What to do when someone teaches me something I already know

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julianp24

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Hi everyone, as the title suggests, this is something I have always struggled with and often find myself in awkward situations trying not to offend the other person.

For example, during a conversation, someone could be talking on and on about the topic of purgatory. While I don’t claim to be an expert and certainly don’t know everything there is to know about purgatory, the things they are discussing (and to avoid any confusion, this person is actively trying to educate me with the assumption that I don’t know anything about this topic) are basic things that I know already. What should I do in this scenario?
Should I…
  1. Politely say, “thanks for sharing your thoughts…” and move on to a different topic?
  2. Politely say, “thanks for sharing your thoughts, but yes I’m already well aware of those facts”
  3. Try to actively participate in the conversation and start sharing my own knowledge on purgatory to make the other person aware of the fact that I’m actually well informed on the topic.
  4. Smile politely, keep nodding and act as if I’m learning something new for the first time?
As you can see, I’m not a very humble person and this question is probably posed due to a certain level of arrogance on my part.
What I want to know is, what is the humble response to a situation like this? What would a really humble person say to this person? Humility is a virtue I struggle with.

Thank you everyone!
 
A mix of 3 & 4. It could lead to other areas of discussion which could prove fruitful for both you and your interlocuter.
 
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Matt241 said:
A mix of 3 & 4. It could lead to other areas of discussion which could prove fruitful for both you and your interlocuter.
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Yes, that’s good advice. You could also throw in a few comments like, ‘Yes, it’s a wonderful teaching, isn’t it? I was so happy when I first found this out’.
 
Anything that encourages conversation about matters spiritual. Raises the conscience to higher things.
 
Depends on the person and your relationship to them.
If this is somebody you know well who tends to drone on and on about things, you can certainly steer the topic in another direction if you’re bored.

Actually, you always have the option of changing the topic of you’re bored.

You also have the option of bearing patiently with a bit of non-fatal boredom 🙂

It’s not a sin, either way (I’m assuming you’re not rolling your eyes and calling the other person an idiot).

Now, you did admit to some spiritual pride. It’s great you have the self-awareness because now you can work on it.

Peace
 
In these circumstances I listen, not always but I try and sometimes you hear something you hadn’t thought of or hadn’t occurred to you. Ego tempts you to proclaim your knowledge of the subject, and if we succumb we only empower that part of us we might do well to diminish.

You know sometimes it’s charitable to allow someone to give you something even if you don’t want it or need it. It can be a gift to them as much as it is meant to be a gift to you.
 
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I would choose 3. If you don’t speak up and add to the conversation somehow, how will they know you don’t already know something about it?
 
You can listen with a view to seeing if he can explain this better than you do. You can always get better at telling a story.
 
Lee1 said:
In these circumstances I listen, not always but I try and sometimes you hear something you hadn’t thought of or hadn’t occurred to you. Ego tempts you to proclaim your knowledge of the subject, and if we succumb we only empower that part of us we might do well to diminish.

You know sometimes it’s charitable to allow someone to give you something even if you don’t want it or need it. It can be a gift to them as much as it is meant to be a gift to you.
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Exactly, Lee. A simple thank you will suffice unless you desire (out of genuine interest versus to prove that you are knowledgeable) to go into a deeper discussion with them on the subject.

Saint Anthony is a great saint to look to as a model on this subject. He was knowledgeable and an excellent teacher yet no one knew it. He happily went about his menial tasks until God afforded him the opportunity to preach. Everyone was astounded at his knowledge and skill.
 
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Thank him for the information. A repeat of the Word is a gift received again. I would hope that as my memory fades, many would repeat what I once knew.
 
The church is doing away with the concept of limbo, and if you already know this, you may agree or disagree.

At which point, you may share a piece of knowledge about the faith which you believe is somewhat relevant as best you can.

I would appreciate your knowledge base, as I am much aware of the fact that we have held beliefs to ourselves for far too long. It is a time for evangelization and pray for that person to continue to do so to others who are more in need of their teachings.

To tell them you would do so could cause an amazing effect in the world, don’t shut that down, but foster and encourage it. Christians are dealing with hard times.
 
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You can ask a question of them that you would like to know more about to get their opinion. This steers the subject to something you’d like their thoughts on and shows respect for them.
 
Sometimes listening about something you already know can strengthen your knowledge or give you a different perspective. I end up rehearing things all the time and feel I benefit in some way. Feel free to throw in your own thoughts as well

So a combination of 3 & 4.
 
I will listen, engage in conversation because while I have knowledge, the Church has been around for 2,000 years and there is no way I could know everything about any one topic. Always welcome a chance to deepen one’s knowledge.
 
If you want to talk about the topic, briefly bring the person up to speed on your knowledge of the area, so you don’t waste time on old ground. If you don’t, then say, “OK, I’m aware of that, but let’s get back to…” to refocus the conversation. Really, you do need to communicate what you know, though; your conversational partner can’t read minds and it isn’t as if we have any way to know what fellow Catholics have learned. There isn’t a single educational standard like the Baltimore Catechism that everyone had to memorize at some point in their lives anymore, and there hasn’t been for a very long time.
 
I agree with the other posters here, but I also applaud you on recognizing your own faults with (in your own words) arrogance and humility. That can be a particularly challenging realization to come to and address. Good for you. Keep at it.
 
You take it by a situation to situation basis.

If Father is teaching me something I already know, I’m gonna smile and nod. If a know it all thinks he is enlightening me on something and is doing it to boost his ego then I may well say “I am quite aware of that already, thank you”

Get used to it. This is gonna happen a lot everywhere for the rest of your life. At work, among friends, at church. Best to not take it personally.
 
Listen. And then say something in rhe line of “I already knew most of the teachings that you said and other ideas were quite new”.
Sometimes people expose what they know as a need to just overcome certain inner fears. There is nothing being stabbed in a conversation in which you don’t do much but listen except your ego.
Don’t interrupt something you already know but rather nod and let the agreement be bond.
“Being taught” is a personal reflection of yours. What may be actually happening is the other party being in need to expose something. And since you agree, why agitate yourself?
 
Thanks for some of the great tips and advice! Will do better next time
 
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