I've just learned that for the last five or six years I've been labouring under a misapprehension. Ever since at the age of 5 at Prep School I've been able to recite, amongst other things, the Seven Deadly Sins: pride, covetousness, lust, envy, anger, gluttony and sloth (the language wasn't archaic when I was 5!).
I happened to be looking for some information on mortal and venial sins (don't even ask) a few days ago when I came across the information that in March, 2008, Pope Benedict XVI added the 8th Deadly Sin of ‘Excessive Wealth’ to the list of Deadly Sins.
What is excessive wealth? It must be a relative concept. So who determines it? I have excessive wealth in that I have far more than I require for my basic needs. So, in all probability, do many who are reading this post. Especially compared with the 900 million or so of the world's population who woke up hungry today.
I did wonder, too, whether, if excessive wealth was a Deadly Sin for individuals, then what about for organisations? Most of big business may be said to be enjoying excessive wealth and most religious organisations are very wealthy and indeed some of the larger religions are amongst the wealthiest organisations in the world.
Hmmmm.
Um, a deadly sin? I don't consider it a sin at all. I'm sure you worked hard to achieve that. I know we did.
ReplyDeleteYes, we help others, pay our taxes on time, and are basically good people. I make no apologies about that.
Funny that the church was the one to claim this new sin. I agree. Hmmmm.
I'm with you on this one Lisa.
DeleteAnd indeed, the church Mr. Ratzinger is head of is excessively wealthy. How come that there wasn't an uproar across the world when he added that to the list?!
ReplyDeleteAn uproar? I fear that the Church is banking on the fact that the rich don't care and the poor don't matter. So far no one I know has heard that it was a sin anyway.
DeleteI can't help wondering why x 2. But since you said "don't even ask", I'll skip the first and jump to the second, which is that I really can't see the need for the addition of excessive wealth as a separate item on that list, since greed (covetousness) was already on there.
ReplyDeleteWell, I've never been able to recite that list anyway. If asked, I'd say the awareness of grace is a lot more important than being able to name the variety of sins.
Absolutely Monica. I can't even recall now why I was looking at the list.
DeleteI had to learn an epistle or a collect or a gospel every week too. Hence my ability until recently to recite things like 1 Corinthians 13.1 of by rote (in the King James version, of course).
ReplyDeleteAnd I used to be able to differentiate between of and off too!
ReplyDeleteWell I would never be able to commit this sin of "Excessive Wealth". I had no idea it even existed as a deadly sin acknowledged by the church....you live and you learn.
ReplyDeleteSure do Virginia. Leastways that's the general idea.
DeleteThe pope should know about sin. Experts at sinning are the clergy.
ReplyDeleteIf the Pope doesn't then who does? It's his job. So to speak....
DeleteBring it on. I'll add it to mine any day.
ReplyDeleteMy list is so long adding another wouldn't matter anyway.
DeleteI agree with Marcel. I'm sure I could cope with the guilt were I guilty of that sin.
ReplyDeleteCouldn't we all Pauline?
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