Act Quote by Lewis B. Smedes
“Modern Americans suffer from a fear of judging. Passing judgment on the behavior of fellow human beings is considered an act of medieval, undemocratic intolerance.”
About This Quote
Modern society fears judgment, labeling it as outdated intolerance, which discourages honest evaluation.
In simple terms: Fear of judgment blocks honest evaluation.
Key Takeaway
Balance judgment with compassion.
Themes
society
judgment
intolerance
fear
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
ethical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- workplace feedback
- parenting
- public discourse
Key Concepts
ethics
psychology
social norms
Questions to Reflect On
- When is judgment necessary?
- How can we judge without condemning?
A Different Perspective
Judgment can be constructive when applied fairly.
![“There exists in our society widespread fear of judging…[B]ehind the unwillingness to judge lurks the suspicion that no one is a free agent, and hence doubt that anyone is responsible or could be expected to answer for what he has done…Who has ever maintained that by judging a wrong I presuppose…” quote by Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8ba/hannah-arendt-610_agents_there-exists-in-our-society-widespread-f_1561567.jpg)
![“[M]ost people offend God by passing judgment on the things others do, especially important people, not knowing the reasons why they are doing what they do; for when one does not know the primary cause of some matter, what conclusions can he draw from it?” quote by Vincent de Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f45/vincent-de-paul-1676_causes_m-ost-people-offend-god-by-passing-judgm_808254.jpg)
