Judgement and Condemnation

The English language has a few problems especially around nuanced ideas. Some words take on more than they mean or have different meaning depending on how they’re used. One of the benefits of deconstruction is the thorough unraveling of language. But as words and ideas are deconstructed, words and ideas need to be reconstructed.

Here’s one of them. There needs to be a difference between judgement (the idea of calling something right or wrong) and condemnation (the punishment associated with doing something wrong). In the legal system these are separated by (at least) two separate acts. First the judge or jury pass judgement, then there is a sentencing.

Judgement is good for discernment and correction. Condemnation is good when all else has failed, and some say may be necessary for a law to stand. Both are part of the dynamic of any moral code. Socially we get this mixed up a lot. We often think being called out as wrong is condemnation, when it is simply correction. While other times we jump directly from seeing something as wrong to condemning the person through social isolation or harassment.

Without space between judgement and condemnation there is little room for Grace, and we are in desperate need of that space.