📖 Biblical Definition
To disregard is to refuse to attend to, value, or weigh another — a withholding of the dignity Scripture commands toward every image-bearer (Genesis 1:27; James 2:1-9). It must be distinguished sharply from disagreement: disagreement differs in judgment but still grants the dignity of consideration; disregard withholds dignity altogether. The proud disregard the poor (James 2:6); the impatient disregard the slow; the strong disregard the weak; the cultured disregard the unsophisticated. Christ never disregarded anyone — He answered Pilate, the Samaritan woman, the leper, the demoniac, the rich young ruler, the blind beggar. Christian men must learn to engage what they disagree with rather than dismiss it; to value the dignity of even the wrong-headed image-bearer in front of them.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
Not to regard; to slight; to neglect; to refuse weight to.
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To treat as unworthy of attention or consideration; to slight; to neglect; to refuse the dignity due. Active or passive: a man may disregard another by ignoring him, by dismissing him, or by treating his words and presence as if they did not require response.
Crucial distinction: you can disagree with someone fully while regarding them as fearfully and wonderfully made. The Christian discipline is to maintain regard precisely through disagreement — weighing the person even while differing from the position.
📖 Key Scripture
Luke 11:42 — "But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone."
Proverbs 14:21 — "He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he."
James 2:8-9 — "If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
Conflated with disagreement so that any contrary judgment is felt as withholding of dignity. Two distinct categories merged into one.
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The modern conflation runs both ways. Some, eager to never be felt as disregarding, refuse to disagree at all — flattering, affirming, ducking the harder words. Others, eager to disagree freely, dismiss the felt-disregard of those they correct as oversensitivity. Both miss the pastoral discipline.
The biblical pattern is to disagree without disregarding. To weigh the person fully — their image-bearing dignity, their story, their burden — while still saying "I don’t think you’re right about this." Many feel disregarded when only disagreed with; pastoral patience is the slow work of teaching them the difference, while keeping the regard real and visible.
When someone says "you’re disregarding me," the loving response is rarely to back off the disagreement. It is to demonstrate the regard more concretely — eye contact, listening, time, prayer, presence — while holding the disagreement steady. Regard is shown in conduct; disagreement is held in conviction.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Latin dis- away + re-gard- look upon.
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['Latin', '—', 'dis-', 'away from']
['Old French', '—', 'regarder', 'to look upon, take notice of']
['Greek', 'G818', 'atimazō', 'to dishonor, treat as unworthy']
Usage
"To regard another is to weigh their full image-bearing dignity."
"To disagree without disregard is the Christian discipline."
"When someone feels disregarded, demonstrate regard concretely — do not abandon the disagreement to prove it."