Does recognising wrong behaviours make a person self righteous?

Question

I don't think so. I think it is when you fail to see your own sins or think your better than those who sins you have identified that makes you self righteous? So then would thinking your better than a muderer or rapist make you self righteous? I know this is allot to chew on and comment on but I would be interested in any thoughts.

So explain to me if you were on a jury you would not convict a murderer or rapist because you don't want to judge another persons behaviours? I find some of the answers a little bewildering.

I thik there is allot of good points beng made here and I have to admit tere is a point to this question. Often Christians on this sight are accused of being self rigtheous, holier than thou etc... When I see this I asked based on what? I agree some people do act like this but only when they deny their own sin or think they are better by their own efforts. Christian belief (which we may forget sometimes) is that are own righteousness is as filthy rags which is why we rely on the Righteousness offered to us through Christ's atonement(not our deeds).

I thik there is allot of good points beng made here and I have to admit tere is a point to this question. Often Christians on this sight are accused of being self rigtheous, holier than thou etc... When I see this I asked based on what? I agree some people do act like this but only when they deny their own sin or think they are better by their own efforts. Christian belief (which we may forget sometimes) is that are own righteousness is as filthy rags which is why we rely on the Righteousness offered to us through Christ's atonement(not our deeds).

Bookworm so answer me this: You would never if sitting on a jury find anyone guilty of anything?

Answer 1

No, self righteous is when you put down other human beings instead of trying to build them up

Answer 2

I'm trying to do the same thing myself. Right now this is what I think, but that could change at any moment. You have to try and consider that this person either didn't realise what they did to you or feels so guilty about it that the only way they know how to handle it is to be cruel to you. You must be the bigger person, have the bigger heart, you absolutely have to be bigger than them, because once you have got past the anger (I think you do get past it eventually lol), you can be free of the hurt and they will have to live with what they did to you for the rest of their lives. If you are able to forgive them, you no longer have to live with the pain, but they will always have to live with what they did, that cannot be taken away, once the deed has been done, they will have that on their conscience for ever. Ask me again in an hour and I'll give you a whole new answer, probably just stab them or something, except that might not be very spiritual!

Answer 3

One has to make judgements to some degree, in order to decide how to deal with others effectively. One can learn a lot from the bad behavior of others. Instead of getting really mad at other arround you, it is good to try to make sure your behavior is an improvement on their behavior. One can develop a certain confidence in your moral capabilities and work hard at maintaining the higher moral ground. A competition on behaving in a moral way can be good. But morality is complicated, so one must be careful that we give people the benefit of the doubt, and hear their reasoning or explanation. You need to have some sense of self righteousness, if you are going to try to have a positive affect on the morality of this world, especially if you are involved in some very worthwhile cause. Some self righteous is a good thing, mixed with a little humility.

Answer 4

No offense, but yes, it does make you self-righteous. You have no business pointing out other peoples' wrongdoings/sins. I know some Christians think it's their job to point out other peoples' flaws/wrongdoings/sins, but really what they're doing is meddling. (This is why most people think Christians are hypocritical and meddlesome gossippers.) Dwell on your own life, and your own sins, not other peoples'. You aren't better than the rest of us. You certainly aren't perfect. You do not know what's best for another person, and you have no business pointing out other peoples' sins/wrongdoings/flaws. We already know about them. So mind your own business and live and let live. It really is not that hard.

I'll probably get a lot of TDs because I know I've probably stepped on some toes, but what I've said is the truth, and sometimes the truth makes people uncomfortable.

Answer 5

Recognizing the sins of others does not make you self righteous.
Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, Let me take the speck out of your eye when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."

In Matthew 7:2-5, Jesus warns against judging someone else for their sin when you yourself are sinning even worse. That is the kind of judging Jesus commanded us not to do. If a believer sees another believer sinning, it is their Christian duty to lovingly and respectfully confront the person with their sin (Matthew 18:15-17). This is not judging, but rather pointing out the truth in hope of bringing repentance in the other person (James 5:20).

Answer 6

Romans 3 v 23

Answer 7

Recognizing wrong behaviors does not make a person self-righteous. Thinking he doesn't have wrong behaviors, or that he is incapable of the wrong behaviors he sees in others, or that he is better in God's sight than someone with wrong behaviors is the definition of self-righteousness.

It is good for everyone of us to say daily: There, but for the grace of God go I." We are no better, no worse, than the next person. We may have had more advantages in life, more opportunity, education, knowledge, better genes, better examples. That just makes us more accountable not better. God loves everyone the same. He hates sin....mine, yours, the next guys, no matter whether it is pride or murder.

Feeling thankful for God's grace is not self-righteousness. Feeling "thankful that I'm not like that other guy" is.

Answer 8

To recognise wrong behaviour, one needs a standard against which to judge: evolutionists fall down at this point, because 'survival of the fittest' means a man seeks to perpetuate his genes by reproduction. He therefore has an overwhelming desire to mate with as many women as possible -- including those who reject his advances, so he rapes them. But hang on, rape may lead him to be imprisoned if caught leading him to lose the chance to reproduce, so he murders the girl in order to cover his tracks.
All this is brought forth by The Selfish Gene; it therefore follows that any crime with a sexual -- a reproductive -- purpose is caused by his desire to have progeny, & the murder likewise is to avoid being caught, thereby allowing him to continue his reproductive mission.
The point is, as this would be seen as a logical outcome of the belief in atheistic evolution, there is no fault as it is 'survival instinct': 'survival of the fittest'.
So logically there is no need for laws if 'survival of the fittest is true; actually those very laws could inadvertently be holding back evolution.

However, with the TRUTH of the Bible, we see the very real need for people to detest rape, & promisuity (i.e. fornication), adultery, incest, homosexuality, paedophilia, murder, slavery, or anything else that goes against the teachings the God of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob.

May God bless all who truly seek Him.

Answer 9

NO. WE are asked to discern from the righteous and the wicked. It is what comes out of ones mouth that makes him judgmental.

Job 34:4 (NIV) Bible
Let us discern for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good.

Proverbs 14:6 (NIV) Bible
The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none, but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.

1 Kings 3:12 (NIV) Bible
I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.

Job 6:30 (NIV) Bible
Is there any wickedness on my lips? Can my mouth not discern malice?

Psalm 119:125 (NIV) Bible
I am your servant; give me discernment that I may understand your statutes.

Proverbs 1:5 (NIV) Bible
let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance-

Proverbs 3:21 (NIV) Bible
My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight;

Proverbs 10:13 (NIV) Bible
Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks judgment.

Proverbs 15:14 (NIV) Bible
The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.

Proverbs 16:21 (NIV) Bible
The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant words promote instruction.

Proverbs 17:24 (NIV)
A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth.

Proverbs 17:28 (NIV) Bible
Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.

Proverbs 18:15 (NIV) Bible
The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out.

Proverbs 28:11 (NIV) Bible
A rich man may be wise in his own eyes, but a poor man who has discernment sees through him.

Hosea 14:9 (NIV) Bible
Who is wise? He will realize these things. Who is discerning? He will understand them. The ways of the LORD are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.

1 Corinthians 2:14 (NIV) Bible
The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Philippians 1:10 (NIV) Bible
so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ,

Answer 10

No. A self righteous person is someone who thinks they are perfect and looks down on everyone who is making the same mistakes they used to make.