Column Who Am I To Judge? Why it’s Okay to Judge People and Cultures.By ARTHUR MARTIN
July 27, 2017
A few days later, after I jumped in the shower the answer finally hit me. If we take that question to the ultimate conclusion one has to ask, “Why?” “Why are we not to judge?” The immediate answer is because “morals and ethics are subjective.” We see this everywhere in Western Society. “Let people do what they will. Let them be who they are. Live and let live.” This infectious ideology has spread like a parasite into every segment of Western Society including religion, which is supposed to be the pillar of ethics and morality. Virture Signalling: The very public act of showing how humanitarian you are at the expense of common sense, personal safety and national security. “Who am I to judge?” On the face of it, that question feels nice doesn’t it? “As long as people don’t bother me, what does it matter to me what others do or do not do?” “People simply have different values and morals, who am I to judge?” We hear it everywhere in media, on television and even…from pastors at church. Of course, if you take just 10 seconds to think about that question and the idea of moral relativism it is the epitome of virtue signaling. Ethics and morals aren’t subjective! Ethics and morals aren’t relative! How do I know this? If morals and ethics are subjective and we take the stance of “who am I to judge?” then let me ask you: “Who am I to judge racists?” They have every right to believe that one race is superior to another. It’s scientifically supported after all. (Source) “Who am I to judge sexists?” They have every right to believe that one sex is physically, mentally, and emotionally superior to another. It’s scientifically supported after all. (Source) “Who am I to judge cultures?” They have every right to kill and eat dogs. After all horses and cows are much smarter than them and we eat those. “Who am I to judge single mothers?” After all they have every right to frivolously divorce despite the fact that their kids will most likely end up delinquents and in prison. (Source) “Who am I to judge anything if there is no clear right and wrong?” No clear truth and evil? No differentiation between morality and immorality? Taken to its ultimate conclusion regarding the statement, “Who am I to judge?” You can only reach one objective question: there is either morality or there is not? Of course, everyone has their own subjective interpretation of morals and ethics. Some like cats more than dogs. Others dogs more than cats. That in itself is not that big of a deal because there is nothing at stake. However, when you meet a culture that actively EATS dogs, that is when moral dilemmas appear. Our Western Culture since the end of World War 2 has had zero ethical dilemmas to deal with. We haven’t actually had to stand for anything. Those that do stand for something, for example traditional marriage are immediately frowned upon. They are scorned by moral and ethical cowards who have never had to actually stand up for their beliefs in any significant way. Let me ask you dear reader, “If you come across a culture that believes murdering dogs is culturally appropriate would you stand up against it or would you invite them into your house?” A nation is not so dissimilar from a family house. A family, despite the many arguments that may happen between in-laws is usually more similar than not in politics and culture. However, as soon as you introduce abject cultural abnormalities like say…female genital mutilation or throwing gays off roofs…then all of a sudden the moral and ethical peace and comfort that you are used to in your household begins to have conflict. Can you still sit there and then say, “Cutting female sex-organs is subjective…who am I to judge?” Can you still sit there and say, “Throwing gays off roofs is morally relative—who am I to judge?” You see, when you are suddenly forced to take a stand on ethics and morality then suddenly political issues aren’t the “peace and love--live and let be--let people do what they what to do” attitude that we have grown accustomed to. These moral stands become uncomfortable. To be clear, you may on an individual level take the care-free attitude of not judging people. However, you go into that mindset knowing that you are nothing less than a mindless zombie. You don’t believe in anything because you can’t stand up for anything. Standing up for Western virtues and ethics takes guts and fortitude. Say what you will about Christianity. You may not be religious, however, the 10 Commandments start to make perfect moral sense. Solely because they are the only human universal laws that people who believe in a sense of ethical “right and wrong” can agree on:
Then again…”Who am I to judge?”
Arthur Martin ©2017 Arthur was originally born in the Soviet Union and immigrated legally to Alaska when he was young. He graduated from Craig, Alaska. Holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and worked for the Alaska State Legislature for three sessions. Arthur now lives on Prince of Wales Island. He can be contacted at powreport@gmail.com - This column has been edited by the author. Arthur Martin is the Editor of the P.O.W. AK Report Representations of fact and opinions in comments posted are solely those of the individual posters and do not represent the opinions of Sitnews.
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