Huh. While the classic "Seven Deadly (or Cardinal) Sins" were never Catholic Church canon or anything, they were an interesting, handy list. Now, evidently, the Vatican is announcing seven deadly "social" sins:

1. "Bioethical" violations such as birth control
2. "Morally dubious'' experiments such as stem cell research
3. Drug abuse
4. Polluting the environment
5. Contributing to widening the divide between rich and poor
6. Excessive wealth
7. Creating poverty

Leaving aside some of the ironic questions some folks might raise (Does restricting birth control lead to more poverty being created? Are the treasures of the Vatican excessive wealth?), consider this list vs. the "classic" Seven Deadlies, as originally put down by Pope Gregory I in the 6th Century:

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

(or, in a handy acronym, "PEWSLAG"). The newfangled "social" 7Ds are all actions -- or, even, the outcomes of actions. The original 7Ds are attitudes, beliefs. In short, it's a difference between (in a negative way) works vs. faiths.

Mebbe it's (ironically) a Protestant kind of thing, but I tend to think the latter list is better, being more focused on one's attitude and reasons for an action, than the actions themselves.

Filed under :: Religion

The latter list being the former list?

Hrm. Yes, that was probably not well constructed.

The latter (earlier) list, vs. the former (later) list.

Fortunately, poorly constructed writing is not a sin (else Paul would be in more serious trouble than he is).