What is Judging Rashly According to St. Francis de Sales?

St. Francis de Sales on making Rash Judgments

Humans have a natural inclination to be judgmental. Dr. John Demartini, a specialist in human behavior, describes this as being "self-righteous" and "self-wrongeous".

People can be judgmental for a variety of reasons, including insecurity, fear, a need for control, jealousy, or a desire to feel superior. This behavior may also arise from a lack of understanding or empathy, a need to criticize, or a sense of superiority.

When we judge others, we often make hasty assumptions, believing we know all the facts. However, we may lack the necessary information to form an accurate judgment, leading to incorrect conclusions.

What is the psychology behind judging?

Judging is our way of establishing a hierarchy of better or worse, superior or inferior, and assigning worth to everyone or everything we encounter. We have an inherent desire to be right, to be better, and to feel superior.

Reflecting on this, it is our pride and "self-righteousness" that often lead us to judge others. For instance, we may quickly judge someone based on their attire, their position in an organization, or whether they have a degree.

But consider that only a few weeks ago we had Ash Wednesday and what does it remind us of? Every year the Church reminds us to be humble.

​"By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.” Genesis 3.19

Why should we feel so proud when we are all made of dust and return to dust upon death? Regardless of one's wealth, it cannot be taken along when one passes away.

What is the meaning of rash judgment?

Rash judgment refers to the assumption, often without sufficient basis, of a neighbor's moral fault. Such judgments usually occur when individuals feel overwhelmed or anxious, leading them to make decisions without adequate information or consideration of all factors. This can stem from a need to make a quick decision or a desire to stand out.

St. Francis de Sales, known as "The Gentleman Saint," inspired the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales with his spirit of optimism, hope, and confidence in God's love, encouraging them to please God by doing everything, big or small, with enthusiasm and excellence. He is the patron saint of adult education, the deaf, and journalists.

Saint Francis de Sales emphasizes the importance of avoiding rash judgments, as we may lack the necessary information to make an accurate assessment. He advocates for giving others the benefit of the doubt and being willing to forgive.

He taught that rash judgment is a form of spiritual pride and that it is wrong to judge someone without fully understanding their situation. Instead of making hasty judgments, one should focus on understanding and compassion. He encouraged striving to comprehend why someone acted in a certain way rather than jumping to conclusions.​

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? Matthew:7

"JUDGE not, and ye shall not be judged,” said the Saviour of our souls; “condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned:” and the Apostle St. Paul said, “Judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, Who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts.”

Of a truth, hasty judgments are most displeasing to God, and men’s judgments are hasty, because we are not judges one of another, and by judging we usurp our Lord’s own office, as He is the final judge.

Man’s judgment is hasty, because the chief malice of sin lies in the intention and counsel of the heart, which is shrouded in darkness to us.

We cannot read the minds of another nor the secrets of their hearts.

​Moreover, man’s judgments are hasty, because each one has enough to do in judging himself, without undertaking to judge his neighbour. If we would not be judged, it behoves us alike not to judge others, and to judge ourselves. Our Lord forbids the one, His Apostle enjoins the other, saying, “If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.” But alas! for the most part we precisely reverse these precepts, judging our neighbour, which is forbidden on all sides, while rarely judging ourselves, as we are told to do.

We must proceed to rectify rash judgments, according to their cause. Some hearts there are so bitter and harsh by nature, that everything turns bitter under their touch; men who, in the Prophet’s words, “turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth.” Such as these greatly need to be dealt with by some wise spiritual physician, for this bitterness being natural to them, it is hard to conquer; and although it be rather an imperfection than a sin, still it is very

dangerous, because it gives rise to and fosters rash judgments and slander within the heart.

​Others there are who are guilty of rash judgments less out of a bitter spirit than from pride, supposing to exalt their own credit by disparaging that of others. These are self-sufficient, presumptuous people, who stand so high in their own conceit that they despise all else as mean and worthless.

It was the foolish Pharisee who said, “I am not as other men are.”

Others, again, have not quite such overt pride, but rather a lurking little satisfaction in beholding what is wrong in others, in order to appreciate more fully what they believe to be their own superiority. This satisfaction is so well concealed, so nearly imperceptible, that it requires a clear sight to discover it, and those who experience it need that it be pointed out to them. Some there are who seek to excuse and justify themselves to their own conscience, by assuming readily that others are guilty of the same faults, or as great ones, vainly imagining that the sin becomes less culpable when shared by many.

Others, again, give way to rash judgments merely because they take pleasure in a philosophic analysis and dissection of their neighbours’ characters; and if by ill luck they chance now and then to be right, their presumption and love of criticism strengthens almost incurably. Then there are people whose judgment is solely formed by inclination; who always think well of those they like, and ill of those they dislike. To this, however, there is one rare exception, which nevertheless we do sometimes meet, when an excessive love provokes a false judgment concerning its object; the hideous result of a diseased, faulty, restless affection, which is in fact jealousy; an evil passion capable, as everybody knows, of condemning others of perfidy and adultery upon the most trivial and fanciful ground.

This article has excerpts taken from

Chapter 28 - Judging Rashly from this book - Introduction to the Devout Life by

St. Francis de Sales.

Intro. to the Devout Life

In like manner, fear, ambition, and other moral infirmities often tend largely to produce suspicion and rash judgments. What remedy can we apply? They who drink the juice of the Ethiopian herb Ophiusa imagine that they see serpents and horrors everywhere; and those who drink deep of pride, envy, ambition, hatred, will see harm and shame in every one they look upon. The first can only be cured by drinking palm wine, and so I say of these latter,—Drink freely of the sacred wine of love, and it will cure you of the evil tempers which lead you to these perverse judgments. So far from seeking out that which is evil, Love dreads meeting with it, and when such meeting is unavoidable, she shuts her eyes at the first symptom, and then in her holy simplicity she questions whether it were not merely a fantastic shadow which crossed her path rather than sin itself. Or if Love is forced to recognize the fact, she turns aside hastily, and strives to forget what she has seen. Of a truth, Love is the great healer of all ills, and of this above the rest. Everything looks yellow to a man that has the jaundice; and it is said that the only cure is through the soles of the feet. Most assuredly the sin of rash judgments is a spiritual jaundice, which makes everything look amiss to those who have it; and he who would be cured of this malady must not be content with applying remedies to his eyes or his intellect, he must attack it through the affections, which are as the soul’s feet. If your affections are warm and tender, your judgment will not be harsh; if they are loving, your judgment will be the same. Holy Scripture offers us three striking illustrations.

Isaac, when in the Land of Gerar, gave out that Rebecca was his sister, but when Abimelech saw their familiarity, he at once concluded that she was his wife. A malicious mind would rather have supposed that there was some unlawful connection between them, but Abimelech took the most charitable view of the case that was possible. And so ought we always to judge our neighbour as charitably as may be; and if his actions are many-sided, we should accept the best.

Again, when St. Joseph found that the Blessed Virgin was with child, knowing her to be pure and holy, he could not believe that there was any sin in her, and he left all judgment to God, although there was strong presumptive evidence on which to condemn her. And the Holy Spirit speaks of St. Joseph as “a just man.” When a just man cannot see any excuse for what is done by a person in whose general worth he believes, he still refrains from judging him, and leaves all to God’s Judgment. ​

Those who keep careful watch over their conscience are not often liable to form rash judgments, for just as when the clouds lower the bees make for the shelter of their hive, so really good people shrink back into themselves, and refuse to be mixed up with the clouds and fogs of their neighbour’s questionable doings, and rather than meddle with others, they consecrate their energies on their own improvement and good resolutions.

There is no clearer indication of an unproductive life than when individuals indulge in criticism and curiosity about the lives of others. Naturally, exceptions apply to those who have responsibilities over others, whether in family or public roles; for them, it is a conscientious duty to oversee the behavior of those they are responsible for. They should carry out this duty with love and ensure they remain within the limits of their responsibilities.