Much like politics, religion can be divisive enough to tear even the closest people apart. It typically happens when someone imposes their own beliefs while stubbornly rejecting those of others.
A woman had this problem with her self-righteous aunt, who threw bible verses whenever someone brought up the idea of going to therapy for mental help. After tolerating it for long enough, she finally exacted the perfect underhanded petty revenge.
She now shares her story with the Reddit community, proving that retaliation can be sweeter when the other person is unaware of it.
Many people who latch onto their religion can be overbearing to those around them
Image credits: Hrant Khachatryan (not the actual photo)
A woman had been tolerating her bible-thumping aunt until one day, when she secretly exacted petty revenge
Image credits: Janosch Diggelmann (not the actual photo)
She is proud of what she has done as she shares her story online
Image credits: My_Alchemy22
Self-righteousness can be a defense mechanism
Image credits: Getty Images (not the actual photo)
We’ve all been around that one person who believes their beliefs are infallible. They are the ones who will impose these dogmas on others, even with the risk of coming off as nonsensical.
They will likely be dismissive of everything outside of their belief system, much like the aunt in the story. And according to licensed psychologist Dr. Bill Crawford, such self-righteousness is a defense mechanism.
In an article for his website, Dr. Crawford pointed out that people with a holier-than-thou attitude act the way they do to protect themselves from being perceived as “wrong.”
“This defensive behavior is driven by the lower 20% of the brain, and, as such, is more of a reaction than a purposefully chosen response,” he wrote.
Some experts connect self-righteousness with a possible narcissistic personality. As psychoanalyst Dr. Roberta Satow points out, these people may have a “clear sense of right and wrong,” but they are rigid in their beliefs and typically judge others who aren’t “on par with their standards.”
Trying to argue with a self-righteous person is a losing battle. This is why Dr. Crawford recommends either excusing yourself from any interactions or showing empathy, recognizing that this individual is likely not thinking clearly.
However, the author’s response, albeit a bit mischievous, wasn’t that bad, either. At least it gave her a sense of self-satisfaction, knowing she wasn’t tolerating such sanctimonious behavior.
Many people in the comments agreed that the aunt was being manipulative with her actions
Others shared similar experiences
