Self-Righteousness: Can You Convince ‘The Convinced’?
I am pretty much convinced that if it is too good, it isn’t true. Very simple lines, but it can re-frame your views regarding the concept of ‘self-righteous.’ It all started from having a belief encoded so insidious of your roots that it cannot be altered without breaking it. Let’s redefine the Self-Righteous Definition into a more accurate sense.
When a belief breaks, it invites vulnerability at the catastrophic level, especially if it is powerful and sowed years ago. Let me tell you a story which simplifies the concept of being self-righteous with blunt brushstrokes.
Unfolding the Truth about Self-Righteousness
Usually, stories begin from ‘when I was kid…’ but this begins from my post-teenage age. My grandfather was a follower of spiritualism whereas, in my family, most people believe in the orthodox aspect of god presence in the world. It doesn’t matter what religion I speak of. The funny part is a religion is something which invokes self-righteous Definitions in the very moral codes of people. I must tell you that concept, motive, and objective of religion is same and similar, so it doesn’t actually matter which religion I am referring to.
Religion is the primary source of feeding morality compass into human consciousness. Before I present myself too much to reveal, let me complete the story. There was a get together in my home. I asked my grandfather a question which nobody sees it coming. I said, “Grandpa, Is God Exist?”
I don’t much then, but I remember the relief on being asked this question finally. He smiled and looked at my other family members who were actually seemed mad at me.
He then told me a story which I am relating you here. There was a man, a devotee who devoted his entire life believing that God is there. He served him, praised him, spread his words and worshipped the almighty god all the time. He was a self-righteous man with the belief of God's existence. But after spending his entire life, a little doubt came. Once an enlightened being, a yogi visited the town. He asked the inevitable question ‘Is God Exist? The Enlighten being answered ‘No.’
Again, at a similar kind of gathering with enlighten being. Another man who has always strongly reject the existence of god neglected any almighty power; a true atheist lived his whole life with similar self-righteous belief guided by the power of his ego and knowledge. Towards the end of his life, again, a little doubt came. He asked the enlightened being, the same inevitable question ‘Is God Exist?’ He said ‘Yes.’
Just like you, I was too confused on these two contradictory answers of the enlightened being. I asked “I didn’t get it, grandpa. Is God Exist or not? He said ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ both.”
Then, my grandfather told me that answer which the enlightened being clarified on the existence of god. This answer can change your life as it did to mine. It re-engineered the concept of self-righteousness or Self-Righteous Definition.
He said “It doesn’t matter whether the god exists or not? It even doesn’t matter what you believe or what not. What matters is whether you believe in anything or not. Whether you believe God exists or you think it’s not, you are in the same boat. Strong beliefs create morals and sense of self-righteousness because whatever your belief feeds you a script about how and what to respond with that filtration.
For example, in the case of the existence of God, whether you believe in either of the theories, you will live in a world of conflict, not self-discovery and knowledge. The best power lies in the sentence ‘I don’t know’ because when you don’t know, you start the pursuit of finding it.
Difference Between Right and Wrong
Self-righteous is the concept where people think what they do or think is serving a purpose or a belief which is already true in their mind. But what happens when the foundation in their head is actually not true at all.
You might consider the difference between right and true. Right is according to perspective. What can be right for me, it can be wrong for you. Truth is indeed true; it never serves to any belief. It is factual, hence dark.
Terrorists are the best example of self-righteous men in the extreme sense. I mean just think what possible logic or philosophy they have to kill innocents. I think that there is no logic at all. It is pure belief where they think what they are doing is right. Not applies to everyone but in general, it the best example of the extreme side of thinking.
If you already know what is right and what is wrong, then why aren’t you perfect? It is simply that the world doesn’t work on right and wrong. It works on the shades. Yes, there should be a sense of morality in the people, but it will be better if it based on truth, logic, and reasoning. Morality can be faltered. Self-righteous might works in the tiniest forms, but it does more harm than good.
Conclusion
Self-righteous men are either fools or cowards, reluctant to face the truth and complications come with it. They do what is simple. And that is to just put things into either of two sides where one is right, and one is wrong. They are already convinced on something else while you are trying to convince them otherwise. But do understand that righteousness is not your enemy like self-righteousness as they both are different. Righteousness is actually a simple word which can be termed as ‘tendency to know or find what is right’ if you let it be.