History Main / HolierThanThou

* ''Manga/DeathNote'' has Light argue that his morals and upbringing are enough to excuse his killing spree throughout the series (plus [[AGodAmI he wants to be the "god of the new world"]]). [[spoiler:Near denies this once he proves Light is Kira and calls him a murderer.]]

* ''Film/GodzillaKingOfTheMonsters2019'': [[Characters/MonsterVerseMarkRussell Mark Russell]] is the non-religious type. It's subtle but his attitude when chastising his colleagues for not agreeing with his biased views on killing the Titans or recreating the ORCA are definitively high-and-mighty. Notably, he has the gall to talk as if he has the moral high ground over everyone around him during both his {{Hypocrite}} moments. That being said, he's not immune to recognizing he's wrong when someone actually calls him out on his bullshit or when he sees the negative results.

** According to the UsefulNotes/{{Orthodox Christian|ity}} doctrine, the true Christian (saint) is an '''inversion''' of it. He/she should come through learning about your sins and living by God's commandments and come to the conclusion that you are a sinner, and ''the worst of them.'' It's the true (and the first) sign that you do right. They say that is the ideal that we should all be following, if we really want to saved by God. Otherwise, your soul is in GREAT peril......or at least that's what they say, because on the other hand...

* Initially played straight but quickly subverted by Rev. Matthew Fordwick (played by a young Creator/JohnRitter) in his debut episode of ''Series/TheWaltons''. He starts out as a young pastor fresh from years of study and training in the seminary, following in the footsteps of his very rigid, sanctimonious church superior to preach a legalistic "Hellfire & Brimstone" Baptist message and assiduously avoid even the temptation of sin. Then he gets UnsuspectinglySoused during a visit to the Baldwin sisters and returns stumbling drunk; despite being deeply ashamed and contrite over this, his superior sharply condemns him, reneges on the missionary role he was promised, and refuses to let him preach to the town congregation. Despite previously being annoyed with the Reverend's attitude, John and Grandpa Zeb both stick up for him by pointing out that UsefulNotes/{{Jesus}} himself once said "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone", and that the core principles of Christianity aren't condemnation and hellfire but repentance and forgiveness, and since the Reverend repented, they should forgive him. Hearing this, the other townsfolk accept a now-humbled Fordwick as the pastor of their local Baptist church.

* Initially played straight but quickly subverted by Rev. Matthew Fordwick (played by a young Creator/JohnRitter) in his debut episode of ''Series/TheWaltons''. He starts out as a young pastor fresh from years of study and training in the seminary, following in the footsteps of his very rigid, sanctimonious church superior to preach a legalistic "Hellfire & Brimstone" Baptist message and assiduously avoid even the temptation of sin. Then he gets UnsuspectinglySoused during a visit to the Baldwin sisters and returns stumbling drunk; despite being deeply ashamed and contrite over this, his superior sharply condemns him, reneges on the missionary role he was promised, and refuses to let him preach to the town congregation. Despite previously being annoyed with the Reverend's attitude, John and Grandpa Zeb both stick up for him by pointing out that UsefulNotes/{{Jesus}} himself once said "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone" , and that the core principles of Christianity aren't condemnation and hellfire, but repentance and forgiveness, and they convince the other townsfolk accept a now-humbled Fordwick as the pastor of their local Baptist church.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': ZigZaggedTrope with Ned Flanders. He's ''usually'' portrayed as incredibly nice and compassionate, even to someone like Homer who constantly abuses him, and his faith is shown to be a source of his friendly nature. He's also shown undergoing at least one realistically-portrayed crisis of faith, but still doesn't lose his religion. He's also had a bunch of cringe-worthy moral-guardian moments (such as the time he claimed he's so fit and well-built because he constantly runs for the cure... [[CureYourGays for homosexuality]]...), and even his kids are disturbed when he spends untold hours staring at recordings of daily TV shows in search of corruption and anti-Christianity in order to complain about them on the Internet (sadly, some people really do this in RealLife). "Daddy, we think [[YouNeedToGetLaid you need a new Mommy]]..." With that in mind, Flanders DID get more fundamentalist when Maude died, making it a possible example of clinging to religion in an extreme fashion to get past the trauma and pain of losing his wife. The more time he had to cope, however, the more tolerant he got, even to the point of marrying [[ReallyGetsAround Edna Krabbappel]].

* Another comic-book Catholic exception: Doctor Mid-Nite from the ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica, who saves lives all day every day, attends church regularly, ''and'' is [=BFFs=] with staunch atheist Mister Terrific.

* ''ComicBook/{{Galactus}}'' is occasionally written like this in regards to his rightfulness in eating planets. He's also a rare justified example, as Galactus is destined to one day use the energy from the planets he destroyed to ensure that the universe gets reincarnated, and is imperial to keep the balance between Eternity and Death.

* Averted by the ''Comicbook/XMen'''s Nightcrawler, a charming and playful character who's also a devout Catholic. Though given how many writers' hands he's been through, somebody might have used him to play this trope straight at some point or another.

** The protagonist's gay childhood friend and her LoveInterest avert this. Also, her mother, while not 100% on top of things, is still very sympathetic and religious.

* Mostly averted in Creator/EllisPeters' ''Literature/BrotherCadfael'' mysteries, where devout Brother Cadfael and his fellow Benedictine monks are credibly well-meaning and conscious of their own moral imperfections. Prior Roberts, though arrogant and annoying, also has his good points, and the toadying Jerome [[spoiler:is so remorseful as to suffer a nervous breakdown after striking someone down out of anger]]. Villains occasionally do fall under this trope, but their hypocrisy and/or intolerance is soundly refuted by more moderate clergymen, often using genuine scripture to back up their arguments.

* Both averted and used straight in ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' books, as everything else. ''Literature/SmallGods'' centers around the religious country of Omnia, so while most priests are good-naturedly idiotic or afraid, some are genuinely good, and the head of the Quisition is bone-tremblingly evil - but Brutha, the protagonist, is the only person who genuinely believes in Om any more. On the other hand, several decades later, in ''Literature/CarpeJugulum'', Mightily Oats is presented as a conflicted priest who certainly ''wants'' what's good but can't always decide what that is.
** Mightily Oats is an interesting example, though: unlike Brutha, who is quietly, staunchly religious all the way through ''Literature/SmallGods'', Oats starts out a pretty wishy-washy missionary - [[spoiler:until the vampires get to Granny Weatherwax, crippling her, and Oats is forced to flee the monsters through the dark forest in a downpour while this nasty, godless old... ''[[GoshDarnItToHeck biddy]]'' needles him incessantly about his faith. He finally snaps at her, and she replies that if ''she'' had a god who she thought was genuinely good and gave a damn about humanity, [[ChurchMilitant her faith would be so fierce it burned, and no argument could make her doubt it]]. From then on, Oats undergoes a sort of transformation, realizing religion is more than his holy books (which he burns for a very necessary fire) or his turtle pendant (which he shouldn't have hung on such a cheap chain), and culminating in his faith becoming [[BadassPreacher pretty damn fierce indeed]].]]
*** A brief mention in one of the later novels suggests he's become something of a BadassPreacher who walks with [[ICallItVera Forgiveness on his back]] against {{Uberwald}}'s darker creatures. And "Forgiveness" is an axe. A ''big'' axe.

* ''Literature/SpecialCircumstances'': [[AvertedTrope Soundly thrashed]] by Barbara. She goes out of her way to avoid such types, detesting the type.

** More powerfully averted though, by the character of Darius, the priest of a small church in Paris. It is implied that he himself is not actually a Christian (being more than 2000 years old and born a barbarian raider he wouldn't have run into Christianity until many, many years after he first became Immortal), but he strictly follows both the rule and the intent of the church laws, knowing how important it is to his mortal followers.
** Darius was extremely popular with the audience, and was intended to be a long-term character in the series, but the actor's death at the end of the first season forced them to change direction.

** This is averted occasionally, whenever a handful of {{mooks}} realizes their gods are shams and switch sides. This is ''especially'' true of Tomin, a humble villager-turned-general, who gives a priest an epic verbal reaming over how they're corrupting the Ori religion to oppress and destroy. He was, indeed, holier than thou.
** Also averted in the character of Sam Carter, whom WordOfGod (i.e., the actress) says is a practicing Catholic and can occasionally be seen quietly praying before the shit ''really'' hits the fan.

* Averted in the short-lived ''Series/{{Threshold}}'' where astrophysicist Lucas Pegg was established as a deeply religious person... but a very quiet, private one who looked to his faith for reassurance in the face of adversity (the coming of hostile aliens) and didn't care to push it.
** In an episode where one of the alien-infected humans used a church as a front to work and expose people to the alien virus, the faithful were largely reasonable people, and the reverend was not evil but, instead, greatly confused by the return of a former member who had been reported dead.
* Averted in ''Series/TheWestWing'' with devoutly Catholic President Jed Bartlet and Chief of Staff Leo [=McGarry=] and devoutly Jewish Communications Director Toby Ziegler, none of whom are holier than thou (well, Toby might be, but for different reasons). Played straight with some other characters, though, such as the evangelicals from the first episode. In some episodes, however, Josh Lyman, a fellow Jew (if a seemingly less-devout one) does note that Toby has a tendency to treat Josh as somehow being a lesser Jew, partly because Toby comes from New York and Josh from Connecticut.

* Averted and subverted with Wrestling/ShawnMichaels post-comeback. While known both in real life and his ring persona as a born-again Christian, he never considered himself a role model, instead becoming a GuileHero who prayed before matches. Didn't stop him and Wrestling/TripleH from dumping actual shit on the heads of [[Wrestling/VinceMcMahon the]] [[Wrestling/ShaneMcMahon McMahons]] and the Spirit Squad in 2006, though.

* Averted in ''Webcomic/{{Thunderstruck}}'', where the two leads are atheist and Christian sisters. Due to the story's heavy emphasis on how well they complement each other, it's actually necessary for the author to balance their views, and people applaud him for it. Even the religious "good" guys in the series are treated as just as flawed as their secular counterparts.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'':
** Despite naming {{Flanderization}} and having a bunch of cringe-worthy moral-guardian moments (such as the time he claimed he's so fit and well-built because he constantly runs for the cure... [[CureYourGays for homosexuality]]...), Ned Flanders usually averts this trope. He's incredibly nice and compassionate, even to someone like Homer who constantly abuses him, and his faith is shown to be a source of his friendly nature. He's also shown undergoing at least one realistically-portrayed crisis of faith, but still doesn't lose his religion. That said, even his kids are disturbed when he spends untold hours staring at recordings of daily TV shows in search of corruption and anti-Christianity in order to complain about them on the Internet (sadly, some people really do this in RealLife). "Daddy, we think [[YouNeedToGetLaid you need a new Mommy]]..." With that in mind, Flanders DID get more fundamentalist when Maude died, making it a possible example of clinging to religion in an extreme fashion to get past the trauma and pain of losing his wife. The more time he had to cope, however, the more tolerant he got, even to the point of marrying [[ReallyGetsAround Edna Krabbappel]].
** [[Characters/TheSimpsonsLisaSimpson Lisa Simpson]] is an even more notorious example, even more so than Ned. Over the past twenty years, she's become a GranolaGirl, a straw-Buddhist, and a feminist. All of this came from her point of view of everyone else being morons in her eyes. However, she comes off as such a {{Hypocrite}} that it gets painful to watch sometimes. The episode where she turns into a GranolaGirl? It was a life lesson Aesop to teach her to not force beliefs on others. It aired in 1995, and not only did the lesson [[AesopAmnesia not stick]], she's only become ''worse'' as time went on.

** Lisa is an even more notorious example, even more so than Ned. Over the past twenty years, she's become a GranolaGirl, a straw-Buddhist, and a feminist. All of this came from her point of view of everyone else being morons in her eyes. However, she comes off as such a {{Hypocrite}} that it gets painful to watch sometimes. The episode where she turns into a GranolaGirl? It was a life lesson Aesop to teach her to not force beliefs on others. It aired in 1995, and not only did the lesson [[AesopAmnesia not stick]], she's only become ''worse'' as time went on.

* More than one villain of the 2010s ''Series/FatherBrown'' series has been this, although a similar number have been {{StrawNihilist}}s.

->'''Aziraphale:''' You're [[OurDemonsAreDifferent the demon]]. I am the nice one. I don't have to kill children.
->'''Crowley:''' Uh-uh-uh…
->'''Aziraphale:''' If you kill him, then the world gets a reprieve, and Heaven does not have blood on its hands.
->'''Crowley:''' Oh, ''no blood on your hands?'' That’s a bit holier-than-thou, isn’t it?
->'''Aziraphale:''' Well, I AM, a great deal holier than Thou, that's the whole point.

* [[BadassPreacher Reverend Ray]] from ''VideoGame/CallOfJuarez'' [[spoiler: at the end he realizes his holier than thou attitude is the sin of pride and repents]].

** The biggest offender is [[MeaningfulName Miss Censordoll]], who believes she [[AGodAmI she is a god]] thanks to [[spoiler:her sexual organs being removed in infancy]] and in fact says this verbatim.

--->'''Aziraphale:''' You're [[OurDemonsAreDifferent the demon]]. I am the nice one. I don't have to kill children.
--->'''Crowley:''' Uh-uh-uh…
--->'''Aziraphale:''' If you kill him, then the world gets a reprieve, and Heaven does not have blood on its hands.
--->'''Crowley:''' Oh, ''no blood on your hands?'' That’s a bit holier-than-thou, isn’t it?
--->'''Aziraphale:''' Well, I AM, a great deal holier than Thou, that's the whole point.

-->'''Aziraphale:''' You're [[OurDemonsAreDifferent the demon]]. I am the nice one. I don't have to kill children.
-->'''Crowley:''' Uh-uh-uh…
-->'''Aziraphale:''' If you kill him, then the world gets a reprieve, and Heaven does not have blood on its hands.
-->'''Crowley:''' Oh, ''no blood on your hands?'' That’s a bit holier-than-thou, isn’t it?
-->'''Aziraphale:''' Well, I AM, a great deal holier than Thou, that's the whole point.

--->'''Aziraphale:''' You're [[OurDemonsAreDifferent the demon]]. I am the nice one. I don't have to kill children.
--->'''Crowley:''' Uh-uh-uh…
--->'''Aziraphale:''' If you kill him, then the world gets a reprieve, and Heaven does not have blood on its hands.
--->'''Crowley:''' Oh, ''no blood on your hands?'' That’s a bit holier-than-thou, isn’t it?
--->'''Aziraphale:''' Well, I AM, a great deal holier than Thou, that's the whole point.

* In the ''[[https://parahumans.wordpress.com/ Worm]]'' fanfic ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10286919/1/Recoil Recoil]]'', Taylor Hebert travels back twenty-two years and gets to know her paternal grandmother rather better than she had originally. This sweet old lady is fervently Christian, and equally fervently [[MoralGuardian anti-gay]]. The latter causes a few problems later on ...
* ''FanFic/RosarioVampireBrightestDarkness'': Jenner Rythmore, the {{Jerkass}} head of the [[CreatureHunterOrganization HDA]], is firmly convinced that monsters are AlwaysChaoticEvil and declares open war on them at the first opportunity. Ceal sums him up as such in Act VI; Jenner rants about how monsters are all the same and do nothing but lie and kill, to which Ceal retorts that [[HumansAreTheRealMonsters humans are hardly any different]], that Jenner speaks as if humans are all universally good and pure, and declares that for all his talk about wanting to protect humanity, all Jenner ''really'' is is a human who thinks he's above monsters just because he's human.

* ''Film/GodzillaKingOfTheMonsters'': [[Characters/MonsterVerseMarkRussell Mark Russell]] is the non-religious type. It's subtle but his attitude when chastising his colleagues for not agreeing with his biased views on killing the Titans or recreating the ORCA are definitively high-and-mighty. Notably, he has the gall to talk as if he has the moral high ground over everyone around him during both his {{Hypocrite}} moments. That being said, he's not immune to recognizing he's wrong when someone actually calls him out on his bullshit or when he sees the negative results.

* ''Manga/DeathNote'' has Light argue that his morals and upbringing are enough to excuse his killing spree throughout the series. [[spoiler:Near denies this once he proves Light is Kira and calls him a murderer.]]

** The Chantry has an unfortunate tendency to produce this mindset, as it's implicit in their belief system that theirs is the only ''true'' religion. The worst elements of the Templars, the Chantry's military arm, feel that it's their divine right to treat mages however they want - and to execute anyone, mage or civilian, who disagrees.
** Anders can be like this in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'': he sometimes acts as if he understands the mage conflict and how spirits work better than anyone, down to berating Merrill for using BloodMagic even though he himself is possessed. Granted he actually does understand the conflict better, but almost nobody cares, and he does know more about spirits and demons better than Merrill, but just not as much as he likes to preach.

* ''Film/GodzillaKingOfTheMonsters'': [[Characters/MonsterVerseFamilies Mark Russell]] is the non-religious type. It's subtle but his attitude when chastising his colleagues for not agreeing with his biased views on killing the Titans or recreating the ORCA are definitively high-and-mighty. Notably, he has the gall to talk as if he has the moral high ground over everyone around him during both his {{Hypocrite}} moments. That being said, he's not immune to recognizing he's wrong when someone actually calls him out on his bullshit or when he sees the negative results.