Judge Not

By Michael Anchors, MD, PhD

The books I’ve recently read have made me aware, again, how complex obesity is. My god, there are viruses that may make you fat, genes, bacteria, ethnicity, age, gender. Most of my patients lose some weight and keep it off, but there is variation. Some lose a lot, some lose a little, a few lose none. Some keep it off, some regain. Some are not following my Ten Orders, others are. Some ‘fess up, others lie. Some think they are not following the orders even when they really are. They assume that if they are not losing weight, THEY must be at fault. 
They might be. They may not be. It may even be MY fault. It’s just all so darn complicated.
​As a matter of policy, I never judge people. I always liked what Jesus said. “Judge not that you be not judged.” I have doubts about the grammar of that sentence, but you know, English was not Jesus’ first language. “Judge not.”  So smart, you know, because you never know the whole story. And you haven’t read the next, good scientific book. The best research isn’t done yet.
So give people the benefit of the doubt. Why hurry to judge? Time will always tell. No secret is ever kept.