"The
'seven deadly sins' are pride, greed, lust, anger, gluttony, envy and
sloth."
--Medieval
Theologians
THE
SEVEN DEADLY SINS
Is
this generation guilty of the seven deadly sins, as catalogued by medieval
theologians?
YES,
WE ARE GUILTY of the 7 deadly sins! And this consensus of opinion
comes from groups as diverse as ecologists, historians and theologians!
According
to Richard Pollay, historian at University of British Columbia, the values
behind modern advertising look much like the seven deadly sins.
States
Pollay, "But the other side of the coin is almost absent. Ads don't
encourage compassion, selflessness and the values that build a strong
community"!
The
business community has for many years succumbed to the "dog eat
dog" value system, in aggressive and often unethical competition
among its members. And we've known for a long time, that advertising
agencies exploit everything available, in their quest for business.
ADVERTISING
AGENCIES EXPLOIT 7 DEADLY SINS
Like
sex, for example. Scantily dressed, sensual females, selling anything from
holiday packages to automobiles, to a night out at the cabaret!
And
a ruggedly handsome cowboy promoting "cancer-causing"
cigarettes, or an elegantly dressed, jet-setting young couple, standing
beside a deluxe car in the driveway of a super expensive home...promoting
vodka!
Recently
(Dec. 1998), Alberta’s Telus
(phone company) came out with a Christmas television commercial with 3
wise men bringing gifts, supposedly to the Christ-Child (He was not
shown). Their gifts consisted of gold, frankincense & a mobile
telephone from Telus. After a
lot of callers objected, the ad was pulled!
When
contacted by the TV media, I voiced my opposition declaring, “Nothing is
sacred or holy anymore! Nothing is off limits to the materialistic,
secular humanistic MINDSET! It shows a terrible lack of sensitivity and
reverence for God & the Bible!
“This
is but another calculated move by an unthinking, secular &
materialistic advertising agency to utilize a part of the Christmas Story
to further the economic goals of the TELUS
Corporation. We do not agree with that concept. They have crossed over the
line of decency and good taste! This practice must stop! We won’t put up
with it!”
Now,
an advertising historian is saying the same thing. Our advertising
value-system is seriously flawed! And that's upsetting, when you consider
the thousands of ads we are all subjected to through radio, television,
billboards and printed materials!
IT'S
NO WONDER THAT A LOT OF CHILDREN ARE GREEDY, SELFISH, ENVIOUS! They want
everything they see, and have a problem sharing what they have with
others!
The
same could be said about many adults who have become narcissistic and
hedonistic in their approach to life. This corrupted value system helped
spawn the Me Generation, 'if it feels good, do it' attitude and the
present YUPPIE and DINKS mentality!
BUT
THAT'S ALL CHANGING NOW!
The
Asian economic recession has taken a big bite out of the economic pie and
a lot of people are frustrated and let down!
And
the news about the depletion of the ozone layer causing enormous increases
in skin cancer, possible global warming, a deteriorating eco-system and
the stampeding HIV and AIDS endemic, is causing people to rethink their
philosophy of life.
Unfortunately,
large numbers are rudderless without any proper spiritual and moral
grounding in God's Word, the Bible...so become fair game for the deceptive
occultist and pagan teachings of the New Age Movement and other cults!
Several
years ago Newsweek named the guilty nations which are adding to the
destruction of our planet. They presented their own list of the
"seven deadly sins" in an attack on polluters!
Newsweek's
special report titled, Earth at the Summit details the three important
items on the table at Earth Summit '92, in Rio de Janeiro:
1)
Global Warming: A treaty intended to curb emissions of "greenhouse
gases" - principally carbon dioxide - but without specific target or
timetables.
2)
Agenda 21: A plan for the industrial nations to help poor countries
develop their economies without ruining their environments - or the
planet's. Estimated cost: US $125 billion per year.
3)
Biodiversity: A treaty to slow the loss of endangered species. One
approach, give countries royalties for products (such as drugs) that are
developed from indigenous plants and animals.
ECOLOGIST'S
SEVEN DEADLY SINS LIST!
The
Newsweek report stated, "Adam was supposed to be the first
environmentalist - the caretaker in Paradise, even a vegetarian. His fall
doomed us to repeat his sins, time and again despoiling the garden, and
casting ourselves into a more imperfect world".
Here
are the Ecologist's 7 SEVEN DEADLY SINS: despair, gluttony,
temptation, hubris, neglect, envy and hatred.
#1 DEADLY
SIN
Despair:
For the poor in the large city ghettoes of Third World nations like
Brazil, the only real concern is getting enough to eat, staying alive
using whatever means to do it!
With
open sewers and inadequate clean water supply, speaking to them about
pollution control and global warming, is totally irrelevant. They are
filled with worry and despair.
#2
DEADLY SIN
Gluttony:
Americans have an insatiable desire for raw materials. They can consume
anything. The European immigrants cut down all but 5% of their forests,
since arriving in the New World. Ecologists are blaming the rich Americans
for consuming more than necessary, further polluting the planet!
#3
DEADLY SIN
Temptation: Polluters cannot resist the temptation to dump raw sewage in
the rivers, lakes and streams of the world. The greatest offenders are
nations like Mexico and US companies which have moved their operations
there, to take advantage of lax pollution laws.
#4
DEADLY SIN Hubris:
(insolence or arrogance caused by inordinate pride; exaggerated
self-confidence)
For
years the Soviet Union tried to play God with nature. In 1960, it diverted
two rivers that fed the Aral Sea in order to irrigate the arid lands of
Central Asia. The chickens have come home to roost and the water level in
the Aral is down two-thirds, leaving boats and towns stranded and drifting
salt storms.
#5
DEADLY SIN
Neglect:
The pollution caused by decades of communistic rule in the East-Bloc
nations - with their disregard for human life - has severely retarded
these nations, affecting the health of millions. Unsafe nuclear plants -
like Chernobyl - and the virtually unchecked dumping of raw, hazardous
wastes into waterways like the Elbe River has turned them into
"sewers of death"!
#6
DEADLY SIN
Envy:
In her rush to catch up to the west economically, China has thrown caution
to the wind and also endangered the population with deadly gases from
hundreds of factories. In Benxi - the world's most polluted city - 200
factories spew out more than 87 million cubic meters of gases each year.
And Beijing is so smoggy that at times it vanishes from satellite photos!
#7
DEADLY SIN
Hatred:
When Saddam Hussein - Iraq's cruel despot - retreated from Kuwait - he
deliberately ordered the destruction of 700 oil wells. Black smoke hung
over that nation for nearly one year, polluting the entire region, until
the fires were put out!
He
also released millions of gallons of oil into the gulf waters, polluting,
killing and destroying marine life, birds and insects, endangering the
underground water supply and causing respiratory diseases in humans!
The
damage of his terrorism will last for years to come and the cost of the
clean-up could total $20 billion, says Ibrahim Hadi, president of Kuwait's
Environmental Protection Agency!
GOD
HAS THE FINAL WORD ON THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS
The
Bible has a lot to say about sin. Jesus was outspoken on the subject. He
used the word "leaven" as an analogy of sin, which rises and
expands like leaven. He also paralleled it with tares or weeds in a field,
that seek to choke out the good grain. The Bible declares the
following as the SEVEN DEADLY SINS:
THE
BIBLE STATES THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS ARE
#1
- PRIDE, which makes one feel superior to
others is totally wrong. This sin was Lucifer’s downfall! The Bible
says, “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a
fall”. (Prov. 15:8)
#2
- GREED has caused more wars and created more gangsters and promoted more
theft than any other sin.
The
Bible says, “Thou shalt not COVET...” (Exodus
20:17) “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while
some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves
through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and
follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.”
(1 Timothy
6:10-11)
#3
- LUST is the desire for something not lawfully yours. A sensual desire
for the forbidden fruit! It includes an inordinate desire for power,
control, sex, substance abuse or wealth. Lust always brings spiritual
death, in the end!
The
Bible says, “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin:
and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” (James
1:15)
#4
- ANGER or HATRED causes high blood pressure, ulcers, violent
confrontation and even murder!
Jesus
said, “But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in
darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath
blinded his eyes. “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye
know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
“If
a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar:
for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God
whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who
loveth God love his brother also.” (1 John 2:11; 3:15; 4:20-21)
#5
- GLUTTONY is an over indulgence in eating. A phobia or inordinate
desire to eat food, even when one is not hungry. A good rule is: Eat to
live, not live to eat! A day of fasting & prayer each week does
wonders for us - spiritually & physically!
Let’s
use the extra money we save through fasting to give to the poor &
needy and to support the poor and the orphaned!
#6
- ENVY will also cause the blood pressure to rise and the demons of
jealousy and pride to fabricate lies and even fantasies in a person, given
over to this wicked sin!
The
Bible says, “Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and
drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh,
to fulfill the lusts thereof.” (Romans 13:13-14)
#7
- SLOTH goes hand in hand with laziness and
poverty. St. Paul stated, "Be not slothful in business". (Romans
12:11) “For God is
not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have
shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do
minister. And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence
to the full assurance of hope unto the end: That ye be not slothful, but
followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” (Hebrews
6:10-12)
LET’S
REMEMBER THAT GOD KEEPS THE BOOKS
AND HAS
THE FINAL SAY IN EVERYTHING!
There
is only one way to be freed from these ‘seven deadly sins’ and that is
through the process of the New Birth. Only faith in Jesus Christ's death
for us on the cross and His glorious resurrection from the dead, brings us
into a vital contact with His saving blood!
Jesus
said, "Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will
give you rest". (Matthew 11:28)
Links
to: Sins,
seven deadly sins
Seven
Deadly Sins articles
Seven
Deadly Sins - Wikipedia
The
seven deadly sins -
University of Leicester
Bible scriptures study
CBC
article - the seven deadly
sins
Revealed
- the seven 7 deadly
sins
PRIDE
- #1 Sin of the
seven
deadly sins
GREED
- #2 Sin of the
seven
deadly sins
LUST
- #3 Sin of the seven
deadly sins
ANGER
#4 sin of the
seven
deadly sins
GLUTTONY
#5 sin of the seven
deadly sins
ENVY
#6 sin of the seven
deadly sins
SLOTH
#7 sin of the seven
deadly sins
