The New Deadly Sins

As I was looking up the ‘seven deadly sins,’ I noticed that in 2008, the Vatican had come up with a new, modern-day list. Here is the updated list: polluting, genetic engineering, being obscenely rich, drug dealing, abortion, pedophilia, and causing social injustice.

Hmm…I agree with most of the stuff on this list…

This led me to ask my family and friends what they thought modern society considered fatal, moral failures. Here are some of the most commonly mentioned sins: adultery, intolerance, selfishness, dishonesty, killing the innocent, sowing trouble, debt, laziness, greed, addictions (to alcohol, drugs, shopping, sports, technology, exercise), status-seeking, etc.

These days, we consider sins that separate us from others as more offensive than Sins that separate our soul from God. External failures are considered more harmful than internal decay.

Let’s take gluttony for instance. If you are a size 6, and you are devouring everything in sight, no one considers it a sin. In fact, they will ask you for your secret, so they can emulate you. You are only judged for gluttony if you are severely obese. It’s the external manifestation of your choices that are considered a sin, instead of the corruption to your core. We notice the symptom and mistake it for the disease.

“What do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?” (Mark 8:36 NLT)

As we consider our personal, moral failings, may we focus less on current societal standards and more on what benefits our soul.