People fear what they don’t know. Ignorance about any certain subject causes anxiety and often leads to irrational judgments. Why do people jump to conclusions so quickly? Why do we need to categorize and judge others? While it is frustrating to be judged we are often unable to parlay that into our own lives and not judge others. One of the subjects least understood and therefore greatly judged is religion. As a Latter Day Saint there are many times that others will misunderstand, misconstrue or purposely misrepresent our beliefs. This can be a great opportunity to help others understand the “Mormon” religion better. However, it can also be hurtful or frustrating, especially when people are immovable in their opinions.
Mormons have been frequently in the spotlight lately. When the Broadway musical ‘The Book of Mormon’ came out I saw many friends posting pictures of their playbills to show that they had gone to see the show. It was a great opportunity to now read the book and assure them that the book was even better than the play!
It is good to remember to show the same courtesy to others that we expect. We should be careful to not judge others harshly when we don’t understand their beliefs or positions.
The story of Lehi and Nephi in the Book of Helaman is an example of people misunderstanding and being quick to judge. Some believe Nephi is a prophet, others believe is a God and others just want him dead. We are not usually subjected to such drastic judgments but it is important to remember to be patient with others.
The Lord Jesus Christ was also judged and misunderstood. Some saw Him as a nice teacher, some as a King, and others wanted Him dead. I know that the Lord wants us to be patient and strive to understand one another before we jump to conclusions. I am grateful for His loving example. I know that He will strengthen us, both to know how to respond to misunderstandings regarding the Church of Jesus Christ and to be more understanding of others who may differ from us in beliefs or ideologies.
I think that this is such an important thought. In today's society it seems that all anyone does is judge, and this post is a great reminder to love everyone and try to take a walk in the other person's shoes.
ReplyDeleteI agree, this is a great reminder that most the time, we have no right to judge because we usually don't know/understand what's going on for another person.
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