{"id":469,"date":"2021-02-07T13:55:40","date_gmt":"2021-02-07T13:55:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rebelrebel.org.uk\/?p=469"},"modified":"2021-02-07T15:08:10","modified_gmt":"2021-02-07T15:08:10","slug":"judgement-calls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rebelrebel.org.uk\/?p=469","title":{"rendered":"Judgement Calls"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.rebelrebel.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/40701102_s.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/www.rebelrebel.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/40701102_s-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"40701102_s\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-470\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rebelrebel.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/40701102_s-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.rebelrebel.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/40701102_s.jpg 848w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Sermon #47 (7th February 2021 at Essex Church \/ Kensington Unitarians)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>At the church coffee morning on Tuesday I accidentally gave away a bit of a spoiler about this Sunday\u2019s service theme. And \u2013 not entirely unexpectedly \u2013 the news that we were going to think about \u2018judgement\u2019 this week provoked a bit of a reaction! I guess it doesn\u2019t seem very Unitarian. At least not at first glance, anyway.  Judgement sometimes seems to be a bit of a dirty word among religious liberals \u2013 quite a few of us have consciously walked away from other traditions where judgement is more of \u2018a thing\u2019 \u2013 more central to the theology. Perhaps, for that reason, we associate the idea of judgement with the prospect of being condemned to hell for all eternity (often for things \u2013 supposed transgressions \u2013 that seem no big deal to us liberal religious types). So, like I said, let me reassure you: I\u2019m not talking about God\u2019s eternal judgement, the verdict as to whether we\u2019ll be sent forever upstairs or down on the basis of how naughty or nice we\u2019ve been. <\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p>Instead I\u2019m thinking about judgement in the sense of discernment \u2013 an unavoidable part of life \u2013 making decisions about how to act, or who to trust, on the basis of limited or confusing evidence \u2013 trying to make those judgements <em>justly <\/em>and wisely in the light of the values we hold most dear. Every day of our lives \u2013 to a more or less conscious or active degree \u2013 we are making judgements about what is true, fair, and right (factually or morally) \u2013 and what is the best course of action. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uua.org\/braverwiser\/smallest-biggest-number\">In the piece by Erika Hewitt, which Chlo\u00eb read for us earlier<\/a>, we were taken back a year in time, to the early days of the pandemic, when people were just beginning to get to grips with the gravity of the situation, and taking big decisions on the basis of scant and sketchy information. As Hewitt reminded us, even in pre-pandemic days \u2013 when there was heavy snowfall and she had to make a call as to whether or not to call off a Sunday service \u2013 it was hard to get a consensus. Everybody has their own perspective, their own priorities, their own tolerance of risk, and so on. How much harder, then, was the judgement call that led so many churches \u2013 including ours \u2013 to shut their doors indefinitely in the face of Covid-19?  Particularly in the US, in the Unitarian Universalist Association, our sister church, the leadership came out early to say congregations should plan to be meeting online-only until at least summer 2021.  At the time a lot of people thought this was a pretty extreme response but of course it\u2019s turned out to be quite prescient. <\/p>\n<p>Of course, as well as these collective \u2013 community \u2013 judgements, we are each having to make our own personal judgement calls each day relating to life-in-a-time-of-Covid (and how best to live it). We have a lot more information to go on than we had a year ago \u2013 but that doesn\u2019t always help \u2013 sifting through the avalanche of information that is available to us is quite an undertaking, not just in terms of sheer volume, but in terms of separating the wheat from the chaff. This is another form of judgement, or we might say discernment, distinguishing reliable and relevant sources of information from misinformation, government and corporate spin, conspiracy theories and so on. Even solid scientific sources are liable to change their messaging over time as new data comes in and the scientific consensus shifts \u2013 which is as it should be \u2013 but many find such shifts confusing. How do we know who\/what to place our trust in?  Critical thinking \u2013 determining which sources are trustworthy and which are to be taken with a shedload of salt \u2013 is a vital part of good judgement. And it takes a long time \u2013 a lifetime \u2013 to build up those critical thinking skills \u2013 to establish that bank of wise advisors and trustworthy sources \u2013 from the foundations of what-we-<em>know<\/em>-to-be-true. <\/p>\n<p>But even if we\u2019ve got critical thinking cracked \u2013 we\u2019ve amassed a load of trustworthy evidence on which to base our decision-making \u2013 (and I should drop in now that this is one of the standard definitions of \u2018judgement\u2019: <em>\u2018the ability to make considered decisions on the basis of evidence\u2019<\/em>) \u2013 the next step is to integrate or synthesise all that information \u2013 which is, generally, no easy task. We\u2019ll often find that different bits of evidence are pointing in different directions \u2013 sometimes subtly different, sometimes radically different \u2013 how do we decide which to give priority to? <\/p>\n<p>Judgements, if they are to be truly just, need to be made with reference to our values. At least, we might think of the basics: the golden rule, or the inherent worth and dignity of every person. But again, it\u2019s the work of a lifetime to clarify what matters most to us, to hone our moral intuition, such that we have developed an ethical yardstick against which to measure our decision-making.  Erika Hewitt says this: <em>\u2018The most ethically-driven decisions prioritize the most vulnerable\u2026 Moral decision-making hinges not on the \u201cI\u201d and not even on the interconnected web of \u201cwe,\u201d but on the most fragile strands in the web\u2026 The ultimate test, when the fear and grief finally give way to clarity, will be knowing ourselves by how well we cared for one another.\u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p>It seems right that a church like ours should be guided in its judgement by such a principle \u2013  we often frame our values in terms of caring about those who are on the margins of society, who are often oppressed, or overlooked \u2013 and in this case <em>\u2018the most vulnerable\u2019<\/em> might refer to older people, people with pre-existing health conditions, people who are forced by poverty or discrimination of various sorts into situations which put them at greater risk of catching  Covid-19.But even so\u2026 that intention to <em>\u2018prioritise the most vulnerable\u2019 <\/em>is an ambiguous guide to action. On the whole, in the case of Covid-19, we\u2019ve taken that to mean <em>\u2018protect the most vulnerable from catching this deadly disease at all costs\u2019<\/em> \u2013 but Hewitt herself acknowledged that <em>\u2018our communities\u2026 are also beginning to absorb the lonely, painful, cost of \u201csocial distancing\u201d\u2019<\/em>. Indeed, some of the most vulnerable have said, <em>\u2018I just can\u2019t bear this isolation; I\u2019d rather take my chances\u2019.<\/em> In complex situations \u2013 you don\u2019t need me to tell you this \u2013 there\u2019s rarely one clear \u2018right answer\u2019. Still, once we\u2019ve discounted the misinformation, and weighed up the priorities, we might come to a consensus about a general direction of travel that\u2019s \u2018righter\u2019 and a direction that\u2019s \u2018wronger\u2019. For now, collectively, we seem to have agreed that mostly-staying-home is the least-worst-option. <\/p>\n<p>Now, I\u2019ve made living-in-a-time-of-Covid the focus of this exploration of judgement, so far, just because it\u2019s at the front of most of our minds these days, and for much of the last twelve months. But of course there are \u2013 always have been \u2013 judgement calls to make in every sphere of our lives. So let\u2019s broaden our consideration of judgement out a bit further with another challenging aspect. As we considered <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spiritualityandpractice.com\/practices\/practices\/view\/21718\/recast-judgment\">in the meditation earlier<\/a> \u2013 one way or another we\u2019re often <em>judging other people<\/em>.  At both the personal and the societal level we have to distinguish truth from lies, good intentions from bad, as part of the process of our everyday self-protection and survival \u2013 we ask ourselves of strangers, acquaintances, experts, leaders \u2013<em> \u2018Is this person on the level, or am I being conned? Can I take this person at their word\u2026 or am I being manipulated and given the run-around?\u2019<\/em> We want to think the best of people but we know we will encounter those who don\u2019t play fair. It makes me think of the bible verse, Matthew 10:16, where Jesus tells his followers: <em>\u2018I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.\u2019<\/em> Yes, go into the world in a spirit of love, kindness, generosity, but\u2026 don\u2019t be daft. Be discerning. <\/p>\n<p>We religious liberals often pride ourselves on being non-judgemental \u2013 and in terms of listening to the tales of other people\u2019s life experiences that\u2019s generally a great principle \u2013 many of us have made dodgy choices at various points along the way and we wouldn\u2019t want to be condemned or written off on the basis of these anomalous episodes. And we haven\u2019t walked in another\u2019s shoes so <em>\u2018who are we to judge\u2026\u2019<\/em>, we might say.  Besides, we tend to be pretty laid-back about what counts as valid life choices anyway, so we might be a lot less prone to judge people\u2019s life stories by default. Also we like to think of ourselves as being open-minded, ready to listen to alternative viewpoints, perhaps to seek common ground, and to bear in mind the possibility that we might be mistaken. All of these are, generally speaking, good things \u2013 very Unitarian virtues \u2013 don\u2019t get me wrong. <\/p>\n<p>But. I would like us to think a little bit harder about this idea of being non-judgemental <em>as an ideal<\/em>.  The sense that sometimes crops up that our valuing of open-mindedness, and pluralism, require us to radically accept anything and everything, to suspend judgement at all times. I hope it isn\u2019t a contentious thing to say \u2013 but sometimes I reckon we <em>should <\/em>be judgemental. We religious liberals can collectively be so judgement-averse \u2013 conflict-averse \u2013 sometimes we so want to be <em>nice <\/em>that we decide <em>not to decide<\/em>.  Not to take a view. There can be a tendency to hedge our judgements in qualifications and maybes; but, at least occasionally, we do need to get off the fence and take sides \u2013 pronounce that something is morally right or wrong, true or false, rather than avoiding the issue, attempting to sustain a neutral position, and remaining above the fray. We need to bring it back to our core principles again. And <em>\u2018don\u2019t make a fuss\u2019 <\/em>is not a core principle! We are, after all, a values-based community and there are some essential values we <em>should <\/em>uphold. <\/p>\n<p>The University Unitarian church in Seattle has a congregational mission statement and it is one of the best articulations of those essential Unitarian values I\u2019ve come across so far. Amongst other things, it calls on them to <em>\u2018vocally and actively oppose injustice and <strong>stand in prophetic judgment<\/strong> of all that would diminish the equality and dignity of human beings or harm the web of life.\u2019<\/em>  That\u2019s it.  Judgement comes with the territory of justice-seeking. And that goes for injustices\/unfairnesses close-to-home, just as much as big global issues, I\u2019d say. As Desmond Tutu put it, <em>\u2018if you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse, and you say you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.\u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s tricky territory, this business of judgement \u2013 whether that\u2019s discernment of what to do for the best in a complex, messy world; or assessment of who and what is worthy of our trust; or taking a moral stand to \u2018vocally and actively oppose injustice\u2019 wherever we witness it \u2013 none of this is easy stuff\u2026 but judgement is an unavoidable part of our individual and collective lives.  <\/p>\n<p>So, in the days to come, may we each be blessed with the gift of wise judgement; and may our judgement tempered with humility, kindness, and compassion, always. May this be so, for the greater good of all. Amen. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Sermon by Jane Blackall<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>An audio recording of this sermon is available:<\/strong><\/p>\n<!--[if lt IE 9]><script>document.createElement('audio');<\/script><![endif]-->\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-469-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kensington-unitarians.org.uk\/pod2011\/KU_jane.blackall_zoom_sermon_07.02.21.mp3?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kensington-unitarians.org.uk\/pod2011\/KU_jane.blackall_zoom_sermon_07.02.21.mp3\">https:\/\/www.kensington-unitarians.org.uk\/pod2011\/KU_jane.blackall_zoom_sermon_07.02.21.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>A video recording of this sermon is available:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/F5FjZpxIbNk\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sermon #47 (7th February 2021 at Essex Church \/ Kensington Unitarians) At the church coffee morning on Tuesday I accidentally gave away a bit of a spoiler about this Sunday\u2019s service theme. And \u2013 not entirely unexpectedly \u2013 the news<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rebelrebel.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/469"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rebelrebel.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rebelrebel.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rebelrebel.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rebelrebel.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=469"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.rebelrebel.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/469\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":475,"href":"https:\/\/www.rebelrebel.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/469\/revisions\/475"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rebelrebel.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=469"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rebelrebel.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=469"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rebelrebel.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=469"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}