The Seven Deadly Sins, famous in Christian theology, are found no where in the Bible, amusingly enough. I'm going to speculate that this is more stuff that some 4th Century Religious Control Freak came up with to keep the rabble in check. But, that being said, I must admit that I like that there are seven of them. That's a lot of Deadly Sins. I can't even remember all of them let alone practice all of them. I would personally have had two or three Deadly ones and maybe a handful of Very Bad Sins, the kind that would mess you up but not kill you. Major Injury Sins or Double Amputee Sins. You could, all by yourself and in the light of your own circumstances, decide whether the consequences of a major, debilitating injury would be worth the cost of engaging in the sin that led to those injuries. You might say: "Ah, fuck it, I'm really, really hungry" or horny or greedy, etc. etc. without worrying about burning in the Lake of Fire. Frankly, I find it hard to imagine that my higher power would toss me into that Lake if I got angry at some asshole sharing past the timer at my morning meeting. Seems unduly harsh to me. I would think a God with infinite patience and compassion that knows no bounds would let that kind of Deadly Sin pass.
Pride
Greed
Envy
Wrath
Lust
Gluttony
Sloth
Quite the list.
Pride: An unreasonable overestimation of one's own superiority in talents, beauty, wealth, rank, etc.; proud or disdainful behavior or treatment; insolence or arrogance of demeanor.
I like that pride is an "overestimation" which is particularly potent when it's paired with "unreasonable." It's not simply that I'm off it's that I'm way off.
Greed: A selfish or excessive desire for more than is needed or deserved, especially of money, wealth, food, or other possessions.
"Selfish" and "Excessive" are bad enough but when they're mated with the idea that this desire isn't even needed . . . well, come on, people.
Envy: Resentful desire of something possessed by another.
Resentful! Got to love that. I want what you have and I'm pissed that you have it. Wanting what someone else has and resenting them for having it. It's not just that I want it -it's that I want it because you have it. This is outstanding! It's understandable behavior for a three year old to say: "I don't like my toys and I don't want to play with them but get your fucking hands off my toys!"
Wrath: Extreme anger; strong vengeful anger or indignation.
Now we're talking. That's what I'm talking about. When my strong anger becomes vengeful it means I'm out for revenge. It means I'm out for revenge even when I haven't actually been harmed, slighted, or injured. I'm fine with imagining a harm, slight, or injury when I'm in the mood for some old-fashioned Wrath.
On a side note . . . Wrath would be an excellent name for a heavy metal band. It would also be an excellent, edgy nickname for a college sports team. Who would you expect to win in a contest between the Capital City Crusaders and the Middletown Wrath? And what would be the logo for The Wrath? What would the cheerleaders wear? What would be their signature chant?
"I'm Angry,
I'm Hateful,
And I'm out for Revenge!"
I also think that The Jackdaws would be a good band name.
Lust: A desire to satisfy the senses especially as seeking unrestrained gratification.
I think Lust gets the short stick in the Deadly Sins department. Too many people restrict Lust to sexual desire when it could rightly be applied to anything that I want to overstimulate. Lust for money; Lust for power; Lust for prestige.
Gluttony: The vice of eating to excess.
Again, a Deadly Sin that has wide-ranging applications. To do something to excess. A Glutton for punishment.
Sloth: Laziness; disinclination to action or labor.
Ah, fuck it - I'm tired of all of this thinking about Deadly Sins.
No comments:
Post a Comment