Vain, or Humble?

[robvalue]

I agree. They tend to be more judgemental and interfering.

[AFTT47]

I don't think it's inherently vain or humble. It's certainly delusional. Some people are vain in their delusion, others humble.

[drfuzzy]

I think they tell themselves that they are extremely humble.  They constantly say "I'm not worthy", "I'm a sinner", etc., in their prayers.  And yet, all you have to do is sit in a church service and listen a while to hear the flip side:  "I'm a child of the king" "I'm gonna sit at god's table in heaven" "fountains of blessings" "I, who made the moon and stars now kneel to wash your feet".

They believe they have the creator of billions of galaxies at their personal disposal, who pays close attention to their every thought, and who sends a guardian angel to watch over them until their dying day.   THEY will go to heaven with the members of their select group (because, as every christian knows, there are a lot of people who call themselves christian who AREN'T) - and everyone else on the planet will fry forever.  And that's ok, because they chose the wrong god.

This is beyond ego.

We've all seen this meme, but it is one of my favorites:  

[Crossless2.0]

I don't think it's inherently vain or humble. It's certainly delusional. Some people are vain in their delusion, others humble.

And some people will quote you 1 Corinthians 6:3 with a straight face . . . *coughexfatherinlawcough*

[Whateverist]

Or is it Humble, because they are showing a low estimate of their own self importance, and are praising what they think is someone besides themselves that is important enough to be worth praising?

It is humble.  It doesn't matter a lick that what they praise is an aspect of themselves.  Their conscious mind, the portion responsible for the decision to praise, isn't the same aspect as the one they are praising.  It is rightly humbling to consider the immense architecture, history and dynamism of the organism which gives rise to our conscious minds.  It is not 'our' creation.

[drfuzzy]

I don't think it's inherently vain or humble. It's certainly delusional. Some people are vain in their delusion, others humble.

And some people will quote you 1 Corinthians 6:3 with a straight face . . . *coughexfatherinlawcough*

Oh, yeah, the "we will judge angels" line.  I hope there aren't any angels.  I don't think they'll be on board with this.

[Crossless2.0]

And some people will quote you 1 Corinthians 6:3 with a straight face . . . *coughexfatherinlawcough*

Oh, yeah, the "we will judge angels" line.  I hope there aren't any angels.  I don't think they'll be on board with this.

That verse alone should be sufficient to make the case that Paul was a self-aggrandizing asshole, but it wouldn't matter since the people most likely to take the verse seriously are themselves self-aggrandizing assholes.

[Angrboda]

Neither humble or vain. They know not that it is their own voice they worship. They are simply mistaken.

[brewer]

I don't think it's inherently vain or humble. It's certainly delusional. Some people are vain in their delusion, others humble.

I agree with this. Self deluded yes. I see the same proportion of vain/humble in people in general, belief or not. I do think that most consider themselves superior whether they come across as vain or humble.

[Darkstar]

Humble before god, vain before everyone else. Because they're god's favorites! "Hey, we don't hate atheists or gay people, god does. Who am we to question god?"