The Seven Deadly Sins

I don’t think many people think about sin very much, especially the Seven Deadly Sins and the concept of virtue seems to have virtually disappeared from our society.  Perhaps it is time for us to revisit these so we can determine individually if we are performing in accordance with God’s desires, not the desires imposed upon us by others or by our society.  This means that we need to reflect on our conduct to determine what is in our heart and where we should improve.   Of course when you examine the Seven Deadly Sins I think virtually everyone is guilty of committing these but to what degree?  God’s standard is very high but aren’t there some mitigating circumstances?  These are my comments on these sins and what I feel are the mitigating circumstances.

1. Pride == it is not wrong to take pride in your work, your children, or even in your success as long as it isn’t done to achieve superiority over some one else or used to brag or demean others.

2. Covetousness == This is a hard one isn’t it?  Is it wrong to strive for something better?  I think not but if I want what you have without having to work for it or simply steal it then that would be wrong.  If I desire something and earn it then I don’t think that is coveting, but if  I want it and gain it through some nefarious means then that is wrong.

3. Lust == Well this is another tough one and one I think most people fail at it.  After all we all have thoughts that are lustful – you see pictures of people clad deliberately to arouse impure thoughts – that’s lust pure and simple.  So this is certainly an area where we all could stand some improvement, but God created sex so sex in and of itself is not wrong or sinful.  Rape and seduction or wrong but consensual sex is not – no matter what the preacher says.  

4. Anger== Perhaps there are some people who never anger but I think they would be a very small minority.  So when does anger become more than a small sin?  I thnk when a person’s anger impacts or dangers another person that is a sin.  Getting mad and slamming doors is probably common and not much of a sin but striking another person or harming them in a fit of anger is a major sin and should not be condoned..

5. Gluttony== Another tough one because how do you distinguish eating your fill from sinful over eating?  I don’t think many people are gluttons but taking the largest piece or the last piece might be considered gluttony.  Eating without sharing with others would be gluttony.

 

6. Envy== I guess some people are envious – mostly I think they are jealous – and I guess all of us at one time or another are envious of other’s success or wealth or fortune – but I think this only rises to sin when it becomes all consuming.

7. Sloth==My favorite.  If you think you are working hard enough then you are but if others say you aren’t that is their opinion and not yours – thus you are not necessarily slothful.  You only become lazy when you know in your heart you aren’t working hard.

Living without violating the Seven Deadly Sins is difficult because they are really not clearly defined.  Obviously there are mitigating circumstances which doesn’t excuse the sin but does reduce the magnitude of the sin.  So what about the Seven Cardinal Virtues?  Is it any easier to be good?  These are the Seven Cardinal Virtues but are they clearly defined?  When and how do you display these virtues?

1. Faith==  If you have faith in God that is all that is necessary and that faith is not measured in terms of tithing or attendance or chest pounding.  But who has never doubted or questioned? 

2. Hope== All of us have hope and hope we do better – but is that ego?  Who or what should we hope for?  How do we show Hope?  I suspect to display this virtue you must hope for things beyond yourself.

3. Charity == Some would construe this to mean giving money and certainly that is one way but I think a more meaningful way is to give of yourself.  Time spent helping others falls into this category.

4. Prudence== This is a tough one –I equate this to caution and circumspection but is this accurate.  Does this mean that you think before you speak? 

5. Justice== Be fair in your treatment of others and do not show favoritism and NEVER use your position or power for selfish purposes.   Justice normally means enforcing the law but is man’s law fair?  Is it morally right?  Does it mean that you receive what you sow?

6. Temperance== Extremes in anything is bad and drunkenness falls into this category.  Drinking is not sinful but drunkenness is.  This also applies to actions and speech. 

7. Fortitude-== Courage both physical and moral and of course moral is the harder one because this is where you must stand up for what you think is right even when everyone else is telling you that you are wrong.

I have no idea if anything here is accurate or even close to being accurate.  These are simply my views and clearly are subject to argument by others more knowledgeable than me.  My only point is that avoiding sin is probably not possible and leading a virtuous life may be equally challenging.  Evil is real, sin is real, and goodness does exist.

 

Sin or No Sin

Do you think about sin?  Probably not – I think very few people do.  In fact many people might be hard pressed to even define sin even in a biblical context.  Essentially within the Judeo-Christian context sin is simply the act of violating God’s will or anything that violates the relationship between an individual and God.  But what is God’s will and what – precisely is the relationship between a person and God?  These are rather vague terms when you examine them, yet the Bible is very specific in what constitutes a sin. 613 commandments.  But all of these sins are in reference to God and those who believe in the Judeo-Christian God.  What about Atheists and those who don’t believe in God – can they sin?  What about the Seven Deadly Sins?  Are they sins of the soul or of the body?  What about the Ten Commandments, these were given to Moses directly from God and are honored by the world’s three great religions do these apply to atheists?  Is the denial of God a sin in itself?

The first commandment “Thou shalt have no other Gods before me” seems clear enough but does that apply to humankind or just to Jews, Christians, and Muslims?  A great many people in the world don’t fall into those categories and do not recognize this as God’s commandment.  Are they all sinners and condemned by a God they do not recognize?  This first of God’s commandments seems to assume that everyone believes in some god, but that they must honor the God described in the Bible and Koran first and above all other gods.  So perhaps it can be concluded that atheism is itself a sin and a violation of God’s commandment.  So the answer must be yes – Atheists can sin.

The second commandment is more interesting because it is rarely expressed in its entirety.  According the King James Bible the second amendment states”
 

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.  Thos shalt not  bow down thyself to them, nor serve them for I the Lord they God am  jealous God, visiting the inequity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me. And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments

 
Normally what you see is just the first phrase and not the entire commandment.  Both Islam and Judaism follow this commandment scrupulously but do Christians?  Is the ubiquitous Cross a graven image?  What of the icons, statues, and various images that abound in Christian Churches?  What about the Catholic Saints – are they gods and graven images?  Of course the claim is that these are not graven images or gods to be prayed to but simply symbols celebrating God and their faith in God – a fine line. But these commandments are from God and violating them would be a sin – if you believe in God and His commandments.  But what if you don’t?  What about the Seven Deadly Sins?
 
These may have their roots in the Bible and have evolved from that but they were first articulated in the fourth century by John Cassian.( http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03404a.htm).  How these are defined has evolved over the years so they may be rooted in religion but today they are more sins of the body than sins against God.   But the question remains – what is sin and can sin be defined outside of a religious reference?  Can a person sin if he does not believe in the existence of God?
 
Of course there is probably no real answer to any of these questions, but it is my opinion that all sins are sins against God’s mandate and those who do not believe in God can not only sin but their disbelief is their first sin and that sin is pride.