Seven New Deadly Sins

BUMP AND UPDATE:
This post has stimulated some heated debate in the comments and some fun 'mails for me. Because I had to post and run earlier I didn't get a chance to answer comments or give the news story the full treatment. I'm back now and have responded to some of the issues raised by commenters.

If you choose to write in the comments, keep in mind that discussions about religion can be pretty uncomfortable. I'm not asking you to behave (hah!). Just be aware that religious topics can really turn into fights.

ORIGINAL POST:
Things like this are coming between me and God. Yesterday, the Vatican published a new list of deadly--that is, mortal--sins. Believing that the usual (but informal) deadly sins are too "individualistic" in nature, these were selected for their "social resonance" according to Bishop Gianfranco Girotti.

The new deadly sins include polluting, genetic engineering, being obscenely rich, drug dealing, abortion, pedophilia and causing social injustice.

The Catholic Church divides sins into venial, or less serious, sins and mortal sins, which threaten the soul with eternal damnation unless absolved before death through confession and penitence.

It holds mortal sins to be “grave violations of the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes,” including murder, contraception, abortion, perjury, adultery and lust.

Pollution, a waste product of higher standards of living is now a mortal sin? Genetic engineering that could feed millions or prevent disease will land us in Hell?

Once again I have to tell my Church to fuck off. I'm really getting tired of that.

posted by Gabriel Malor at 05:51 PM

| Access Comments