Tag Archives: humility

I’m right and everyone else is an idiot

Leave a reply

I’m not sure if it was from being out of the country for 15 years or just getting old, but when we returned to the States in 2002, I found talk radio to be disgusting. Not all of it; I like Dr. Dean Edell, Dave Ramsey, Bruce Williams and most of the sports shows. It’s the “I’m right and everyone else is an idiot” guys that blew me away. Suddenly abuse was the order of the day. The only way to be seen as truly believing in one’s ideas was to belittle opponents, accusing them of mental and moral deficiency. Anyone who disagreed was a dishonest, idiotic coward who just didn’t get it.

Somehow, that same tone invaded many religious discussions. Maybe it’s always been that way. But I sure notice it a lot more these days. When I’ve pointed this out at times, I’ve been reminded that “there is only one truth,” so there is no reason to be respectful to those that disagree. [Just so you’ll know I’m not just picking on “us,” I experienced the same in a non-Church of Christ forum when I defended the belief that baptism is part of the salvation process.]

Is it possible to have strong convictions, yet express one’s opinion humbly and respectfully? Can I truly believe that I’m right, yet allow for the outside possibility that I’m wrong?

I’m very much open to suggestions as to how to express disagreement in the proper way, how to share strong convictions in a non-offensive way. Let’s hear what you have to say.

Hubris

Leave a reply

hu·bris (hyōō’brĭs)
n. Overbearing pride or presumption; arrogance

While traveling last week, the blog feeds continued to pile up. There were literally hundreds of posts waiting to be read when I got back. Sorry, folks. I just couldn’t do it.

But I happened to read one of the first ones, a blog by a preacher seen as “progressive” in our brotherhood. He was voicing his views on the role of women and made the following statement: “This post isn’t about the issue of women and gifts, per se. Time will take care of this, anyway. Churches will realize they were wrong — just as on the issue of race.”

I was saddened by the incredible arrogance of this statement. “Don’t worry… someday everyone will be mature enough to hold my opinion.” It’s an attitude long associated with the “conservatives” in our brotherhood, the old “You can hold my opinion or you can hold the wrong one.” We need to be confident of what we believe. We need to hold strong opinions. But we need to have the humility to recognize that we can be wrong! Especially when godly, intelligent, studious brothers and sisters disagree with us. We need to enter a discussion willing to listen and learn, and change if necessary! When we believe that we hold the only opinion and that others only need to mature and see it our way, we’ll never get anywhere.

I’m afraid that attitudes like that will lead to division in our brotherhood. There is no room for gnosticism in the church, no room for illuminati. We are all growing and learning. I don’t see things the way I saw them 10 years ago, and I hope to grow more in the next 10 years. But at times I return to an older position, seeing that my “new insights” were wrong. If we aren’t willing to do that, then we aren’t maturing at all.

My friend and colleague Steve Ridgell has an excellent post on this same issue. Take some time to read it.

And while we’re at it, let’s take some time and get over ourselves. “Another round of humility for this table, please.”