Christianity and arrogance

[Riders]

This is the definition of arrogance:
ADJECTIVE

1. having or revealing an exaggerated sense of one's own importance or abilities.
   "he's arrogant and opinionated" ·
   haughty · conceited · hubristic · self-important · opinionated · egotistic · full of oneself · superior · overbearing · pompous · hig

There are times when popular churches in my community make a point to witness to the public or witness at my Moms AA meeting and automatically expect me to jump on the band wagon because they think they ever so important.

They're church is so important and popular and me with my obesity I am so unpopular they arrogantly expect me to jump at the chance to go to their church and then act like their hairs shocked off their heads when I say no.

The Rodeo church did that to me last year,they explained to me that they had the rodeo and country music at their church and everyone in the group was attending and I needed to get a ride and go so I could go tot heir rodeo.

I just thought what the "0000" I hate the rodeo why would I do that? But I told them I am not Christian not interested. They acted like they were gonna faint dead, went into shock. They just way way way over estimated the popularity of their church and looked down their noses at me, thought poor little obese me, I should be friendless but I'm not.

I don't care how popular your church is. They just automatically, like said we expect you'll want to go, just automatically no question in it. They think everyone in Texas is dying to see the rodeo too.

 

[sun rise]

That's not limited to Christianity of course. But it's much to widespread.

 

[`mud]

I too call them adjectives also, all those reasons to go to their church.
And of course be `saved` by their savior, nice guy I guess, is `He` ?

 

[Kenny]

This is the definition of arrogance:
ADJECTIVE

1. having or revealing an exaggerated sense of one's own importance or abilities.
   "he's arrogant and opinionated" ·
   haughty · conceited · hubristic · self-important · opinionated · egotistic · full of oneself · superior · overbearing · pompous · hig

There are times when popular churches in my community make a point to witness to the public or witness at my Moms AA meeting and automatically expect me to jump on the band wagon because they think they ever so important.

They're church is so important and popular and me with my obesity I am so unpopular they arrogantly expect me to jump at the chance to go to their church and then act like their hairs shocked off their heads when I say no.

The Rodeo church did that to me last year,they explained to me that they had the rodeo and country music at their church and everyone in the group was attending and I needed to get a ride and go so I could go tot heir rodeo.

I just thought what the "0000" I hate the rodeo why would I do that? But I told them I am not Christian not interested. They acted like they were gonna faint dead, went into shock. They just way way way over estimated the popularity of their church and looked down their noses at me, thought poor little obese me, I should be friendless but I'm not.

I don't care how popular your church is. They just automatically, like said we expect you'll want to go, just automatically no question in it. They think everyone in Texas is dying to see the rodeo too.

I'm not sure it is arrogance. Sometimes confidence is mistaken for arrogance. Sometimes people with right hearts and love can say things that someone else interprets as arrogance.

Sometime, someone being opinionated seems to be interpreted as arrogance.

but the message of Jesus is still love.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

There are times when popular churches in my community make a point to witness to the public or witness at my Moms AA meeting and automatically expect me to jump on the band wagon because they think they ever so important.

They're church is so important and popular and me with my obesity I am so unpopular they arrogantly expect me to jump at the chance to go to their church and then act like their hairs shocked off their heads when I say no.

The Rodeo church did that to me last year,they explained to me that they had the rodeo and country music at their church and everyone in the group was attending and I needed to get a ride and go so I could go tot heir rodeo.

I just thought what the "0000" I hate the rodeo why would I do that? But I told them I am not Christian not interested. They acted like they were gonna faint dead, went into shock. They just way way way over estimated the popularity of their church and looked down their noses at me, thought poor little obese me, I should be friendless but I'm not.

I don't care how popular your church is. They just automatically, like said we expect you'll want to go, just automatically no question in it. They think everyone in Texas is dying to see the rodeo too.

Yeah. A lot of church goers are like that. They can't see it in themselves and can't see from their peers either. JW told me that god called people to evangelize so that's what they (and other churches do). My co-worker is a minister's daughter. Years ago, she went out of the country to minister and help people come to christ. Although she had a good heart, that didn't excuse telling others if they come to christ they'd benefit more than if they hadn't. They can be the nicest christian in the world, but the consensus is pretty much the same. I don't know if there are christians who don't wish their friend etc to be christian regardless if they say it to them or keep it in prayer.

Best I can think of is just doing what you're doing. I've seen that "dead shock" before as if telling them you just shot someone and got away with it. Don't think you can change their minds on that, though, but keep your ground. Some people fall into christianity because of the majority and their experiences align with what they know best (in other words, two people have the same experiences but one is Hindu environment and the other Christian, more than likely they'd side with explanations that match what they are familiar with).

Anyway, though. I think Texas is a very religious state, is it not?

 

[thomas t]

that didn't excuse telling others if they come to [enter group, edit mine] they'd benefit more than if they hadn't.

if this is the threashold for being arrogant then virtually every group in the world is arrogant, it seems.
I've made different experiences.
I changed my profession and in Germany, this is a no-go if you don't have immediate success. But in the churches I went to... most often everything was fine once I made clear that I'm in peace with my worklife.
This time it was more my atheist part of my environment that acted like their hair shocked off their head
(this is particularly a German problem, as you don't have that in the US, I know, just telling...).

In the churches I was left in peace by and large so I could socialize without senting peer pressure every here and there... this was so important for me...

 

[Unveiled Artist]

if this is the threashold for being arrogant then virtually every group in the world is arrogant, it seems.
I've made different experiences.
I changed my profession and in Germany, this is a no-go if you don't have immediate success. But in the churches I went to... most often everything was fine once I made clear that I'm in peace with my worklife.
This time it was more my atheist part of my environment that acted like their hair shocked off their head
(this is particularly a German problem, as you don't have that in the US, I know, just telling...).

In the churches I was left in peace by and large so I could socialize without senting peer pressure every here and there... this was so important for me...

The quote was cut too much. What point of mine are you referring to?

 

[Riders]

Yeah. A lot of church goers are like that. They can't see it in themselves and can't see from their peers either. JW told me that god called people to evangelize so that's what they (and other churches do). My co-worker is a minister's daughter. Years ago, she went out of the country to minister and help people come to christ. Although she had a good heart, that didn't excuse telling others if they come to christ they'd benefit more than if they hadn't. They can be the nicest christian in the world, but the consensus is pretty much the same. I don't know if there are christians who don't wish their friend etc to be christian regardless if they say it to them or keep it in prayer.

Best I can think of is just doing what you're doing. I've seen that "dead shock" before as if telling them you just shot someone and got away with it. Don't think you can change their minds on that, though, but keep your ground. Some people fall into christianity because of the majority and their experiences align with what they know best (in other words, two people have the same experiences but one is Hindu environment and the other Christian, more than likely they'd side with explanations that match what they are familiar with).

Anyway, though. I think Texas is a very religious state, is it not?

Yes.

 

[Riders]

I don't believe all Christians or Christian churches are like this one. The Rodeo churches in TX are big mega churches, and it seems like big mega churches are very vein just like the Rodeo church is. They're popular and they think they can get everyone in once invited.

You know they never really invited me it was just we all go to the Rodeo church and so we expect you'll want to too. It was like your going, you know that's how I interpreted it.

But that corwd at AA slowed own and I am not even they are there anymore, AA changes alot. AA is not suppose to be religious, it's kind of against their rules to use AA to get people into your religion.

But I think that crowd has gone, now and then we get religious crowds and even Celebrate Recovery groups who start going who want to witness too. But there are folks there who don't go to church too, and right now I am not seeing many people witnessing. AA,changes people come and go so.

That was just one group of people who were there while. There are always those who don't go to church. So I know I don't have to do it.

But just the way they come off, the mega churches, they think they're popular and everyone wants to be in their group.It's arrogant.I think it's mostly mega churches.

 

[ManSinha]

DISCLAIMER: Apologies for off topic post

I'm not sure it is arrogance. Sometimes confidence is mistaken for arrogance. Sometimes people with right hearts and love can say things that someone else interprets as arrogance.

Sometime, someone being opinionated seems to be interpreted as arrogance.

but the message of Jesus is still love.

@KenS - Hi - what do you think this is? Confidence or arrogance?

etad-yonīni bhūtāni sarvāṇītyupadhāraya
ahaṁ kṛitsnasya jagataḥ prabhavaḥ pralayas tathā

etat yonīni—these two (energies) are the source of; bhūtāni—living beings; sarvāṇi—all; iti—that; upadhāraya—know; aham—I; kṛitsnasya—entire; jagataḥ—creation; prabhavaḥ—the source; pralayaḥ—dissolution; tathā—and

Translation
BG 7.6: Know that all living beings are manifested by these two energies of mine. I am the source of the entire creation, and into me it again dissolves.

 

[Kenny]

DISCLAIMER: Apologies for off topic post



@KenS - Hi - what do you think this is? Confidence or arrogance?

etad-yonīni bhūtāni sarvāṇītyupadhāraya
ahaṁ kṛitsnasya jagataḥ prabhavaḥ pralayas tathā

etat yonīni—these two (energies) are the source of; bhūtāni—living beings; sarvāṇi—all; iti—that; upadhāraya—know; aham—I; kṛitsnasya—entire; jagataḥ—creation; prabhavaḥ—the source; pralayaḥ—dissolution; tathā—and

Translation
BG 7.6: Know that all living beings are manifested by these two energies of mine. I am the source of the entire creation, and into me it again dissolves.

Personal, heart-felt, viewpoints.

For us, the source is God and all life has purpose and is alive because of God. but because we are spiritual beings, we never dissolve.

 

[eik]

They just automatically, like said we expect you'll want to go, just automatically no question in it. They think everyone in Texas is dying to see the rodeo too.

I'm not clear what your intellectual basis for rejecting Christianity is. Nor have you shown why it is arrogant for cowboy ministries to hold cowboy church services at rodeos, or to invite people along. You may be missing an opportunity to discover things you don't know about. Obviously if you had hard evidence of hypocrisy or something, it would be different. No harm in going along, as far as I can see.

Charges of arrogance are frequently used in my own experience by people who feel threatened and pretend to positions they cannot maintain by rational argument. If you only feel threatened by Christianity, it is not a reason to allege arrogance.

Ignorance of Christianity is not a plausible platform on which to accuse Christian ministries of being arrogant. I am sure some of them are arrogant when the facts are known, particularly when it comes to the techniques used to enjoin paying to attend church services, but that's another matter and is going to be down to the individual paster etc.

But in respect of the charge of arrogance against evangelization in general, the charge must be accompanied by something more that "I don't like your attitude." If Christianity is true, then it has a right to assert itself, even if you don't like its attitude. It's got no obligation to hide itself under a bush, just to mollify your feelings.

 

[thomas t]

The quote was cut too much. What point of mine are you referring to?

oh, did I edit your qoute too much?
I understood your point as saying that telling people they are better off with Jesus than without him... is a sign of arrogance.
And I then said that if telling people they are better off if joining one particular group... then Christians aren't the only ones to do so.

 

[Vinayaka]

If we observe actions rather than words, it is easier to determine arrogance. Arrogant people are less likely to help others, or to do menial chores without being noticed.

Words can indeed be tricky, as confidence and arrogance may sound similar. Certainly i think it gets easier as the time spent with someone increases.

It's not wise to generalise. Two people from the same religious organisation can come off as very different on the humble to arrogant scale.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

oh, did I edit your qoute too much?
I understood your point as saying that telling people they are better off with Jesus than without him... is a sign of arrogance.
And I then said that if telling people they are better off if joining one particular group... then Christians aren't the only ones to do so.

I couldnt find where I implied that. I was just telling the OP majority of christians have a evangelist mindset (as per their doctrine) and keep "batting them off with a stick" to speak. Outside of that, I'm not sure where you're referring to.

 

[Riders]

I'm not clear what your intellectual basis for rejecting Christianity is. Nor have you shown why it is arrogant for cowboy ministries to hold cowboy church services at rodeos, or to invite people along. You may be missing an opportunity to discover things you don't know about. Obviously if you had hard evidence of hypocrisy or something, it would be different. No harm in going along, as far as I can see.

Charges of arrogance are frequently used in my own experience by people who feel threatened and pretend to positions they cannot maintain by rational argument. If you only feel threatened by Christianity, it is not a reason to allege arrogance.

Ignorance of Christianity is not a plausible platform on which to accuse Christian ministries of being arrogant. I am sure some of them are arrogant when the facts are known, particularly when it comes to the techniques used to enjoin paying to attend church services, but that's another matter and is going to be down to the individual paster etc.

But in respect of the charge of arrogance against evangelization in general, the charge must be accompanied by something more that "I don't like your attitude." If Christianity is true, then it has a right to assert itself, even if you don't like its attitude. It's got no obligation to hide itself under a bush, just to mollify your feelings.

I did not say it was arrogant for the Cowboy churches to have rodeo services, I never said that and its not That's their thing I am not into it but hey if they are then that's ok.

They did not invite me along. You did not read what I said. They said they expected me to go told me to go. That's not an invitation. The fact that they expected me to go without inviting me means that they have way over estimated their power and popularity in that they just expect people to go without even an invitation. That is arrogant.
'
If they invited me it would be different.

 

[thomas t]

the OP majority of christians have a evangelist mindset (as per their doctrine) and keep "batting them off with a stick" to speak.

Jesus says noone should be batting off non-believers. This would be arrogant indeed, I think.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Jesus says noone should be batting off non-believers. This would be arrogant indeed, I think.

I think you read it wrong. The OP isn't a believer. There's nothing too much she can do with believers but what she is already doing or whatever advice she takes advantage of. Ideally, believers shouldn't be gathering non-believers to come to Christ but whether they realize it or not they do it anyway.

Jesus etc only applies to believers not anyone else.

 

[ppp]

I'm not sure it is arrogance. Sometimes confidence is mistaken for arrogance. Sometimes people with right hearts and love can say things that someone else interprets as arrogance.

Sometime, someone being opinionated seems to be interpreted as arrogance.

but the message of Jesus is still love.

Christians have a sense of entitlement and privilege because they have enjoyed a cultural dominance for so long. They believe their own marketing because until recently they had enough power to socially destroy anyone who dared question or criticize what they say about Christianity. Heck, until recently they could and would kill, impoverish or imprison non-Christians.

Love is an emotion. And it is one that people experience without any reference to Jesus. Or god. Or Christianity. Every. Single. Day. Christian's try merely to mark it as their territory.

 

[Riders]

I think you read it wrong. The OP isn't a believer. There's nothing too much she can do with believers but what she is already doing or whatever advice she takes advantage of. Ideally, believers shouldn't be gathering non-believers to come to Christ but whether they realize it or not they do it anyway.

Jesus etc only applies to believers not anyone else.

Why have an alter call if you don't want nonbelievers at church?