Is it pride or arrogance when

[TreeOfLife123]

Is it pride or arrogance when people think they know better than someone else or just know better than others? Spiritually what is it when people think they know better than others or that their opinions must be true? I think some would say it’s pride or arrogance but I’m not sure.

 

[Robert_Sock]

Is it pride or arrogance when people think they know better than someone else or just know better than others? Spiritually what is it when people think they know better than others or that their opinions must be true? I think some would say it’s pride or arrogance but I’m not sure.

I think there is such a thing as ‘spiritual pride.’ Not what God wants.

 

[in_servitude]

Is it pride or arrogance when people think they know better than someone else or just know better than others? Spiritually what is it when people think they know better than others or that their opinions must be true? I think some would say it’s pride or arrogance but I’m not sure.

An example would help out here.

One possible way to discern the question of pride is, “How do/will you feel inside when you learn that you are wrong?” When you are faced with reality, will you embrace the new information? Will you be happy that you are found out to be wrong? Or, will you try to justify your error? Will you be embarrassed?

Satan will use your pride against you. That’s why it’s a sin. That’s why we’re better off learning how to live without pride. Well, I should say that Satan uses my pride against me - I’m just guessing he’d use yours against you.

 

[Ophelia23]

Is it pride or arrogance when people think they know better than someone else or just know better than others? Spiritually what is it when people think they know better than others or that their opinions must be true? I think some would say it’s pride or arrogance but I’m not sure.

I think, honestly, that it depends greatly on the intent. It is true that God grants wisdom on different time tables for different people. It is also true that God grants more wisdom to some than to others. And to whom much is given, much more is expected. However, we are tasked with taking our gifts (in this case, wisdom) and using it to gently light the fire in others. We aren’t to use it to burn them to the ground.

Gifts can be used properly, or they can be abused.

 

[TreeOfLife123]

Well what seems to be rampant where I am is not that people know topics well but instead that they DON’T know well the facts and they put down and belittle other people by telling other people they don’t know anything. It’s like they’re “wise in their own eyes” and judging things based on what they learn in school rather than what is true and compatible with scripture. I can provide an example: the falsehood that most things are hereditary genetic and not taking into consideration the whole person and what happens to a person.

I am very upset that so many people belittle others when they sincerely don’t know facts. It’s more of a hurtful emotional game that they play(when they belittle people and tell them they don’t know anything because they don’t go along with what is taught in school) than a true desire to get at truth and understanding and wisdom.

So I need to step back and ask myself what would be a solution to this problem. That there are so many people who are wise in their own eyes while believing in falsehood. And they belittle people and put them down all the time for not believing in what is taught in school. It’s truly a hurtful emotional game they play by doing that.

 

[in_servitude]

Well what seems to be rampant where I am is not that people know topics well but instead that they DON’T know well the facts and they put down and belittle other people by telling other people they don’t know anything. It’s like they’re “wise in their own eyes” and judging things based on what they learn in school rather than what is true and compatible with scripture. I can provide an example: the falsehood that most things are hereditary genetic and not taking into consideration the whole person and what happens to a person.

I am very upset that so many people belittle others when they sincerely don’t know facts. It’s more of a hurtful emotional game that they play(when they belittle people and tell them they don’t know anything because they don’t go along with what is taught in school) than a true desire to get at truth and understanding and wisdom.

So I need to step back and ask myself what would be a solution to this problem. That there are so many people who are wise in their own eyes while believing in falsehood. And they belittle people and put them down all the time for not believing in what is taught in school. It’s truly a hurtful emotional game they play by doing that.

Well, I have found that I am less bothered by this kind of behavior the more time I spend in prayer. Also, I seek the help of Our Lady and pray that all of my own flaws be brought to my attention. Once I started doing that, I learned (pretty darn quickly) that I have waaaayyyy too much to work in my own self on to worry about the flaws in others.

So, my solution to your situation might seem like nonsense to you. But, it is:

1. Prayer and
2. Fasting

Possibly, add some alms in there too.

If you ask Our Lady to petition her son for the grace of knowing your sinfulness, you might be surprised by the result.

But - I could have this all wrong - this is just an idea from what I see written here.

 

[TreeOfLife123]

I do engage in frequent prayer but I still get upset by how people are basically getting the message across that I don’t know anything. It has nothing to do with actual content or getting to know what I actually do know but instead with perhaps appearance.

I don’t really understand where they’re getting their opinion of my knowledge or what they think is a lack thereof from. Or why it matters so much to them. But it still has an emotional effect when they behave so badly.

I do think that if I dressed differently people would treat me differently. I think their perception of me may be affected by how I am dressed.

There are a lot of injustices in the United States. That’s for sure.

 

[thistle]

Is it pride or arrogance when people think they know better than someone else or just know better than others? Spiritually what is it when people think they know better than others or that their opinions must be true? I think some would say it’s pride or arrogance but I’m not sure.

St John of the Cross in Dark Night of the Soul puts it this way:

“Some souls suffer from another kind of spiritual anger. They watch over others with a kind of restless fervor, perpetually annoyed by the transgressions they perceive. The impulse arises to reprove the other souls in an angry way. Sometimes they even indulge this nasty urge, elevating themselves as masters of virtue. This is all quite contrary to spiritual meekness.”

 

[TreeOfLife123]

St John of the Cross in Dark Night of the Soul puts it this way:

“Some souls suffer from another kind of spiritual anger. They watch over others with a kind of restless fervor, perpetually annoyed by the transgressions they perceive. The impulse arises to reprove the other souls in an angry way. Sometimes they even indulge this nasty urge, elevating themselves as masters of virtue. This is all quite contrary to spiritual meekness.”

Interesting thank you.

 

[epan]

Is it pride or arrogance when people think they know better than someone else or just know better than others? Spiritually what is it when people think they know better than others or that their opinions must be true? I think some would say it’s pride or arrogance but I’m not sure.

We all come to our own beliefs based on what we can understand. There is nothing arrogant about that.

Arrogance is pushing our beliefs on others. Telling others that ours is the only point of view. Things like that.

 

[Lady_Love]

Other people’s opinions don’t really matter. What matters is that you know the truth. Jesus was often misjudged, misunderstood, and misrepresented. People were always projecting Him to be other than who He was. But Jesus was secure in His relationship with the Father and secure in the Truth and didn’t let others define Him. He is letting you share in that experience with Him.

 

[TreeOfLife123]

Thanks everyone.
I think I’ll be OK but it might be a challenge from time to time.