Recently I read an article in The Washington Post about the link between one’s spiritual activity and surviving AIDS, written by Christian Science practitioner Tony Lobl (see “World AIDS Day: ‘Neither do I condemn you,’ ” November 30, 2012). In it, Lobl quotes rocker and AIDS activist Elton John, as saying he wants people to “be more compassionate to one another, more Christian towards one another, not so hateful to one another.”
The idea that we should be “more Christian” stood out to me. At first it was a sensitivity thing. I get squeamish if I feel like someone is saying only Christians are kind and charitable, since nearly every world religion has compassion, love, and service built into its structure and practice. But then I started to really think about the end of Elton John’s comment: “not so hateful to one another.” It struck me that in order to accomplish this, we’d have to be loving in a unique way—in never judging anyone wrongly.
It’s been my experience that judgmentalism is often based on one’s own education, social norms, or religious rules. Modern Christianity comes with a slew of do’s and don’ts. But did Christ Jesus set up a long list of rules for us to follow? I don’t think so.
