Seven Deadly Sins

The Seven Deadly Sins are said to be in some way specially bad sins, Gregory the Great listed seven:-

Pride, envy, anger, dejection or sloth, avarice or greed, gluttony and lust

Ironically, most of these "sins" are emotions and unless you act on them no harm results. Even if you act on, these emotions it can be good rather than harmful.

1. Envy and greed can lead you to work hard and get the things you want or get things that other people have.
2. When you are proud that you have done something well that can encourage you to do as well or better in future.
3. Anger or wrath is more often than not destructive but being angry about harmful things can encourage us to work and put things right.
4. Even for Christians sexual lust can lead to romance and marriage. Sexual lust is harmless pleasure provided you don't cheat on your regular partner, provided you respect your partner and take care not to create an unwanted child. When you don't act on lust sexual frustration can be very harmful.
5. Dejection isn't helpful but it should lead to compassion rather than criticism.

Are they worse than other sins? Really?

When people believe they have committed one or more deadly sin that makes them feel guilty and inferior. Then their church or the leaders of their church can more easily control them. Emotions are harder to control than actions so Christians continually feel these emotions, can't stop feeling that way and the guilt thing follows.

There is a good and a a bad side to Christianity, see the category page

See also

• Humanist morality How to lead a moral life without religious people making you feel guilty

References useful as external links

• Punishing the Seven Deadly Sins