Something that I recently read, contemplated, ingested, has created a subtle epiphany in my thought processes. As a lifelong student and human services worker, this information hit me directly to the core. I can’t give you the direct quote, but it boiled down to this: When we judge someone, we are no longer dealing with a real person. We are dealing with our image of that person. And when we are not dealing with a real person, we cannot help them in any meaningful way. We can only foist upon them our ideas of help, our image of what we believe they need.
Judgement creates a barrier between me and you. It sets up a screen where I then project my image of what I am judging you for. And then I interact with that image, and not with the real you. How the hell can I know what you are going through if I can’t even see the real you? My projection of my judgment of you will leave out all other details.
This reflects on our current society in a huge way; everything from cops shooting unarmed black men to Republicans shouting that climate change is a left-wing hoax. Everyone is –and always has been– judging someone. Separating themselves from the reality of a true real person.
With that in mind, we should be aware of what mainstream religion does to society; it fosters an environment of judgment and distance between people. It creates and supports the concept of people who are ‘better’ or ‘more deserving’ than other people. It forces us to judge ourselves and others against an imaginary standard. That forces our human psyche to put that distance between us and those who are deemed ‘inadequate’ to play in the pool with all the ‘righteous’ ones. Just that act –that one small piece of religion– which creates an artificial hierarchy of deserving-ness, causes more hurt and anguish than any other human construct ever has. If ‘deserving’ were real, nobody would be born with Downs Syndrome or blindness or deafness. Because no tiny baby deserves that. So the religious make up a reason for birth defects, calling them ‘god’s will.’ What kinda terrible God would wish that on a baby?
But back to my point; if you wanted to brainwash the masses into chasing their tails instead of making progress, all you need to do is get them to judge each other rather than love and care and hold on to each other. If they judge, they will not band together; all trust is gone. Because we are dangerous when we are a cohesive, respectful, caring group. And they hate that.
This is why an act of love is a total rebellion against the system. They –those who put religion and plutocracy in motion– really really do not want us to love each other. And that’s exactly why we must.