The Seven Deadly Sins

I grew up in a church whose catechism included lessons on the Seven Mortal, or Deadly, Sins. Although the Scriptures frequently discuss these sins, the Bible does not list them in the same way as it lists, say, the Ten Commandments.

Having said that, the Seven Deadly Sins are a valid template for understanding the moral milieu. The sins are:

1. Pride
2. Greed
3. Envy
4. Wrath
5. Lust
6. Gluttony
7. Sloth

During my youthful days in the catechism, the teacher’s focus was on how such sins can scar one’s soul and threaten one’s eternal salvation, hence the moniker Seven Mortal Sins.

True that such sins will destroy a person’s spiritual life, but it is also true that they are destructive to nations and societies. Take a look at those sins and imagine how a society would look once those sins take hold.

Think of an economy and business environment where greed, envy, gluttony, and sloth are dominant motivating factors.

Or a political environment where pride, wrath, greed, and lust are part of the daily news cycle.

Or a culture where families are wracked with pride, wrath, lust, greed, and sloth.

Put differently, if a nation practices as a matter of course the Seven Deadly Sins, it might look like a lot like what we see around us.

Maybe a little lesson in the Seven Virtues is the medicine the culture needs.