judging.unjudging

I remember soon after the tragic murder of Jo Yeates in December
that the media wanted it to end as quickly as an episode of
Midsomer Murders
so in true journalistic style I remember them seizing upon the arrest of the landlord
who by all accounts fitted the TV detective show model
a quiet, shy and retiring bearded academic
ergo loner, a mysterious recluse, definite murderer material

so i remember them seizing upon him and doing such a good job of
a character assassination
that it nearly jeopardised the whole courts process
and now it strikes me that as he was released on bail
and we never heard of him again
and that now they have arrested and charged someone else
that says something about the whole judging another person thing

and we can‘t just blame the media for because we lap it up
we love a good murder mystery
and forget there’s real people involved
and this seems a good example of why Jesus said that in this new world called the

kingdom of heaven

we try not to judge others unfairly
or even at all

because we also will be judged in the same way
and I don’t think we would much like that
and once we have judged it is very hard to unjudge
and every now and then we need a timely reminder.

i know I do.