Seven Deadly Sins

                                             


What are the seven deadly sins and why have religious leaders clung to them? 


In no way am I intending to put down the freedom of religion and in some way there needs to be some check and balance. Religious leaders of the past came up with them as a way to keep followers in line. They are not centrally in the bible, they have taken brief passages and made them into what most of us recognize today.




Pride
Feeling and taking pride in yourself and your abilities. Self esteem is by far
the best quality to have as a person, and I don’t understand how that could 
possibly get in the way of your religious beliefs. Would god not want you to 
feel good about everything he has placed before you?  
      
Envy                                          
Wanting to look like you, writer of that best selling novel, your social status, 
your bank account, your fame. We all have wished at some point we had 
something someone else has. Doesn’t seem like a sin, but it probably isn’t healthy.


Gluttony 
Consuming more than you need. Eating far more than you physically need, committing more deadly sins than you can handle. Remember you are supposed to be a vessel and over-consumption of anything can be a grave sin.


Anger 
To be so consumed with anger and hatred that you think or act on it. I think we all have committed this sin in a rash moment, but most of us stop ourselves from enacting wrath. 
Can you be angry and still feel love? This deadly sin is about the absence of love, only anger. Most of us have pulled in gluttony--we consume far more alcohol than we need.
This deadly sin contradicts god in my opinion. He has unleashed wrath upon the earth and people countless times. Maybe why the religious leader took wrath out as a deadly sin. The church has unleashed wrath upon heretics in the past too. Maybe they needed to be a better role model.


Greed
Desiring material wealth and gain. Wanting to make more money and revel in it. I have committed this sin too. I have gone out of my way to make more money, two jobs, and I felt great having a huge bank account if only for a moment. The problem with this deadly sin is that it further leads you far from the grace of god, but we do need money to live do we not. This could also go under the gluttony category.


Sloth
Going out of your way to avoid physically exerting yourself, working or doing work at the church. I think most of us have committed this grave sin. Most us may go to church, but what else have you done for your church. I suppose going to church is all most of us think we need to do. I know I too have avoided working sometimes. I have sat at home practicing gluttony.


Lust
Drumroll please. Lust can be brought into every deadly sin. Religious leaders of the past and now have consumed themselves with this deadly sin. Detailing how exactly they needed to keep their followers from committing this deadliest of sins. Puritans that first came to the new world whipped and made adulterers wear the scarlet letter A on their clothing. Lust brings every other deadly sin into play and if you commit this one you have committed all the rest.