Have you ever felt smug about your religious beliefs? - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

Archaea · 01-15-2008, 02:25 PM

Confession: There were times in my youth, when I'd hear somebody else disclose what I believed to be naive religious opinions, and believing I had received "true religion" smugly thought to myself, "won't he be surprised in the hereafter."

Now, certainty has been replaced with hope, and smugness has been substituted with some level of appreciation.

I do note, that High Priest Group meeting, though containing a lot of fine men, often resorts to a lot of smug remarks and self-congratulatory remarks, rather than true worship or increased understanding.

This seems to be increasingly true as we discuss Joseph Smith. Many feel so comfortable with the story, although a large portion are unaware of many interesting facts.

What do you believe is the psychological cause of smugness?

Indy Coug · 01-15-2008, 02:36 PM

A lot of Joseph Smith's comments in response to his detractors could be interpreted as smug. Actually, there are quite a few comments in the scriptures from God and Christ that could easily be interpreted as smug.

Archaea · 01-15-2008, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Indy Coug

A lot of Joseph Smith's comments in response to his detractors could be interpreted as smug. Actually, there are quite a few comments in the scriptures from God and Christ that could easily be interpreted as smug.

I can remember a few, but I also remember a few times where Joseph Smith tried to correct that impression as well. He seemed attuned to the concept that perhaps he was perceived as smug.

I wonder if part of Nephi's character was that he might have been perceived by his older brethren as smug.

Tex · 01-15-2008, 02:44 PM

Moses reminds us that he was the meekest man on the face of the earth.

MikeWaters · 01-15-2008, 02:45 PM

13 For they had a place built up in the center of their synagogue, a place for standing, which was high above the head; and the top thereof would only admit one person.
14 Therefore, whosoever desired to aworship must go forth and stand upon the top thereof, and stretch forth his hands towards heaven, and cry with a loud voice, saying:
15 Holy, holy God; we believe that thou art God, and we believe that thou art holy, and that thou wast a aspirit, and that thou art a spirit, and that thou wilt be a spirit forever.
16 Holy God, we believe that thou hast separated us from our brethren; and we do not believe in the tradition of our brethren, which was handed down to them by the childishness of their fathers; but we believe that thou hast aelected us to be thy bholy children; and also thou hast made it known unto us that cthere shall be dno Christ.
17 But thou art the same yesterday, today, and forever; and thou hast aelected us that we shall be saved, whilst all around us are elected to be cast by thy wrath down to hell; for the which holiness, O God, we thank thee; and we also thank thee that thou hast elected us, that we may not be led away after the foolish traditions of our brethren, which doth bbind them down to a belief of Christ, which doth lead their hearts to wander far from thee, our God.
18 And again we thank thee, O God, that we are a chosen and a holy people. Amen.
19 Now it came to pass that after Alma and his brethren and his sons had heard these prayers, they were astonished beyond all measure.
20 For behold, every man did go forth and offer up these same aprayers.
21 Now the place was called by them Rameumptom, which, being interpreted, is the holy stand.

Xander · 01-15-2008, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archaea

Confession: There were times in my youth, when I'd hear somebody else disclose what I believed to be naive religious opinions, and believing I had received "true religion" smugly thought to myself, "won't he be surprised in the hereafter."

Now, certainty has been replaced with hope, and smugness has been substituted with some level of appreciation.

I do note, that High Priest Group meeting, though containing a lot of fine men, often resorts to a lot of smug remarks and self-congratulatory remarks, rather than true worship or increased understanding.

This seems to be increasingly true as we discuss Joseph Smith. Many feel so comfortable with the story, although a large portion are unaware of many interesting facts.

What do you believe is the psychological cause of smugness?

Good post, I could make the same confession. One incident sticks out. We were walking to the school building from seminary and a man mockingly asks us if God spoke to us today. I responded "Yes, and he said you are going to hell.

Homo Erectus · 01-15-2008, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archaea

Confession: There were times in my youth, when I'd hear somebody else disclose what I believed to be naive religious opinions, and believing I had received "true religion" smugly thought to myself, "won't he be surprised in the hereafter."

Now, certainty has been replaced with hope, and smugness has been substituted with some level of appreciation.

I do note, that High Priest Group meeting, though containing a lot of fine men, often resorts to a lot of smug remarks and self-congratulatory remarks, rather than true worship or increased understanding.

This seems to be increasingly true as we discuss Joseph Smith. Many feel so comfortable with the story, although a large portion are unaware of many interesting facts.

What do you believe is the psychological cause of smugness?

I think we develop a smug belief system most often due to a lack of diversity in our lives. The more time we spend with quality people of diverse backgrounds, the less likely we are to subconsciously condemn people who subscribe to different religious philosophies. Encouraging diversity of experience, and eschewing a homogenous existence is the solution, IMO.

myboynoah · 01-15-2008, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xander

We were walking to the school building from seminary and a man mockingly asks us if God spoke to us today. I responded "Yes, and he said you are going to hell.

I like that. I'm going to use it at the next opportunity.

Archaea · 01-15-2008, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by myboynoah

I like that. I'm going to use it at the next opportunity.

Sounds like how I responded to similar questions, "He said, 'Go to Hell.'"

I guess I was a bit impertinent in my day.

01-15-2008, 02:25 PM	#1
Archaea Assistant to the Regional Manager Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: The Orgasmatron Posts: 24,338	Have you ever felt smug about your religious beliefs? Confession: There were times in my youth, when I'd hear somebody else disclose what I believed to be naive religious opinions, and believing I had received "true religion" smugly thought to myself, "won't he be surprised in the hereafter." Now, certainty has been replaced with hope, and smugness has been substituted with some level of appreciation. I do note, that High Priest Group meeting, though containing a lot of fine men, often resorts to a lot of smug remarks and self-congratulatory remarks, rather than true worship or increased understanding. This seems to be increasingly true as we discuss Joseph Smith. Many feel so comfortable with the story, although a large portion are unaware of many interesting facts. What do you believe is the psychological cause of smugness? __________________ Ἓν οἶδα ὅτι οὐδὲν οἶδα Last edited by Archaea; 01-15-2008 at 02:31 PM.

01-15-2008, 02:44 PM	#4
Tex Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 8,596	Moses reminds us that he was the meekest man on the face of the earth. __________________ "Have we been commanded not to call a prophet an insular racist? Link?" "And yes, [2010] is a very good year to be a Democrat. Perhaps the best year in decades ..." - Cali Coug "Oh dear, granny, what a long tail our puss has got." - Brigham Young

01-15-2008, 02:36 PM	#2
Indy Coug Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Between Iraq and a hard place Posts: 7,569	A lot of Joseph Smith's comments in response to his detractors could be interpreted as smug. Actually, there are quite a few comments in the scriptures from God and Christ that could easily be interpreted as smug.

01-15-2008, 02:45 PM	#5
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	13 For they had a place built up in the center of their synagogue, a place for standing, which was high above the head; and the top thereof would only admit one person. 14 Therefore, whosoever desired to aworship must go forth and stand upon the top thereof, and stretch forth his hands towards heaven, and cry with a loud voice, saying: 15 Holy, holy God; we believe that thou art God, and we believe that thou art holy, and that thou wast a aspirit, and that thou art a spirit, and that thou wilt be a spirit forever. 16 Holy God, we believe that thou hast separated us from our brethren; and we do not believe in the tradition of our brethren, which was handed down to them by the childishness of their fathers; but we believe that thou hast aelected us to be thy bholy children; and also thou hast made it known unto us that cthere shall be dno Christ. 17 But thou art the same yesterday, today, and forever; and thou hast aelected us that we shall be saved, whilst all around us are elected to be cast by thy wrath down to hell; for the which holiness, O God, we thank thee; and we also thank thee that thou hast elected us, that we may not be led away after the foolish traditions of our brethren, which doth bbind them down to a belief of Christ, which doth lead their hearts to wander far from thee, our God. 18 And again we thank thee, O God, that we are a chosen and a holy people. Amen. 19 Now it came to pass that after Alma and his brethren and his sons had heard these prayers, they were astonished beyond all measure. 20 For behold, every man did go forth and offer up these same aprayers. 21 Now the place was called by them Rameumptom, which, being interpreted, is the holy stand.