17 - 24 Feb 2008

A common reaction to Rowan Williams' lecture on civil and religious law was to make a critical judgement before trying to understanding what was being said – a very worrying trend in our 'enlightened' country. The process of understanding a situation which is unfamiliar – or understanding a person – can be complex and difficult. Does our education system promote judgement before understanding?

"Understanding a person does not mean condoning; it only means that one does not accuse him as if one were God or a judge placed above him."

Eric Fromm (1900-1980, social psychologist, psychoanalyst and philosopher; from 'Man for Himself' Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1975, p237).

Further Thoughts

"The real thing is to understand, and love that you may understand"

J B Yeats (1839-1922, Irish artist; from 'Letters to his son, W B Yeats and others', Faber & Faber Ltd, 1944, p136).

"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view...until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."

(Nelle) Harper Lee (1926- , novelist; from 'To Kill a Mockingbird', Pan Books Ltd, 1981, p35).