Is Matthew 7:5 really just a tool Christians use to attack others?
Matthew 7:5
"You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye."
1. Matthew 7:5 is nothing but an exhortation to the logically necessary method for proper observation in physics.
It's just rudimentary physics.
2. You cannot observe a thing clearly if something is obstructing your field of view, or affecting your field of view, or injecting incorrect data or noise into your field of view.
This is so basic to physics, and so well understood by all, that Jesus used this physical principle as an analogy for more metaphysical principles, like understanding behaviors and intentions.
This principle of PHYSICS is a perfect analogy for METAPHYSICS.
3. This simple method for proper observation appears in ALL of the sciences, and in ALL of normal life, as well as in modern psychology, philosophy, the arts, and certainly every single field of human endeavor.
There is no area of life where we fail to see this principle at work.
It is both ubiquitous and universal.
4. Jesus used this method for observation in physics as an analogy for metaphysics because...
IT IS SO WELL UNDERSTOOD BY ALL, THAT IT IS SELF AUTHENTICATING.
It is so well understood, and easily provable, that it is beyond question.
5. When used as a principle to understand ourselves, it's a beautiful principle; but when used outside of ourselves, to attack others, it just becomes a simple ad hominem (your arguments must be wrong because I think you're bad).
2 Ways we apply this principle to others:
A. CORRECTLY: when applied to others, it can be a quick rule of thumb to assess them - this can give us quick and immediate insight in order to minister to them.
It's a fast, and reliable, rule of thumb to aid us in ministry.
(Will an atheist usually say and believe certain things only BECAUSE he is an atheist? Yes. This can gives us really quick insight for ministry.)
* How to use this: by looking at a person's arguments, we can reverse engineer our way to their core beliefs, and then use this information to minister to them.
B. INCORRECTLY: in a debate, it does NOT give us logical grounds for arguing particular points.
(In a debate setting, we cannot argue that an atheist's points are wrong just BECAUSE he's an atheist. This would be an ad hominem attack. In a debate setting, we must debate the arguments, not the person.)
* Christians get into trouble when they mistake "principles for ministry" with "logical rules for debate"... they are not the same, and they don't NEED to be the same.
6. Personally, I've seen this principle (in various forms) used by VIRTUALLY EVERYONE... usually in bad ways.
- Couples use it in arguments. ("You only dislike my idea because YOU are a JERK.")
- Politicians use it. ("The other side only disagrees with us because THEY are BAD.")
Everyone uses this principle:
A. Everyone has used this principle, in correct ways, to make simple, and quite reasonable assessments, of just about everything.
B. Everyone has used this principle, in incorrect ways, to sometimes make ad hominem attacks on others.
Conclusion:
1. Matthew 7:5 isn't a little quote used by Christians on bad days;
it is a common principle used by EVERYONE, all humanity, on a daily basis.
2. Although this principle is common, and well understood, we STILL sometimes FORGET this principle, or forget how to USE IT PROPERLY...
so Jesus exhorts us to REMEMBER this principle, and to APPLY IT to our human interactions and ethics.
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