> Matthew 7:1 says, "Do not judge, or you too will be judged."

While some like to use 7:1, it is important to understand what follows it in verses 2-5: "For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?... You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."

The further exposition clearly indicates that what is condemned here is not judging per se, but judging hypocritically.

It also clearly indicates that once you take the "plank" out of your own eye, you will see clearly (the Greek here is diablepo, meaning to recover full vision) to remove the speck from your brother's eye. Thus one is quite free to judge - if one is not a hypocrite.

The bottom line is that this verse is not an outright forbidding of judging at all. In fact, it's right in line with John 7:24, "Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment."