Freedom vs. Licence
It has become fashionable these days for some to claim that the Church's moral teachings violate their "freedom". If they want to have an abortion they should be free to have one. If they want to have sex outside of marriage or live with someone without being married they should be free to do so. They also like to use Matthew 7:1 ("Judge not, that you may not be judged.") against those who try to correct them. This is mis-use of Scripture.
True freedon is not the right to do whatever you want to do, if that were true then all laws would be unjust because they all violate that kind of freedom in some form. The Bible Itself shows that our God-given freedom has limits. In the Garden of Eden God commanded Adam "Of every tree in Paradise thou shalt eat: but of the tree of knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat" (Genesis 2:16-17). So even in Paradise there were limits to Adam's freedom, and when Adam overstepped those limits there were serious consequences which we all continue to endure to this day: labor, pain, grief, and death. How can we dare to think we have should have freedom without limits now?
So what about Matthew 7:1? Recall when Jesus was being tempted in the desert by Satan that Satan mis-used Scripture to try and trick Jesus. The same thing is happening here. In that verse Jesus is not referring to ALL judgements, he is referring to things that are not clearly evident to us, such as:
rash judgements, reaching negative conclusions based on no reasonable foundation. Such judgements are based on envy or detraction,
judging someone's intentions without having clear evidence, and
judging the state of someone's soul, which we have no way of knowing.
He is NOT referring to judgements regarding things that are clearly evident to us, such as heresy or morality. The Bible is clear that we are required to correct our brothers and sisters, that they might turn from their faults and live, and if we fail to do so we ourselves will also die:
"Son of man, I have made thee a watchman to the house of Israel: and thou shall hear the word out of my mouth, and shalt tell it [to] them from me. If, when I say to the wicked, thou shalt surely die, thou declare it not to him, nor speak to him, that he may be converted from his wicked way, and live: the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but I will require his blood at thy hand. But if thou give warning to the wicked, and he be not converted from his wickedness, and from his evil way: he indeed shall die in his iniquity, but thou hast delivered thy soul." (Ezechiel 3:17-21)
(quotes from St. Jerome and St. Augustine)
Another saying that is sometimes used is "Love the sinner, hate the sin". Although it is not Biblical there is some truth to it, but we must remember we can't remove personal responsibility from the sinner for their sins. Crimes don't go to jail, criminals do. Sins don't go to Hell, sinners do.
Allowing someone to do whatever they want to do is not freedom, it is licence, and licence is wrong. True freedom is the right to do what you OUGHT to do, not what you WANT to do.
SOURCES
"Saintliness Is Not Silliness" - August 9, 2010 Homily by
Fr. Ignatius Manfredonia of Our Lady of Guadalupe Friary
The Teachings Of The Church Fathers, by John R. Willis, S.J.