I'm going to get very personal in this Sermon, as to the highly personal nature of various cultural practices, especially religious practices and customs. Because, as the title of this Sermon states, "Who is to Judge (the actions, customs, beliefs and personal life of) another?"
And in explication of the issue here, what I want to point out is that, from ancient Christian Spirituality to any rational and humane Spirituality of today, the most admirable admonition of the Human Spirit has said to "accept" and to "respect" another, as to Who and What an individual "is", because ONLY that individual KNOWS the context, content, reason and purpose OF that individual's Life......certainly NO ONE ELSE!
I was reminded of this basic scientific and Spiritual "law" (actually a basic "Law" of God's Law of One) just the other day when I was in a private-charity Social Services office and happened to recognize the context of a client/applicant's situation. And what struck me was the realization that these people (the charity's social workers) had not a clue as to what they were dealing with. Because, this particular client's situation, within the context of WESTERN society and culture (the nominal "reference" of values for those social workers), WAS CERTAINLY ILLEGAL, IMMORAL AND PERVERSE! But, as I have said, "Who is to Judge?" Another human being? One who does NOT KNOW the context/content of another's Life (the person being "judged")?
Okay, let me explain the details here. First of all, let me merely state that I was aware of this particular client's "situation" only by reason of the fact that I had "been there" before, once upon a time (actually, my Soul, in a previous incarnation), and I recognized the fact and the truth of that which I saw, which, however, was not apparent to any others witnessing such. And what I am specifically talking about here, as I remember it, and as it did so apply to the context of the client's Life whom I beheld, was an ancient "law" and custom OF the Persian (Iranian) Shiite Muslim religion.
Because the Social Services client whom I did see was an individual whom I recognized as an Iranian Shiite Muslim "family" - actually, Father and Son. And let me give some further background here first, as to why a Father and Son, as Shiites, did constitute this "family". The very basic reason is that the Shiites of Persia (actually, even going back into ancient history, a long time before the late Persian or Ottoman empires) have always been the crux, or focal point, of wars, animosities, and tragedy, throughout their long history. Even today, Saddam Hussein, the ruler of Iraq (Shiite lands and territory encompass both southern Iran and southern Iraq, in the marshlands and desert expanses of both countries), a nominal member of the Sunni Muslim majority sect of Iraq, has forever been waging war against the minority Shiites of his southern territories (not too successfully, however, considering the difficulties of modern war tanks, armor and personnel, in penetrating the marshes of southern Iraq) and trying to drive them out of their ancestral homelands.
Anyway, the point is that the Shiites have a long history of exposure to war and persecution. So long, in fact, that "compensation", for certain atrocities of war, has been incorporated into Shiite religious "law", from ancient times unto today. And specifically what I refer to here, is the fact that many Shiite families have been rent asunder by these forever atrocities of war. Such that the female of the family (the wife, or spouse) of a husband/father, has many times been killed, raped, abducted, carried off by invaders, and so on, leaving the father alone with the remainder of his family.
Anyway, the further point IS that Shiite law has thusly provided for such cases (as well as for families who wind up bereft of fathers, rather than mothers). And, as the title of this Sermon has so implied, "Who is to Judge?", these people OTHERWISE, and other than their customs and religious laws have so done and so provided for, WITHIN the context OF their Lives, and their tragedies? And in this case, I am referring to a Shiite 'ecl'a family, which is a family, according to Shiite law, in which the children of the family, under such law, are obliged to take over the "duties" of the deceased parent. The law applies to all children over 5 years of age and is all-inclusive as to "duties".
In the case of the 'ecl'a family which I saw in the Social Services office waiting room, it was most apparent (if not to others, at least to this knowledgeable Soul), as to what the situation was. The family was a father and young son, of about 6 years of age, and, as obviously shown by the actions of the father, the son had been obliged to take over the "duties" of the wife, to the husband/father, such that the son had now become the father's "lover/spouse". And, of course, under Shiite law, such is permitted, to the extent that the son is obliged to perform oral intercourse upon the father and the father is permitted to perform anal intercourse upon the son. (In fact, speaking of customs under certain religions and nationalities, I am also reminded of the Polish mother who was yet breast-feeding her son of 12 years of age. To many others, such an action/custom would certainly be considered taboo!)
Now, of course, under Western and the religious laws of most other religions, such acts are not only illegal but perverse, in effect constituting sodomy and incest. BUT, in the context of Shiite law, such actions and the resulting "family" become a necessity, as to the means of providing for, and holding, the family together. And, surprisingly, from what examples I have seen (in my "lifetimes"), such laws DO seem to work and they DO hold the family together, providing for all members in their needs for love, security and the other attributes of a family.
SO, who is to judge this "family"? Certainly NOT this humble Cleric of the Ancient Order! As I have said, true Christian Spirituality (NOT of the Christian "religion", but of the Christian SPIRIT!) would say, "accept" and "respect", that which IS, and "judge ONLY for thyself ALONE - NOT for others! In other words, Judge NOT, lest ye be judged YOURSELF (when and IF you apply such "judgements" unto others IN THE NAME OF other than oneself, meaning with respect TO a particular "law", custom or morality, which, as in the case noted herein, might apply to such Western, Christian "religion", but certainly NOT to Shiite Muslim law!)
So, again, remember - the admonition IS: "Judge NOT another, except for thineself ALONE", as to what actions and responsibilities one may be obliged to undertake, in accord with the Who and What which one IS, as the human being that one was born to BE! Because, in the same vein (under the same Law), YOU might ALSO be "Judged accordingly", and just maybe YOU would NOT be "comfortable" EITHER, as that Shiite "family" would likewise certainly NOT enjoy being "judged", as to THEIR humanity, NEITHER!
Aum, Peace, Amen.
Jerome
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