The Judgment Closet

Distinguishing between judgments and decision making, as meant by A Course in Miracles (ACIM), is tricky until we learn to recognize a judgment as a judgment and how the ego fragments judgments in the mind. After that, it becomes a question of reverting to the decision maker, which comes before judgment, to make a new choice. If you are confused, it's no wonder since a judgment is nothing more than a decision with the twist of the ego added to it.

The Course asks us to have a little willingness to learn the principles and then go and apply that learning to undoing the ego. All we've been doing is mindlessly using the decision maker to choose the ego's judgments and we now must do the opposite by denying, which is choosing to give up, those ego judgments.

What ego stuff we keep hidden is like a huge walk-in closet in the mind. There are racks, shelves and drawers of fragmented judgments and when you try to get out, there's a barrier called the door which is fear and guilt. You don't have to break down the door but rather go back into the closet and examine the wardrobe of thoughts (judgments). The key comes from giving up everything in the closet as this turns on the light of Love and dispels the darkness.

Like any person cleaning out their closet, when closely examined with honesty, the judgmental wardrobe can be seen as an outdated and no longer valued system. We don't replace the wardrobe as the Law of Attraction suggests (replace one thought of the ego with a better thought of the ego). It's about giving up the entire ego wardrobe if you want to go home.

Decision Making:

Keep in mind that you make decisions all the time and it's why the Course is aimed at the decision maker. All choices either lead to agreeing with the ego's judgments (interpretations) or giving them up. This chooses a side in the split mind to believe as the cause for experience. "Agreeing" with a side is essentially (1) the purchase of something for the closet; or, (2) to throw something out of the closet because you no longer value it.

While the ego tricks you into believing you have to choose between what's in the closet and adding to the closet (fragmented judgments), that is really choosing between aspects of the ego like a summer and winter wardrobe. The "one or the other" ego thought system actually means any aspect (season) of the closet or throw it out entirely because you don't want it. It's two different internal Teachers that don't mix regardless of the season.

Distinguish means, "To perceive or point out a difference" and there is a difference between decisions that lead to judgments and decisions that lead to giving them up. Let's discuss these two aspects.

Discriminating: Judgments of the Ego

The definition of judgment is, "The ability to make a considered decision or come to a conclusion." All judgments would then begin as a decision but the acim  twist is to put conclusions or meanings on the decision (decisions with meanings) which show up as thoughts, feelings, emotions, actions and things.

The ego loves the word "discriminating" added to judgment because it means, "perceiving or judging a difference between people, places and things." It's a way to fragment and why ACIM says the ego thrives on differences and specialness. If all things were the same in the ego world, discriminating and its associated fragments could not exist.

In the judgment closet, you have to go back into the mind that chose the wardrobe to discern where you are making the decision or choice to agree with something in the closet. This puts the decision maker back as the buyer (by agreeing) with the ability to decline a purchase (give up a judgment or a fragment judgment) and throw it out.

Discernment: Giving Up Judgments

The ego hates the word "discernment" because it means, "To use perception, in the absence of judgment, with a view to obtaining spiritual direction and understanding." Absence of judgment means an absence of assigning meaning.

What is called the "tiny mad idea" was a decision. Originally, it had no meaning and could have been laughed off. Only when meaning was applied and agreed upon did it become a discriminating judgment that led to the associated consequences.

The decision maker in the mind comes before meaning (judgment) and it is there you have to stop and consider what you are agreeing to add to the closet: