You guys have seen all the videos, articles and memes regarding the ALS Ice-Bucket Challenge at this point.  For those of you that haven't (I can't imagine there being many of you), there is a viral challenge sweeping the internet.  It goes like this:

Maggie gets nominated by Joe to dump a bucket of ice-water over her head.  Should Maggie accept the challenge, she donates $10 to ALS research, videotapes herself getting soaked, and nominates 3 new people to the challenge.  Should Maggie NOT accept, she donates $100 to ALS research.  

Either way, money is donated to ALS research. With those accepting the challenge, however, the added benefit is raising awareness.

Now I've seen a lot of folks complaining about the challenge taking up space on their news feed.  I find that to be an incredibly arrogant complaint, especially when the "hide" feature is so easily accessible.  Why complain about other people posting a 30 second video that you don't have to watch?  It just seems incredibly arrogant.

Then I saw folks complaining about donations to the ALSA.  The ALSA funds embryonic stem cell research, so I was mostly on-board with folks complaining about donations made to the ALSA. Most people are completely unaware of the embryonic stem cell issue.  That being said, there are several organizations one can donate to that meet the requirements of the ALS Research donation.  I, for example, offered the Kimberly Kim Foundation as well as the John Paul II Medical Research Institute as viable, moral alternatives.  So again, why complain about something with such an easy solution?

Finally, I saw the most ridiculous of all arguments, and it shamefully came from a Catholic whom I follow via Facebook:  Frank Weathers of Why I Am Catholic.  Normally I can get behind stuff Mr. Weathers writes, but his brief, snarky message against the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge made me cringe.

He quotes Matthew 6:2-4 and uses that as his "#1 Reason" for being against the challenge:

I think Mr. Weathers is stretching things a bit.  He'd've gotten more support if he stuck with the anti-embryonic stem cell research.  Pulling the Bible into things as if he actually thinks Jesus wouldn't be cool with His children banding together in such a way to help one another... that's mind-blowing to me. 

People aren't dumping water on themselves to say "Look at me and how charitable I am!"

In all honesty, I think the majority of folks are doing it so they can feel a sense of belonging. They see this challenge as being a real solution to a real problem, and it's a solution that is fun, easy and entertaining.  And they're right!  This sense of belonging has become a real movement which has already raised over $70 million dollars.  $70 MILLION DOLLARS!!!  

And that's only from the ALSA.  That doesn't count the Kimberly Kim Foundation or the JPII Medical Research Institute.  

That is nothing to turn your nose up at.  More than raising money, this viral campaign has raised awareness of ALS which has raised compassion and understanding.  It has caused folks to reach out to one another in new and unexpected ways.  It has given hope to those struggling with ALS, and in some ways empowered them to realize they COULD do something about their seemingly hopeless situation.  

Again, it has bonded people into a sense of belonging to a real solution.  That is incredible!

And yes, while it'd be nice for folks to support, en masse, Christians is the Middle East, you cannot condemn participants of the ALS Challenge because, frankly, you have no clue if that person already IS.  Supporting one does not preclude you from supporting the other. 

So I'm in favor of the challenge, and I think anyone who would attempt to shame me or call my Catholicism isn't question would do well to remove the hull of the Titanic from their eye first .  I accepted the challenge from a friend, explained my donation to the Kimberly Kim Foundation (as opposed to the ALSA), and then requested (in my commentary) for my three nominees to do the same.  So not only am I spreading awareness for ALS and donating to the solution, I'm also making folks aware of the embryonic stem cell issue that, again, most folks are simply unaware of (and not seeking to intentionally be malicious about).  

Finally, from a marketing standpoint (given my background in Communications), I LOVE the simplicity with which this challenge went viral.  Brilliant marketing ploy.  Kudos all around.

Ooo, and obviously, keep folks suffering with ALS in your prayers, and if you haven't already, make yourself aware of the signs and symptoms so you can better serve those whose lives are affected by it!  

Let's say my mother is driving a car.  We're about to take a curve too harshly.  Considering there's a canyon to the left of us, if she continues speeding, we're likely to tumble into the abyss.

Do I refrain from telling her to slow down because I'm afraid I might hurt her feelings for criticizing her driving?

No.  I like my life.

Instead, I'd say, "Hey Mom, you need to apply the brakes because if you don't, we're likely to take a tumble neither one of us will enjoy."

Would I be judging my mother to be a bad driver?  No.

Would I be judging her behavior to be bad?  Yes.

Might she feel as though I'd judged her to be a bad driver?  Yes, it's a possibility.

If she feels as though I've passed a negative judgement on her, does that mean I have?  No.

Even knowing that she might have her feelings hurt as a result of my criticism, should I refrain from suggesting she slow down?  NO.

As I've said in previous entries, I simply do not have the personality to sit on the sidelines while someone is acting in a way that is either harmful to self or others.  I can't.  I automatically put a familiar face on these folks and my decision is made - political correctness be damned. 

That is exactly what we are asked to do as Catholics.  The quote "Judge not, lest ye be judged" is often given as a means to stifle this responsibility.  However, if we read juuust a little bit further, we'll come to understand that this misrepresented quote (found on everything from billboards to memes to T-shirts) means something much different than the sound byte it's utilized as.

Here is the quote in its entirety (from the New American Bible, so the wording is slightly changed):

Jesus said to His disciples: “Stop judging, that you may not be judged. For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove that splinter from your eye,’ while the wooden beam is in your eye? You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.”  Matt 7:1-5

In other words, use your God-given intellect to discern judgement.  It isn't necessarily meaning we should condemn, but it's certainly charging us with the responsibility of properly judging all things with equality.

In fact, there are quotes all over the Bible specifically commanding this of us.

In the gospels, Luke echoes Matthew in Chapter 6 with "Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven... For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you."

John (7:24) relays Jesus saying "Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteously."

In Proverbs (3:21), "Preserve sound judgement and discernment."

In the Letter of St. Paul to the Phillipians (1:9-11), "And this is my prayer: that your love may increase ever more and more in knowledge and every kind of perception, to discern what is of value, so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God."

And my favorite (also from Luke 6) stating, "A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For people do not pick figs from thorn bushes, nor do they gather grapes from brambles. A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil; for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks."