Never guess motives?

Chapter XLV, Enchiridion

Does anyone bathe hastily? Do not say that he does it ill, but hastily. Does anyone drink much wine? Do not say that he does ill, but that he drinks a great deal. For unless you perfectly understand his motives, how should you know if he acts ill? Thus you will not risk yielding to any appearances but such as you fully comprehend.

Thoughts

a. Describing an act in detail with accuracy is appropriate correct behaviour. Purely narrative and non judgemental.

b. You should not judge the person for committing the action as the motives are not known. Should you ever judge another’s motives? Should you ever judge?

c. You can never deduce the intentions or motives purely from observing an act or deed.

d. The examples used relate to doing ill, logical to accept the other side of the coin, doing good holds as well.

e. How can you ever understand perfectly the motives unless the person tells you. Even then you must judge whether it is the truth or not.

f. Judging motives is irrational guess work, not rooted in fact or evidence based. All you have is the observed behaviour.

g. You are not a mind reader.

h. This suggested behaviour reduces the number of judgements you make. Consequently, it stops you making wrong assessments of a person’s character. How often do you form an opinion on one event?

i. Can an ill act define a person? Is this wise? Is this just a poor decision or an ill act?

j. Be careful with deciphering intent and motives.

k. Mathew, 7, verses 1-5, on judgement,

[1] Judge not, that ye be not judged.

[2] For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

[3] And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

[4] Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

[5] Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

How big is the plank in your eye? Have you removed it? Do you know it is there?