8.82. Who am I to judge? Isn’t it better to just love and let God decide who’s right and wrong?
It is true that only God knows the heart and will render the eternal judgment of each soul. But Christ also commanded us to warn sinners, proclaim the truth, and judge rightly (cf. John 7:24). To remain silent in the face of sin is not charity—it is cowardice, and often complicity.
The slogan “Who am I to judge?”—popularized by Francis and repeated by millions—has become a shield for sin. It twists Christian charity into emotionalism, replaces truth with sentimental silence, and leaves souls in danger of eternal damnation without warning or correction.
Below is a comparison of the true Catholic understanding of moral judgment and the modernist distortion that excuses sin through false “non-judgment.”
| Category | Traditional Catholic Teaching | Vatican II / Modernist Slogan | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type of Judgment | We may judge actions as sinful based on divine law | “Who am I to judge?” avoids all moral evaluations | Judging sin is not judging souls; it is part of charity and truth |
| Scriptural Basis | “Judge not according to appearance, but judge just judgment” (John 7:24) | “Judge not” (Matt. 7:1) misused to excuse all sin | Scripture warns against *hypocritical* judgment, not *moral discernment* |
| Duty to Admonish | Admonishing the sinner is a spiritual work of mercy | Seen as “intolerant” or “un-Christlike” | Refusal to admonish is neglect of a soul in danger |
| Charity | True charity tells the truth, even when it offends | Charity redefined as never offending or correcting anyone | “Faithful are the wounds of a friend” (Prov. 27:6) |
| Mercy | Mercy calls the sinner to repentance | False mercy affirms the sinner in his sin | Without truth, mercy is a lie |
| Pope Francis Quote | N/A (previous popes condemned sin clearly) | “Who am I to judge?” (Francis, 2013) | Used to excuse public homosexual acts and scandal |
| Public Sin | Must be opposed to protect the faithful and give witness | Silenced in the name of kindness and inclusion | Failure to oppose public sin is betrayal of Christ’s truth |
| Fruits | Conversion, repentance, fear of God, moral clarity | Indifference, presumption, scandal, apostasy | “By their fruits you shall know them” (Matt. 7:16) |
Summary:
The Catholic Church does not teach “don’t judge” in the modernist sense. It teaches: “Judge justly” (John 7:24), “rebuke sinners openly” (Prov. 27:5), and “if your brother sins, go and tell him his fault” (Matt. 18:15).
Those who use “Who am I to judge?” to justify silence in the face of grave sin are not showing mercy—they are abandoning souls to damnation under the banner of false love.
As St. Paul wrote:
“Them that sin, reprove before all: that the rest also may have fear.”
To remain Catholic is to judge rightly, speak the truth, and love the sinner enough to warn him—no matter the cost.