Arrogant Thanksgiving?

Randal Rauser commented on Twitter about the following meme image, saying ‘There’s nothing “arrogant,” “vain,” or “self-absorbed” about believing that you’ve been granted a blessing and being thankful for it. If you want to see arrogance in action, just look at this tweet.’

Here’s the conversation that ensued between me and him in response:

James F. McGrath
@ReligionProf

I disagree. I think the Book of Job and much else in scripture as well as experience highlights the theological problem with claiming that we have avoided suffering while others have not because God favors us. I think one can make this point as a Christian and not an atheist.

Tentative Apologist
@RandalRauser

I never made the claim that people avoid “suffering while others have not because God favors us.” I don’t even know what “favors” means in that context.

James F. McGrath
@ReligionProf

I thought you were commenting on the image, which seems an appropriate response to the belief of some Christians outside the majority world who thank God for providing them with a parking spot at the mall while other Christians have no car, no mall, and little or no money.

Tentative Apologist
@RandalRauser

There isn’t any reason provided in the tweet to interpret “special favors” as only trivial requests. But even so, there is nothing arrogant per se about being thankful for small blessings as well as big ones. That is perfectly consistent with a person being humble and kind.

James F. McGrath
@ReligionProf

Being thankful is one thing. Being thankful that someone chose you over others to receive good things rather than bad is something else.

Tentative Apologist
@RandalRauser

I’m sorry, but you’re simply misreading the meme. The target isn’t people who say “I’m so thankful that God blessed me over you.” The target is people who say “I’m so thankful that God blessed me.” It’s a general critique of providence and thankfulness.

James F. McGrath
@ReligionProf

I think you’re misreading the implications of claiming you have what you do because God has blessed you. It implies something about those who lack what you have.

Tentative Apologist
@RandalRauser

Let’s keep this tethered to the original meme. Are you claiming there are implications that entail anyone who is thankful to God for a blessing is thereby “arrogant,” “vain,” or “self-absorbed”? Because that’s the claim in the meme. And if you agree, on what basis?

James F. McGrath
@ReligionProf

I think that anyone who says they have been blessed because they have experienced X implies that those who have not experienced X have not been blessed. Do you agree? If so, the only question is whether it is arrogant and self-absorbed to do so.

What’s your view of this? Was my take or Rauser’s on the meme correct, or perhaps both are possible and neither is “correct”? What else ought to have been said if anything?