Sins so deadly

by Mike

“Seven deadly sins, That’s how the world begins.” so sang Bob Dylan, but do we really think about the merits of being forewarned about the ‘evil’ behind these acts that we commit on an almost daily basis.

In today’s society it is difficult to uphold decency and morals. I think we all commit some form of sin every day. Venial sins may be looked upon differently now then they were by previous generations, but I believe that there has to be extreme circumstances in place for something to be considered a fully fledged sin.

A venial sin is defined as a ‘temporary loss of grace’, those out on a Saturday night may have unknowingly committed many of these. We all curse too much, all take God’s name in vain, have all been guilty of some form of blasphemy. My question does it matter as much to the general public any more?

Can a set of moral crimes created in the 6th Century AD still be upheld now? Luxuria (Lust), Gula (gluttony), Avaritia (greed), Acedia (sloth), Ira (Wrath/Anger) NVIDIA (envy) and Superbia (pride) make up the Seven Deadly used by both Pope Gregory the Great and later Dante in his poem The Divine Comedy.

In December 2004 in an MORI poll, over 1,000 adults over 16 in Britain were asked what sins they had committed in the previous month. 64% of 16-34 year olds stated that anger was their major sin committed. 53% of all adults claimed the same.

Perhaps it is understandable as our lives have become more stressful and adapted to this have become increasingly more difficult.36% of all Adults admitted to gluttony; considering it was found that Britain had 3.3 million tonnes of wasted food in the country in 2006 and obesity on the rise in humans and animals (one cat in 230 in the UK is now diabetic, due to being overweight and lacking exercise) and I would imagine that the percentages would be similar in Ireland.

37% of 16-34 year olds, in the MORI poll, admitted giving in to lust. A quarter of married people in Ireland have admitted to having affairs so maybe we do give into lust and commit this sin more then we imagine.

I think we have a natural instinct to react to situations and that in turn produces a sin. If someone gets promoted above us, or makes more money for doing the same job, envy is going to be a natural reaction.

Power is always said to corrupt but the fact those who have it have spent a long time trying to make the stage they are at , it is hard not to have your head turned but what is available to you.

Men tell us in these days that sin is what you think it is. Well, it is not. Sin is what God thinks it is. You may think according to your own conscience. God thinks according to His.

John G. Lake

Maybe we should look at as the spoken word being the correct word, however for those sins to be present in our lives will result in us succumbing to some form of temptation.

It’s one thing not to sin—it’s another not to want to!

Jacquelyn K. Heasley

Temptation will always exist and while the rules will always be there; one should ask should they be modernised so that we can uphold them? Or should we take the stance that if the rules were good enough for previous generations then they should be for us as well?

Sunday, August 12th, 2007 and is filed under GOD, Pain and suffering, Thoughts & Questions.