Why is Arrogance Such a Common Characteristic Among Christians?
Christian doctrine pays lip service to humility, but there is little evidence of its practice, particularly among far-right Christians today.
I am currently having to deal with a few very religious members of my family and their reaction to my announcement that I am a transgender woman. Time and again their responses to me takes the form of “You are completely wrong/deluded/deranged and you’ll never find happiness/peace/fulfillment following the path you’ve chosen.” By the way, these people are not trained in psychology or mental health or anything remotely related to those fields. In other words, they have no credentials that would lend credence to their pronouncements.
The absolute nature of my relatives' responses is not an anomaly. How many times have we heard a conservative Christian authoritatively proclaim that “there are only two genders” or “you can’t change your gender?” Side note: Much like a room full of monkeys could theoretically reproduce the works of Shakespeare through random typing, the second statement, though spoken out of pure stupidity, is true. This is precisely the reason many transgender folks change their outward presentation, and to varying degrees their bodies, to better match the gender they have always been.
Far-right Christians and Christian MAGA politicians make claims about the frequency and effects of “genital mutilation” on children, call “biological boys” playing on girl’s teams the “women’s issue of our times,” and generally spout rubbish as if they had thoroughly studied the issue, listened to actual experts with actual credentials, and read all (or any of) the related peer-reviewed publications.
Such people “know” that their religious beliefs are the truth, and somehow this makes them the final arbiters of truth in all areas of life. The world in which they live is quite simple. There are no opinions. There are facts (what they think) and fallacies (what anyone who disagrees with them thinks.) Of course, this isn’t limited to Christians. Perhaps it’s just more striking, given the contrast between their arrogance and the supposed value placed on love and humility by their religion.
Never mind that the fundamental “truth” they “know” is based on a compilation of stories for which there is no corroborating evidence, peopled with supposedly historical figures for which there is, likewise, no corroborating evidence. Christian teaching states that the bible is god’s inerrant word, so it is. If I believe it is, I clearly have excellent judgment, so I am the font of *all* truth. And hell (I mean, heck!), if the bible doesn’t need corroboration, why should I? Most people wouldn’t come right out and *say* these things, but their behavior “says” them quite clearly.
I’m reminded of arguments between young children - “Is not,” “Is so,” “Is not,” ad infinitum. In a memorable incident from long ago, one of my kids stated a fact that was anything but. When I told them that what they had heard wasn’t the truth, their response was “Uh huh, [insert friend’s name] says so!” Staking out an extreme and inflexible position? Steadfastly claiming truth based solely on someone else's claim, denying actual evidence to the contrary? What adult would do such a thing? [rhetorical question — see title for clue]
“I don’t quite understand what you are saying, but I accept your experience and want to understand. Could you tell me more?” This is not a common response from anyone, sadly. Recent personal and national events, however, have demonstrated how exceedingly rare such a nuanced, self-aware response is among conservative Christians.
I’d like to think we could make progress in that direction, that rationality and curiosity might begin to replace fear-driven histrionics. I’d also like to win the lottery, find a cure for cancer, and see an end to all injustice. What? It could happen!
