What Ever Happened to the Seven Deadly Sins?
by Is nobody scared of The Seven Deadly Sins anymore? Did they get downgraded? What’s the deal?
The Deadly Sins are supposed to be bad, bad, things, and yet every where you look you can easily spot someone of Religion embracing them in everyday life. What happened to the fear? Who took the “deadly” out of the Deadly Sins?
Let me review them if I will, and ponder why we over look them or have changed them to suit our purposes of the times?
LUST
- Originally this sin was “Luxuria” or Extravagance, in other words, this sin was the sin of Luxury. Is it just me or does it seem to you that a whole lot of supposedly good people of Religion embrace luxury and extravagance? Maybe that is why this sin was shaved down to simply be “lust”. Now it is merely sinful to be lustful, or wanting of sex, typically for that which is out of reach or taboo.
GLUTTONY
- So if this is such a sin, why are there so many fat Christians? You cannot tell me that it is all people with gladular problems. That’s right, these people are obviously eating more than their share, more than they need, and more than they should according this “deadly” sin.
GREED
- Well not too many people I know are willing to live on minimum wage, even though it really can be done. Most people are basically greedy, and this includes people whose religion tells them that Greed is a sin. You do not need a big house, a new car, (or any car), more than two pairs of shoes, and you do not need a cell phone. You can live without a computer, Internet, and even cable television. Greed is a sin, it deprives other people of things. Every wealthy person deprives several low income people of many things, because each dollar they have, cannot belong to another person.
SLOTH
- The sin of being lazy. Even for a second. This really is one of those sins that changed meaning. Originally this Sin was “Sadness” or Apathy. Really this is a sin of being less than your best self. Not acting when you should. So every procrastinator is a sinner. Everyone who takes naps instead of walking the dog is a sinner, everyone who spends any time feeling sorry for themselves is a sinner. I am pretty sure at some time in everyones life they have committed this “deadly” sin. Many people do it daily.
WRATH
- You have never been angry right? Well the good news is that people of certain religions are simply not allowed to be angry. Isn’t that great? Anger is a sin. The worst thing in the world could happen, and YOU, a good Christian cannot be angry about it. Ah.. what a wonderful world.
ENVY
- Oh that little green monster. Since this is a wonderfully deadly sin, it means that nobody will want what anybody else has. Yes this one certainly explains why everyone is in total harmony with their neighbours.
PRIDE
- Vanity is often considered the worst of all the deadly sins. It sort of makes me wonder why people dress up so fancy just to go to Church. If pride is such a sin, shouldn’t people go to Church in plain, humble clothes? After all the opposite of Pride is Humility (considered the biggest virtue). God made us naked, why don’t we go to church in the nude? Well, maybe not in the winter. But seriously if it’s a sin to be prideful why is there such a pressure to dress up for Church? Do we really think God loves us more if we have fancy clothes?
The Seven Virtues
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CHASTITY
Okay, no sex before or outside of marriage. Got it?
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TEMPERANCE
Self control. Do not eat more than you need, and do not buy things you do not need.
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CHARITY
Give money, excess, and time, to others.
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DILIGENCE
Do not put things off, help when you can, and do not turn a blind eye to your fellow human being who is suffering.
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FORGIVENESS
It does you no good to hate another – it only hurts you.
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KINDNESSS
Supposedly this is the opposite of Envy, but I am not sure how.
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HUMILITY
As mentioned before, humility is the biggest virtue.
I am not telling you how to live your life, I am not telling you these “Sins” are laws (according to some religions) you must obey. If your Religion tells you to behave in a certain way, and you cannot, then maybe you should consider another religion, or you will have some major issues of guilt within yourself. I am just tired of people who claim to follow a Religion, but not “really” following it. Do not just sweep the Deadly Sins under the door and pretend they do not exist for you.
Every Religion has laws and rules. Before you claim to be a “Good Christian”, “Good Catholic”, “Good whatever” make sure you are not behaving like a Hypocrite. You can ask for forgiveness, and may even be forgiven. BUT if you committed the sin, then you are perhaps not as “Good” as you think. Follow the rules, or move on.
I have to ask what is the purpose of having these “Deadly sins” if all you have to do to relieve yourself of them is to ask for forgiveness? This is just a few things to think about. To raise your way of thinking.
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Post CommentJaclyn
On March 10, 2008 at 8:22 pm
On wealthy people depriving poor people because “each dollar they have cannot belong to another person:” this is based on the false assumption that there is a fixed amount of wealth in the world. On the contrary, most wealthy people got that way through hard work, and the dollars they pour back into the economy help everyone by boosting retail and creating jobs.
Lauren Axelrod
On June 19, 2009 at 8:10 pm
I believe that it’s your duty to give back after you have received. I don’t have one God, but I think that the people in this world that are living a better life than most, without the aid of a fancy education or profession(they just have money), they are obligated to give back.
postpunkpixie
On June 25, 2009 at 10:10 am
This is fascinating! I never knew the thing was changed. I find the mythology that grew up around Christianity really interesting, although doing “good” because you’re told to never really seemed that “good” to me.
Minister Marlene
On July 30, 2010 at 3:36 pm
The Bible teaches us that ” There is no man good, but God”, these are the words of Christ. What religions fail to understand is that every single person is a sinner. We can not live up to the above High expectations, we stumble with all of the above deadly sins. We all struggle. No one is exempt. Christians have got to stop being self-righteous and grow in their faith.
If religions could just get to this truth what a better world. We would have. What Christ can do for the believer is give him or her the power to overcome sin and be a better person.
And when we get better at not committing certain sins, another one will arise. This is the nature of man. We are not and shall never be perfect but God wants us to be in the process of being perfect. Being a Christian means:I know I am not perfect, I know I will never Be perfect but I will try and I will ask God to help me.