A quote from Brigham Young:
“It floods my heart with sorrow to see so many Elders of Israel who wish everybody to come to their standard and be measured by their measure. Every man must be just so long, to fit their iron bedstead, or be cut off to the right length; if too short, he must be stretched, to fill the requirement.
If they see an erring brother or sister, whose course does not comport with their particular ideas of things, they conclude at once that he or she cannot be a Saint, and withdraw their fellowship, concluding that, if they are in the path of truth, others must have precisely their weight and dimensions.
Let us be patient with one another. I do not altogether look at things as you do. My judgment is not in all things like yours, nor yours like mine. When you judge a man or woman, judge the intentions of the heart. It is not by words, particularly, nor by actions, that men will be judged in the great day of the Lord; but, in connection with words and actions, the sentiments and intentions of the heart will be taken, and by these will men be judged.”
Brigham Young
In other words, Brigham Young is saying that he is always wrong, but that the way he wishes to be judged, and to judge is by the intentions of the heart, not by words or actions — the way that God will judge us.
Now take this quote from Joseph Smith in that context:
“If I esteem mankind to be in error shall I bear them down? No. I will lift them up and in their own way, too, if I cannot persuade them my way is better.”
Joseph Smith
Part of the approach taken by Brigham Young and Joseph Smith was the belief that revelation from God was a continuing process and that we were limited in our ability to understand God by the limits of our language and experience. Our words would always be insufficient. Our actions would always fail. All that could save us was to have turned our hearts to the love of Christ.
One take away is that we are always wrong as much as we are right, and
that with each generation, the revelations of God have to re reinterpreted in the light of the knowledge, language and experience of that generation (not necessarily a better perspective, but definitely a different one). There will always be change because our weaknesses, misunderstandings and the change in the external world means we will always be wrong and in need of change.
That is the message of every change. Thus the official position of the LDS Church that continual change is the order of the day, and the belief that people were doing their best through a glass darkly, is an acknowledgement that people were doing their best, often at great personal sacrifice and in the face of great hardship, and that even so, they made mistakes.
…then the worst possible crime is organized, deliberate, selfrighteous,..
Consider. In every change is the implicit acknowledgment that change was necessary. That change was necessary is the implicit acknowledgment that something was wrong before (or, due to external changes, had become wrong).
This gives a lesson for judging our leaders, ourselves and outsiders. When we criticize someone in any of those groups, are we saying they weren’t really trying before rather than they fell short as they always will? If we define what they should be doing, what is the message we are sending?
What is the message that we send when we insist that everyone else “must have precisely” the “weight and dimensions” that we judge someone else by our own measure and perspective and that when we make such a judgment we give no weight for the intent of their hearts or the length and time of their efforts?
What are we really doing?
But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
https://biblehub.com/1_samuel/16-7.htm
How do we judge others? How do we want to be judged?
Do not judge, or you will be judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to notice the beam in your own eye?…·
https://biblehub.com/matthew/7-2.htm
What do you think?
Does the Bible really mean it when it says:
But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Matthew 6:15
Or does that just apply to everyone else?
Wheat & Tares 
To give a simple example of change. When I took the trash out as a kid during the winter in Alaska my mom insisted on a coat.
During the summer after we moved to Las Vegas that rule changed.
I have found that it is wise to assume that, in every opinion I have, there is a chance that I may be wrong.
That way, if I am wrong, at least I was right about that.
🙂
Beautiful and constructive thoughts that were we to be able to extend them to ourselves would bring about a revolution of the soul. As we extend kindness to ourselves, we find ourselves becoming kind to others..
Unfortunately we don’t live in times that seem to value kindness. All the more reason to make it our own spiritual practice I think.
Elder Uchtdorf seems to think so too, as he contemplates repentance and shame in his BYU devotional. So glad to know that this is being communicated to our youth, and I’m really hoping that it will enlighten our discourse around shame and forgiveness in the church.
Very nice quotes from Brigham and Joseph. The sentiment expressed in the quotes has not, however, become part of LDS organizational practice. Bishops are told they are “judges in Israel” and many of them take that to heart, thinking their job is to judge rather than to listen. They regularly administer 15-question checklists to members to see whether they match up with the orthodox opinions for LDS doctrine and practice. It is hard to imagine a practice more at odds with the sentiment expressed in those quotes.
I guess what I’m saying is those quotes are nice, but they have almost nothing to do with the LDS Church.
I must respond to Dave B. I have had a few leadership positions in the Church, and am currently in a bishopric. I have never yet seen any Church leader who let his position — a position he did not campaign or run for — go to his head, and thus decide to become some sort of “avenging angel.” To the contrary, every Church leader I have dealt with has taken seriously the mandate to act in kindness and love, even when that requires hard things, such as Church discipline. They listen, and listen, and then listen some more, and only reluctantly ever take any kind of hard line. At least that’s my experience. There are not doubt some bishops or others whose gifts may not be diplomacy or tact; I’ll grant you that. In such a case, it may be our duty to act toward them with kindness and forgiveness as well. I think the point here, made eloquently by Joseph and Brigham, is that we should consider not judging anyone more harshly than we would wish to be judged ourselves. I, for one, do not ever get on my knees and beg for justice; I beg for mercy and forgiveness, both for myself and (ugh, with difficulty) for others who I find hard to take. Isn’t that the real point of being kind?
Useful essay from a different perspective:
https://hbr.org/2007/02/in-praise-of-the-incomplete-leader
“Judge not unrighteously, that ye be not judged; but judge righteous judgement.” (Matthew 7:2 JST)
A great clarification.
Randall says; I have had a few leadership positions in the Church, and am currently in a bishopric. I have never yet seen any Church leader who let his position — a position he did not campaign or run for — go to his head, and thus decide to become some sort of “avenging angel.” To the contrary, every Church leader I have dealt with has taken seriously the mandate to act in kindness and love, even when that requires hard things, such as Church discipline.
I am glad, Randall, that you have had that experience, and hope even more fervently that you are that type of leader. But it would be a mistake for you, or for any of us, to assume that our own experience is universal. I have seen Church leaders who have done exactly what you say, more than once – not many, but a few. Local, regional, and Church-wide. I’ve also heard many, many accounts from fellow Saints of leaders who have acted like that; too many stories to discount them all as exaggerations or aberrations. In short, the evidence leans in the direction of you being the fortunate exception, not the norm.
markagblog offers us the JST adaptation of Matthew 7:2, which is possibly the most abused verse in the LDS canon. Do we not all think our opinions are righteous? Does any of us ever intentionally hold or express (in seriousness) an opinion which we know or feel to be unrighteous at the time we have it? Are not, then, all of our judgments righteous? How many conversations have you heard (or participated in) which run:
“S/He deserved that.”
“‘Judge not, lest you be judged.'”
“It’s really ‘Judge not unrighteously,‘ so there.”
Happens all the time. I’ve been the judger in that conversation myself. I’m trying, with varying degrees of success, to judge less – to apply the verse as it’s found in the standard translations. The last thing the world needs is more judgments.
New Iconoclast: “Do we not all think our opinions are righteous?” You might, but I don’t. I’ve gone off half-cocked and prematurely judged. Usually, I do not take the time to do what is necessary to make a sound judgement that is hopefully, righteous.
I’m preparing, once our Stake Presidency approves, a Fireside presentation on modern rock&roll. This subject has a LOT of uninformed opinions in the Church. I’m not aiming for a Music Appreciation class, more like Music Awareness. Our youth (and Adults) need to make righteous judgments when encountering it.
Brigham Young said a lot of things. He was a classic blowhard. Some good things slipped through as well as some bad things. He is that old guy you go to home teach in the early 1980s who says some of the most racist things you can imagine, but then who stands up in F&T meeting and expresses love for the Savior. He believes that if the words are coming out of his mouth, the words are correct. Never mind they contradict each other. Never mind that he’ll feel differently after dinner. Never mind that he will change his ideas and words depending on who is listening. The words have his timbre and cadence, and therefore they are right. I don’t go around quoting that guy because he is as ordinary as they come. And that is Brigham Young. An ordinary 19th Century blowhard. The wisdom one finds scattered throughout his words is nothing that can’t be found somewhere else, too. No need to attribute them to him. There is nothing truly original about them at all. Just garden variety wisdom.
I am trying not to be combative or interrogative (re: Dave B) but you misrepresent Brigham Young
men will be judged in the great day of the Lord; but, in connection with words and actions, the sentiments and intentions of the heart will be taken, and by these will men be judged.
Brigham Young
But perhaps he was wrong. It seems weird to cite an authority as support for your argument and then point out they are wrong as often as they are right.
For what its worth, the bible after saying “judge not” then proceeds to explain how to go about it.
But, no worries. All are free to interpret scripture and choose your religions accordingly.