Michelle

 (Authors: Elliot:Protestant, Dilsaver:Catholic, Elliot: Protestant. Kineke:Catholic, Smiljanic: Orthodox  )    

               

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