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| Catigorica |
Categorizing is enjoyable because it alleviates the insecurities in people. Those who battle insecurity feel better if they can find fault or put someone else in category such as, "well they are bipolar because their emotions are erratic," even though the truth behind the shifting emotions in the other person is they are going through trauma or in truth most humans go through a range of emotions in a day because this life has many adversities that can cause people to react. Categorizing is big here in America, right now people are labeled racists if they talk about a race they aren't, people are called fundamentalists or religiously radical if they will not compromise their Christian principles on sensitive social issues like Abortion. People are defined by the political parties of Republican and Democrat or Liberal and Conservative. The problem is these are but pieces of who people are. I for one can be a Christian who follows Jesus and the Bible, but still have compassion and love for those of different religions. I can have my views, but respect and even understand the views of others wither it be doctrine, politics, or social issues.
Catigorica or Satan wants to divide people and put them in boxes. He tempts people to do this daily. Recently there was situation where a friend asked if another friend was a "horder" because they had all these boxes and stuff all in the house that has not been moved for a long time. The problem is that this friend asking if the other friend is a horder has already arrived at a judgment or sought to know how to categorize this behavior. The truth is that the person who could be a horder according to the other friend is blind in one eye, not physically strong and thus cannot move the stuff, and has not friends who can move the stuff. My point is not to judge the person asking the question about hording, but we must be mindful through this example that we should not be quick to judge or assume something bad about someone until proven.
Jesus said, "Judge not lest you be judged. Do not condemn and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven," (Luke 6:37) and "For in the same way you judge , you will be judged, and with the measure you measure others you shall be measured." (Matthew 7:2). What a powerful answer from our Lord and Savior! Right there we should see that to judge or categorize people is not in line with Christ's heart, teaching, or character. But what about when people really are ill or doing something that is clearly out of balance and dangerous. Then the answer should be what St. Paul said, "What business is it of mine to judge those outside the Church? Are you not to judge those within the Church? God will judge those outside. Expel the wicked one (in Church) among you." (1 Corinthians 5:12). In this case Paul is saying with must deal with the sin or the situation that our brother or sister is involved in. This verse does not apply to the secular people who are sinning, because it say we are to judge those in the Body of Christ.
Still I argue that we be very careful with categorizing people. There is commercial here in the USA that has an old lady and her old husband. The old woman is searching for her keys and cannot find them. The husband decides to get up and help her and he finds the keys in the frigid. The Old Lady shows up and says she can't find them and his face is despondent. The message that comes up next is about Alzheimer's' disease. This is a terrible judgment and example of categorizing! Healthy and mentally stable people in their twenties misplace keys and as my mother said, "it is easy to accidently place your keys in the frigid when you are holding them and the bag of goods to put in frigid and thus accidently put the keys in the frigid."
There is a push to put people in the prisons of category and labels. This is pervading not just over the US, but is moving in the whole world. I happen to be seeing it starkly here in America, because this country has become all about categorizing. The class system and racial divide has been reborn by people who want to stir up animosity and division amongst everyone. These polarizing people, who are intentionally putting others in categories are under the influence of Catigorica himself. We need to adopt the eyes of Jesus Christ and consider when we see someone not behaving in parameters of the defined norm; an example being a kid who wants to sit alone and not talk wit other kids. Rather than sending that child to shrink and trying to psychoanalysis his "anti-social behavior" perhaps it would be good if the parents talked with their child first and asked them how they are doing and find out if the anti-social behavior is because of brokenness and hurt, or because they just like some alone time and are thinker type person.
I just read a study from France that says there is hardly in ADHD kids there. The percent of ADHD kids in France is .5% and in start contrast in America it is 40-50%! The reason the ADHD is almost none existent in France is because Psychologists have identified that it is not chemical problem in the brains of these kids, but a social problem, where they are stressed and struggling and need someone to talk to. Once the kids talk and vent their problems, they get better. The remaining kids who do not change are then identified as really ADHD and are treated appropriately. If only American Psychologists would adopt this method! Its called vetting, and using the less harsh treatments like talking over taking drugs! The point of this study, is that rather than immediately judge the kids and categorize them as ADHD and special needs, the doctors have sought to help and support these kids and through there help have found the truth behind this problem which is usually related to social problems with parents and other relationships; not surprising because a pool of kids are neglected by their busy working parents and thus feel forgotten.
Satan was to set everyone in separated cubicles and spaces. To fight this we must adopt what Jesus said, "judge not lest you be judged." Think first before you feel like categorizing and labeling someone, would I like someone doing the same to me over my behavior or from what they see? Would I want to be so harshly judged and pigeon holed? This is why Jesus also said, "treat people the way you want to be treated: do unto others as you would have them do to you." (Luke 6:31). If we first think about how we would feel and how we would be effected if someone treated us in manner we are tempted to treat others, then I believe our choices about categorizing would change.
There are people with real bondages, demons, and mental illnesses and we should not neglect to address such problems through prayer and other processes. But beware of letting an experience with one person who say really did have Alzheimer's and is losing stuff constantly with someone who is elderly and losing stuff but does not have mental disease. Too often we judge others by our experiences. We think that if a mother in-law we know is controlling, then all mothers in-law are controlling. This is called generalizing and broad brushing groups and people; which is another tactic and tool that comes from Catigorica (Satan).
Trivia: The picture I used for the top of this post is of man wearing masquerade mask with three faces. In Dante's Inferno, Cantos 31-35, Dante sees Satan and He has three faces with different expressions.
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