One of the trademarks of pathological religion is a critical, judgmental mindset. This mindset short circuits the interpersonal process, and keeps us from experiencing others. It stops us from participating in humanity and causes us instead to hold everyone else at arm’s length. In its throes we are always examining and evaluating, ruling out and disqualifying. It is an obvious trap, but it feeds some terrible, ugly part of us that needs to inflict pain in order to survive (which, I mean, that can’t be good.) I propose we be quick to hear and slow to speak, and slow to be angry as well.
