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Deadly Sins for Everyone |
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Gianfranco Girotti, the head of the Vatican's Apostolic Penitentiary, expanded the list of seven deadly sins in the latest issue of the Vatican's official newspaper, writing:
One doesn't offend God only by robbing, blaspheming, or desiring the next man's wife, but also when they harm the environment, participate in dubious scientific experiments and genetic mutations, accumulate an excess of wealth, consume or traffic drugs, and cause poverty, injustice, and social inequality.
It's important to note that these new sins do not revolve around an individual's relation with a deity. Instead, they focus on the consequences an individual's actions will have on the rest of humanity. This is a big step.
If we really want to confront the problems of our time, we need all organizations with influence to embrace these issues. Both religious and political institutions should work at encouraging citizens to live in ways that are not socially and environmentally destructive. Only by changing notions of moral and civic behavior can we hope to take the painful steps necessary to change our unsustainable standards of living.
I've just blogged on this myself (http://layscience.net/?q=node/70), dismantling each of the "sins" in turn. Even if I were a Christian, I don't see how you can follow a set of statements that - when you analyze them - are basically meaningless…
One doesn't offend God only by robbing, blaspheming, or desiring the next man's wife, but also when they harm the environment, participate in dubious scientific experiments and genetic mutations, accumulate an excess of wealth, consume or traffic drugs, and cause poverty, injustice, and social inequality.
Is this guy serious? Sins? This sounds like my to weekend to-do list.