For some
reason, maybe because a new year is beginning, I’ve been thinking about the
seven deadly sins and wondering exactly what they are and why they are deadly.
The seven
deadlies were not part of my religious education. Instead we sang a lot about
going to heaven and listened to sermons extolling the life of Jesus Christ. I
always thought Jesus was a cool dude, going around in sandals telling people to
live a simple life and be kind to one another. As I recall he didn’t have a
whole lot to say about sin.
Today I
looked up the deadlies. They are: wrath, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy and
gluttony. Why are they mortal? Wikipedia says it is because “mortal or deadly
sin is believed to destroy the life of grace destroy the life of grace and charity within a person …”1
The
Navajo, I imagine, would say that these behaviors destroy one’s hozho, putting
one out of harmony with reality.
I wonder
what Epicurus would have to say about the deadlies. He lived long before
Christianity came along, so he probably wouldn’t have the word “sin” in his
vocabulary, but somehow I think he would agree with me. From my
point of view, any one of the deadlies would disrupt a simple, pleasurable
life. They would disturb the peace.
Copyright
2013 by Shirley Domer
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