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Do Religions Promote Self-Righteousness?
- Thread starter Sunstone
- Start date
Father Heathen
Veteran Member
Well, any religion that sees itself as an absolute truth or supreme authority tend to have followers who possess a sense of superiority and entitlement. And religions that teach guilt and condemnation instill in their followers a loathing for themselves and for of fellow man.
Nade
Godless Skeptic
Catholocism.
Just the other day, I heard a priest on the local catholic radio station expounding on the righteousness of the catholic religion, and how we should take care to judge others so that we may better lead them along the path to salvation.
Yes, I do listen to that catholic radio station. No, I don't believe everything that is said on it. Very little, actually. oh well.
Just the other day, I heard a priest on the local catholic radio station expounding on the righteousness of the catholic religion, and how we should take care to judge others so that we may better lead them along the path to salvation.
Yes, I do listen to that catholic radio station. No, I don't believe everything that is said on it. Very little, actually. oh well.
tomspug
Absorbant
Self-righteousness isn't a flaw due to religion, but due to the person. The difference is whether or not you believe that morality is a tool for the purpose of setting "good" people from "bad" people. This is a misuse of religion for the benefit of the ego. Morality itself comes from the concept of universal justice. That there are things that are clearly wrong and things that are clearly good.
Hypocrisy should be acknowledged as being included in the "wrong" category of any sense of morality.
Hypocrisy should be acknowledged as being included in the "wrong" category of any sense of morality.
Charity
Let's go racing boys !
Yes I believe some religions promote feelings of self righteousness. People become so holy that they tend to ascend above the higher power they are suppose to worship. They set themselves up as judge's and pronounce condemnation on everyone else thinking they themselves are above the rules. Rules were made for the small insignificant people, not for the self righteous.
The self righteous hide behind religion, using it as a crutch. They consider it a way to justify their short comings and bigotry.
As Tomspug pointed out, it depends on each person. Some people it may cause self-righteousness, and in others self pity. And in most, neither.
I think believing you are right tends to bring out the self-righteousness in people, if it is there... self-righteous Atheists, self-righteous Christians, self-righteous in politics...
I think that religion does promote both self-righteousness and self-pity, I also think that the Church does a good job of identifying who need what, to the severely depressed it preaches self-worth, to those that exaggerate their worth it serves them a good dosage of humility, so I don’t think that it a bad thing that they do promote it.
UnityNow101
Well-Known Member
I have personally never met a humble God-ist. God tends to be another extension of their own ego, inflating it to super-human proportions...
Do you really believe that every single person who believes in God has a big fat ego? How does that explain all the atheists who also have big, fat egos?
Generalizing again.
Generalizing again.
UnityNow101
Well-Known Member
Everyone has an ego, to be sure. One tends to turn the God/religion of their choice, which is really an idea, into an extension of themselves, and will hold onto it as if it is true at all costs; it becomes part of them and splits them from the reality of the world. It creates a false barrier between my faith and yours. My God and your God. It is no different then me putting myself above you, only I believe that I am putting a higher cause above your silly and tripe false God and religion. In many cases, the collective ego can be much more dangerous then the personal ego because instead of one person with a high degree of self-righteousness, you have millions with a group righteousness. And they are set against another collective ego with another million followers...Conflict ensues.
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tomspug
Absorbant
I agree. But you're assertion that religion is in any way unique from any other "collective idea" is simply wrong.
BruceDLimber
Well-Known Member
Greetings!
Hopefully, religions promote righteousness of self rather than self-righteousness!
Best,
Bruce
Hopefully, religions promote righteousness of self rather than self-righteousness!
Best,
Bruce
UnityNow101
Well-Known Member
Yes. There are many types of collective egos including political, nationalistic, ethnic-based, etc...Religion is no different then any of them. But thread is about the feeling of righteousness found within religion.
UnityNow101
Well-Known Member
Yeah, that makes perfect sense.
Heneni
Miss Independent
At first church followers get high on religion, the opium feels great, then when they came down and there is no more excitement they swop the opium for crutches. Those who dont have crutches have guns. Both hit others over the head with whatever they have to get what they want, because they believe that they are gods elect.
Those who prefer not to go to church, do the same thing...get high on whatever makes them feel great, and when life turnes out to be sesame street, they swop their opiums for pride. And feeling liberated from god and elevated in their stance, they too become the 'elect' who are not delusional like the rest.
Self-rightesousness isnt limited to churchy folk.
Heneni
Those who prefer not to go to church, do the same thing...get high on whatever makes them feel great, and when life turnes out to be sesame street, they swop their opiums for pride. And feeling liberated from god and elevated in their stance, they too become the 'elect' who are not delusional like the rest.
Self-rightesousness isnt limited to churchy folk.
Heneni
blackout
Violet.
Self- Right-eous-ness.
Well if you felt you were wrong,
I guess you'd be doin' something else. Right?
Problem is when one feels their own Right-ness,
must necessarily be the one... the only right-ness.
This is where even those who were once right,
(within themself)
go very very wrong....
and Self Rightness
gives way to
Self Righteousness.
One size does not fit all.
Well if you felt you were wrong,
I guess you'd be doin' something else. Right?
Problem is when one feels their own Right-ness,
must necessarily be the one... the only right-ness.
This is where even those who were once right,
(within themself)
go very very wrong....
and Self Rightness
gives way to
Self Righteousness.
One size does not fit all.
Even within groups people are individuals. Sure a whole group may be self righteous, but that doesn't make each person within the group self righteous.