The Bible describes pride as sin. Pride goes before destruction (Prov. 16:18), puts one in an unhealthy relationship with God (1 Peter 5:5; James 4:6), and will yield a regrettable end (Prov. 29:23). Nebuchadnezzar was judged for his proud spirit (Dan. 4), Haman was beset with pride (Esther 5), and Pharaoh fell for doing this. God plans to humble the proud (Matt. 23:12).
Christian theologians have dealt with the very idea of pride mainly inside the tradition of Augustine, who viewed pride because first sin and thus spent a considerable amount of his energy on discussing it. The keystone of his argument was a text in Ecclesiasticus that reads, “pride may be the start of sin.” The verse has later been thought to be questionable in meaning. Nonetheless, with this basis Augustine proceeded to watch nov Satan as portrayed in Ezekiel and Isaiah as principally motivated by pride. “Your heart became proud on account of your beauty” (Ezek. 28:17, NIV). What led Satan to his fall was likewise the downfall from the humanity from the garden of Eden. Augustine felt that pride in its extreme will be the unpardonable sin (Green, 1949). He wrote extensively about his own struggles with pride, describing becoming his greatest temptation.
Study regarding pride been specifically the topic of great interest to Christians in monastic traditions and later towards the Pietists. Bernard of Clairvaux inside the Steps of Humility declared people usually takes steps upward when they pursue humility; however, if they pursue pride, their steps may lead downward, pursuing the course of Satan. Bernard suggests that you’ll find 12 steps which could lead one in the beginnings of pride-curiosity-to its worst type of expression, habitual sin. The intervening steps are frivolity, foolish mirth, boastfulness, singularity (likely to all ends to show oneself superior), conceit, audacity, excusing of sins, hypocritical confession, defiance, and freedom to sin. The first task of pride (curiosity) could be the last step of humility (downcast eyes). The very last step of pride (habitual sin) medicine reasons for true humility (worries from the Lord).
Bernard’s outline is usually sermonic in tone and designed as a possible instructive tool for aspiring monastics. But with its medieval format, his description of pride rings true. Modern psychology doesn’t need much to increase his outline. Pride elevates the self, seeks to own one’s worth recognized by others, and it is unaware of obvious personal faults. The proud person has difficulty functioning interpersonally, since they doesn’t receive or process feedback from others within a satisfactory manner. Nor does the proud person fare well from the task to be other-centered. Pride forms a vital aspect in the psychological construct of narcissism.
Pride, psychologically considered, is defensive as the name indicated. By definition pride isn’t a fair and true estimate of self; it is really an overestimate. To ensure the proud individual is motivated to hide a subconscious feeling of inferiority or is motivated to overcompensate for actual inadequacies. Pride might be a part of an ill-formed way of social interaction; the proud person may genuinely feel his or her pride to be the best way to managing self among others and may be not aware of flaws that preclude the pride. Pride thrives on deference and praise from others. It could have its roots in parental overindulgence or perhaps in a background that created deep personal insecurities for which the pride is compensating.
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