Faith Forum: What's the worst trait to have as a human? (2023)

The list of bad human traits is long. It includes: arrogance, deception, delusion, dishonesty, ego, envy, greed, hatred, immorality, lying, selfishness, unreliability, violence, etc.

In ancient Bhagavad-Gita, Lord Krishna lists the qualities which make a person more and more inhuman as hypocrisy, arrogance, conceit, anger, cruelty, ignorance.

Krishna points out in Gita: Egotistical, violent, arrogant, lustful, angry, envious of everyone; they abuse my presence within their own bodies and in the bodies of others.

We asked our panel of religious leaders of the region the following question: Which is the worst trait to have as a human?

ARROGANCE

Sherif A. Elfass, Northern Nevada Muslim Community President

Islam teaches us the good and the evil traits, some of which are envy, lying, cheating, selfishness, and laziness. However, I find arrogance, or “Kibr” as mentioned in the Quran, to be one of the worst traits. While having a big ego may not necessarily be bad, rejecting the truth and looking down on people is. Arrogance is a characteristic of Satan, which made him refuse to comply to Allah’s command and prostrate to Adam (PBUH) [Quran 7:11-12]. Thus, whoever wants to be arrogant should realize that he is acquiring a characteristic of the devils. Moreover, the one who is arrogant towards the people will be trampled beneath the feet of the people on the Day of Judgment. Arrogance is, also, a reason to deprive one from entering Paradise. Prophet (PBUH) reported saying: “No one who has an atom’s weight of arrogance in his heart will enter Paradise.”

SELF-CENTEREDNESS

Robert W. Chorey, Roman Catholic Diocese of Reno Curia Moderator

The beginning of Genesis reveals that God created all in harmony, including humanity. All was in harmony, in right relationship, until humanity chose otherwise.

A choice rooted in a desire to be autonomous, independent, self-reliant, in control. A choice rooted in self-centeredness.

Thus chaos entered into creation; hurting the relationship with the divine, with each other and with the world around us.

This chaos still exists to this day. When we chose to be self-centered, to only see the “me” and not other persons, when we choose to be greedy, to not forgive, to not be compassionate, not be merciful, not give of ourselves. Death results from our self-centeredness.

Jesus Christ reconciles this and gives to us the path to restored harmony, to true life: a path of humility.

The choice to give of ourselves for the good of others. It is a choice of love.

SELF-DELUSION

Matthew T. Fisher, Reno Buddhist Center Resident Priest

The worst trait is our delusion of a permanent unchanging self. It manifests in our lives in the form of craving, thirsting, and wanting. We grasp at anything that seems permanent. What exists without interdependence? Nothing does. We long for a permanent unchanging center to our being, but reality does not support that view. From this longing comes all the strife we inflict on ourselves and others.

We are truly a loose and changeful association of consciousness and interaction. We are deeply interdependent with causes and conditions around us. We are an event rather than a thing. The sooner we see this, the sooner we can shift our view of life from wanting to having. From strife to joy. From division to unity. Without the delusion of self we see that we have everything we need to be happy - here and now in life together.

PRIDE

Ryan J. Earl, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Assistant Area Public Affairs Director

Among the worst traits a human can possess is pride. In a thoughtful, powerful talk, former prophet and President of the Church, Ezra Taft Benson, warned against the sin of pride, noting, “The central feature of pride is enmity—enmity toward God and enmity toward our fellowmen.” See lds.org, Beware of Pride.

The proud wish God would agree with them, as opposed to humbling themselves to agree with God. When we direct our pride toward God, it is in the spirit of “my will and not thine be done.” The scriptures abound with evidences of the severe consequences of the sin of pride to individuals, groups, cities and nations.

Enmity toward our fellowmen leads us to elevate ourselves above others and diminish our fellowmen. Id. “Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man.” C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity.

INCONSIDERATION

Brian E. Melendez, American Indian Spirituality Scholar

Inconsideration has to be the worst possible human trait any person can have. Who really wants to give precious time and energy, to someone who really doesn’t reciprocate? Not this guy. Coming from a tribal background, nothing is more detrimental to a community (or personal relationship), than investing in a person, who you know; blatantly doesn’t care for the needs of others.

We experience inconsiderate actions all the time in mainstream America, in subtle and not so subtle ways everyday—we are being desensitized. Corporate juggernauts don’t feel anyway (ethically, morally, or spiritually) about desecrating nature for money and we know this, and they know we know.

Inconsideration (often synonymous with selfishness) is the driving force that separates us from each other. Is it in the best interest of mass media or corporations to have us listening and loving? Who benefits from us not caring? Think about it…

SERIAL KILLER TRAIT

ElizaBeth Webb Beyer, Temple Beth Or Rabbi

For the average person, Rabbi Salanter (1700’s) says, “the affairs of man constantly vary, each person clinging to different transgressions…No person is like another when it comes to transgression.” Some are more inclined to neglect Torah study than unethical business practices or not giving charity, and for others it’s just the opposite. Each person has their own yetzer hara (evil inclination) which is the “worst trait” of that individual.

Perhaps the worst trait of all, and one fortunately affecting only a tiny percentage of the population, is a tendency towards serial murder. They are driven by an instinct and desire to kill, which may lead them to murder strangers. Some studies suggest those with extremely violent tendencies result from particular genes, yet other studies say it’s due to lack of nurturing. Regardless, the serial killer trait is apparently difficult to uproot. May G-d watch over those with such chilling tendencies.

ARROGANCE

Stephen R. Karcher, St. Anthony Greek Orthodox Church Presiding Priest

We aren’t confusing arrogance with positive qualities like boldness, confidence, courage, daring or poise. Rather, we understand it as a trait marked by conceit, self-love, narcissism and egoism. Completely natural for every human being is virtue, but because of our brokenness, falleness and exile from God, we must work to acquire it. Without effort and the grace of God, we will develop bad traits. The worst of all is lack of humility, and to be filled instead with pride (in the negative sense). Arrogance is the source of everything bad, as Scripture says, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Arrogance is a trait that doesn’t allow us to come to believe in God or to receive His grace. It doesn’t allow us to find the way to repentance. In other words, arrogant pride alienates us from God and prevents us from finding true human fulfillment.

GOSSIPING/BACKBITING

Bradley S. Corbin, Baha’i Teacher

On no subject are the Bahá’í teachings more emphatic than on the necessity to abstain from fault-finding and backbiting while being ever eager to discover and root out our own faults and overcome our own failings. In both modern and indigenous cultures, people gossip. We freely criticize their actions, their choices and their characters, with little regard for how much that kind of activity hurts others. “That seeker should, also, regard backbiting as grievous error, and keep himself aloof from its dominion, inasmuch as backbiting quencheth the light of the heart, and extinguisheth the life of the soul.” Baha’u’llah. We are encouraged to be silent concerning the faults of others, to pray for them, through kindness, to correct their faults. Always look at the good and not at the bad. Never to allow ourselves to speak one unkind word about another, even though that other be our enemy.

PRIDE

Bryan J. Smith, Co-Lead Pastor, Summit Christian Church, Sparks

From physical traits to quirks in our personality, we all have those areas of self we dislike. Generally, we’re self-aware and conscious of those areas. Sometimes these exist in our blind-spots making them are incredibly difficult to identify.

Pride typically exists in our blind-spots and is humanity’s worst trait. Pride allows an individual to think more highly of self at the expense of others. Pride perpetuates destructive cycles (think: anger, jealousy, coveting) all the while preventing restoration found in humility and reconciliation.

Of the seven sins God detests listed in Proverbs 6:16-19, topping the list is pride. The antithesis to pride is humility of which Christ is the greatest example. Philippians 2:6-11 goes to great lengths exploring all Christ humbly left in heaven to dwell on earth to serve humanity and bring restoration with God. While pride brings destruction, humility moves humanity toward greater health.

NASTY PERSON

Kenneth G. Lucey, UNR philosophy/religion professor

The worst trait to have as a human being is not a simple one, but complex. Begin with a person being in a state of anomie. Sociologists say that a person is in state of anomie when he is in a condition of normlessness, i.e. lacking any moral norms. A person who has grown to maturity without acquiring any moral code whatsoever is considered to be in a state of anomie. But that is not the worst imaginable condition. Two further traits would complete the picture. Imagine an individual who is totally vicious, i.e. one who willing to inflict harm on others at whim and without any qualms. Next add to that mix the trait of being highly intelligent, like Holmes’ Moriarty. Thus we arrive at what seems to be the worst trait imaginable, namely the trait of being a highly intelligent, utterly vicious person in a state of anomie.

Next week’s topic:What to do when things don’t go “our way”?

Faith Forum is a weekly dialogue on religion produced by religious statesman Rajan Zed. Send questions or comments to rajanzed@gmail.com or on twitter @rajanzed.