The Seven Deadly Sins Page " short"

This is a plain text explanation of the traditional christian 7 deadly sins, with normal explanations.



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Each of the seven deadly sins are normal emotions and everyone experiences them in daily life. They are also motives that when taken too far lead to Bad Stuff. This is an old list; it is commonly known, but I decided to put an explanation on my site here because I couldn't find many other websites with normal plain-talk explanations for what they are.

I should caution that I’m Methodist, so if you’ve got problems with this stuff, take it up with my Bishop! (grin).

1. LUST

Lust is being horny. It is a normal motivation. It is when you see a really attractive person and want to hold them and make mad, passionate love to them, to touch their skin and feel the curves of their body next to yours. Sex is an emotionally powerful thing, and the consequences of sex (especially pregnancy and love) can lead to both great joy and great pain. Lust is not sex (sex is fulfilled lust). Lust is blind to consequences. Being horny is okay but acting on it often can get you or someone else killed.

2. ENVY

Envy is wishing you had an emotion (my definition). Example: I see someone waterskiing, and I am envious of the gleeful feeling that person has. YOU CANNOT ENVY AN OBJECT. Envy is of the people who use the object. I am not envious of a Corvette, I am envious of a person who owns a Corvette because I would like the emotions of glee, power, and speed that come with driving it.

3. GREED

Greed is wishing you had more power over the people around you. This comes from having money or valuable objects. (Note: wanting the power of respect is a sin of pride, not of greed.) Greed is wanting the power to force someone to do what we want. Money is the universal solvent, enough of it can make anyone do anything. Wisdom is knowing what your price is. Greed, the obsession with power, can drive out all positive forces in your life, even if you think your objective is a just one.

4. PRIDE

Pride is thinking you’re better than you are. Better at what doesn’t matter. It’s not just misguided overconfidence. It’s thinking you’re better than God and thus that you’re invincible. This isn’t bad in small things like your jump shot. It is bad when you cannot accept your limitations and live within them.

5. GLUTTONY

Gluttony is excessive consumption of something. This usually relates to eating too much, but broadly speaking it’s any time you use more than is your right to. This is not greed (desire for power over others). This is the mistreatment of your own body and the absorption of constantly doing something. It’s possible to be a glutton in the use of video games; you’re using the entertainment as brain candy.

6. LAZINESS

Laziness is giving in to the desire to do nothing. Being lazy can mean avoiding doing something else; whatever the hard thing is that you want to avoid doing. Resting between your labors is valuable and in fact demanded by a commandment (Keep the Sabbath Holy / Stop & Smell the Flowers, God Made ‘em). Taking laziness too far is avoidance of undesirable tasks (including thinking hard). We grow by doing challenging things.

7. WRATH

Wrath is wanting to hurt someone. It is not anger, which is normal and is really frustration and rebellion at being powerless. Wrath is wanting to cause pain, and being motivated by this to actually cause pain. A little bit, especially when driving, is okay. Carrying a weapon and firing at both the stupid and insane people driving near you isn't okay.



Combinations:

JEALOUSY

Envy (wishing you had an emotion) combined with Wrath (wishing someone harm) is jealousy (wanting to deny other people an emotion).