A filthy word in our current vernacular is judgment. What does this word bring to your mind? Merely reading it may have caused you to feel uncomfortable, as you thought of examples of worthy resistance to what many call "judgment."
This word has become something of a misnomer, since, in many instances, the shameful connotations are inappropriate.
Are people using the correct words when they command others not to judge them?
In getting along with our fellows, are we to refrain from all judgment?
Is the common meaning of this word, used by so many, how the Lord and His prophets use this word?
What is judgment, then?
There are several different uses in the scriptures. A starting point for learning more is the list of references given in the Topical Guide: Judgment (churchofjesuschrist.org)
I'll be focusing on the commandment Jesus gave us to "judge righteous judgment." (Inspired Version, Matthew 7: 1-2; John 7: 24)
Judging righteously involves discerning righteous behaviors or attributes, and not pronouncing with finality upon the character of a person.
What we judge, and perhaps occasionally condemn, are behaviors. We separate the sin from the sinner. We seek to clearly view and characterize ideas, programs, initiatives, platforms, causes and interests, in addition to behaviors. But we don't limit others by their choices.
We must strive to be ever aware of the wrongness of a particular sin, but we don't condemn the person for having committed it.
We don't label people as being good or bad, based on their outward actions. However, we can and must seek to label those behaviors as being good or bad, based on true principles. With wisdom, we choose what to emulate and what to eschew.
Not every instance requires a loud public statement of support or censure. We can quietly go about our business, choosing to live by the truth, even if others around us are choosing to reject it.
Not every action is easy to judge. Something may be right for an individual at a specific time, but not necessarily right for us, or universally applicable at all times. Not every truth is of the same weight or import. This leads to the wise position that we ought not to worry about always insisting on categorizing everything as either right or wrong. Sometimes, they just are.
In many instances, one's personal preferences among alternatives are all acceptable, and no judgment is even necessary.
-----
There are those who say that no kind of judgment is ever appropriate. If this is true, how can we possibly repent? How can we even know we need to repent in the first place, except we judge ourselves? How are we to know what behaviors, situations or company to avoid, if not for righteous judgment? How are we to know what ideas to reject from our minds, and what good quality spiritual food to feed our souls?
What the world decries as harshly overbearing judgments upon individuals, are often appropriate expressions of truth regarding false ideas or inappropriate behaviors. They expose some to an uncomfortable pricking of the heart, so they are often rejected out of hand.
Sometimes the world points fingers of scorn and calls for shame upon those who, in their judgment, have exercised judgment inappropriately. Let that sink in for a moment.
If people really believed in refraining from all judgment, they would never judge others as being out of line for making judgments of their own.
When some jump to conclusions and judge others as being overly judgmental, they only prove the point that judgments of behaviors can be appropriate.
We have to know the difference between good and evil, and learn to seek the good. Obviously this requires judgments to be made, constantly.
We ought to carefully guard ourselves against being overly judgmental, which presupposes that we know the full truth of every matter and assumes an unrealistic expectation of perfection in our own perceptions. Make lots of observations, but be slow to judge.
-----
"At the zenith of His mortal ministry, Jesus said, 'Love one another, as I have loved you.' To make certain they understood exactly what kind of love that was, He said, 'If ye love me, keep my commandments' and 'whosoever … shall break one of [the] least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be … the least in the kingdom of heaven.' Christlike love is the greatest need we have on this planet in part because righteousness was always supposed to accompany it. So if love is to be our watchword, as it must be, then by the word of Him who is love personified, we must forsake transgression and any hint of advocacy for it in others. Jesus clearly understood what many in our modern culture seem to forget: that there is a crucial difference between the commandment to forgive sin (which He had an infinite capacity to do) and the warning against condoning it (which He never ever did even once)."
Jeffrey R. Holland
-----
More than any other, I've heard one particular story cited as the supreme example of judging in righteousness. It is very instructive, though often misapplied through misunderstanding.
"And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto [Jesus] a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, they say unto him, 'Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?'
This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, 'He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.'
And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, 'Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?'
She said, 'No man, Lord.' And Jesus said unto her, 'Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.'"
John 8: 3-11, (italics in original, indicating addition by translators)
Too often it is stated that Jesus did not judge this woman. A more careful reading will reveal that Jesus did in fact judge her as being in sin, for which she needed to repent. What Jesus did was refrain from condemning her, which condemnation was His prerogative as both the Lawgiver who spoke the commandment against adultery given to Moses on Sinai, and as the only sinless administrator of that law among the leaders of the Jews.
Jesus reserved to Himself the right to stone the woman. Mercifully, He refrained from carrying out the terrible sentence, acknowledging that the absence of corroborating witnesses negated the initial allegation of wrongdoing. His piercing perceptiveness no doubt confirmed the veracity of the accusation, but without procedural propriety, the case died and was dismissed. Jesus was justified in His actions both by the old law, and by the new.
Jesus looked ahead to the opportunities for repentance and sanctification about to be opened up to the world through His gospel, wrought by His atoning sacrifice and new covenant-making opportunities by the blessings of humble repentance.
-----
We must make judgments all the time, though we don't judge or condemn people as people. This is not a matter of an individual's innate nature. No matter their choices, everyone is a child of God, with enormous potential.
Everyone ought to reserve the right to repent. We need to allow others to repent. Don't keep them in a box only because it saves you time in thinking about them. Don't identify people by their actions. Always remember their divine identity and purpose.
What we judge (and perhaps occasionally condemn), are behaviors. We separate the sin from the sinner. We seek to clearly view and characterize ideas, programs, initiatives, platforms, causes and interests, in addition to behaviors.
-----
Keep ever learning, and arrive at the truth as it has been made known to us on any number of topics. Learn all the truth you can. This will help you judge righteously.
As you keep taking on more and more truth, remember this truth. You may become accountable to higher truths by your faithful diligence in building Christlike attributes. But don't mistake this for an accountability among others who may not be ready to live such laws.
Thinking and living celestially in a telestial, fallen world can put you at odds with all kinds of worldly philosophies and established ways of doing things.
Judge others according to the light and knowledge they have been given, not that which you possess. This naturally requires getting to know people at a deeper level than stereotyping or "knee-jerk" reactions to things they say or do. Talk to them. If they say something you don't understand, ask them to clarify. Seek to be kind and generous in all your dealings.
See also:
Ensuring a Righteous Judgment, by James R. Rasband
The Cost—and Blessings—of Discipleship, by Jeffrey R. Holland
The Three Rs of Choice, by Thomas S. Monson
Good, Better, Best, by Dallin H. Oaks
Think Celestial! by Russell M. Nelson
Kingdoms of Glory, by Dallin H. Oaks