The Pope invents 'Seven Sins for the Modern World' theory

[Rhyfelwyr]

Just caught this on the BBC last night, but couldn't find anything on their website to give you all a nice linky.

Anyway, the Vatican has decided that the original seven deadly sins are no longer enough, and so has came up with seven more for the 'modern world'.

Among these sins are genetic modification, human experimentation, and obscene wealth. Not exactly sins I would imagine average Catholics commit. Of course, the Papacy feels the need to get everyone into their Confessions, and so his Hatness stuck 'polluting the environment' onto his list. So yes, you will now have to tell your local priest if you use to many plastic bags, or even leave a light on when you don't need it.

Apparently the Pope feels he has the authority to do this.

[Ronin]

I wonder if God sent a fax or something..."add this to the list guys"

how full of yourself do you have to be to just make this kind of stuff up?

[LittleGrizzly]

So does he claim this is from God ? or is it more a case of he reaches decisions which God wanted him to reach ?

[Adrian II]

So does he claim this is from God ? or is it more a case of he reaches decisions which God wanted him to reach ?

Thou shalt not carry thy groceries in plastic bags?..

[Big_John]

I wonder if God sent a fax or something..."add this to the list guys"

e-mail, i'd hope.

how full of yourself do you have to be to just make this kind of stuff up?

well, he is the pope.. i mean if anyone has the authority to do it, he would. right? though.. wasn't this some bishop or something that came up with this?


anyway, are these actually supposed to be an official addendum to the original 7 mortal sins or just, like, bad things of the modern world? i mean, are you supposed to do all the confession or penitence or whatever if you sneak out at night and manipulate genes?

a hilarious list anyway.

[CountArach]

Observe: The Pope attempts to grasp for relevance.

[HoreTore]

They put social injustice as a sin.

Now that's actually something I can support.

[CountArach]

They put social injustice as a sin.

Now that's actually something I can support.

That one confused me... isn't denouncing Homosexuals socially unjust?

[Banquo's Ghost]

I hate to interrupt the cascade of papal abuse, but it might help your careful and balanced deliberations to know that the "list" was offered by Monsignor Gianfranco Girotti, the head of the Apostolic Penitentiary, in an interview with the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano.

He was asked what, in his opinion, were the new sins. Sadly, as with many churchmen these days, he sought to connect with modern day transience rather than offer traditional clarity. Most of his "new" sins (as the Holy See has since pointed out) can be placed in the context of existing doctrine.

Where you might all have much more of a field day is that the Monsignor was also asked about the "scandal and sin" of the abuse and cover-up allegations, particularly in the States, and appeared - whilst accepting some degree of penitence - to level most of the blame at the media, which he believes should equally (!) be denounced for "discrediting the church". Sigh.

Apologies for the disappointing facts. I return you to your regularly scheduled rants.

[HoreTore]

That one confused me... isn't denouncing Homosexuals socially unjust?

Economic social injustice, CA...

On that area, (parts of) the catholic church has done a lot. Like the priest in my sig.

[Fragony]

About time Seven gets a sequal that movie was awesome

[Sigurd]

obscene wealth.

I wonder which of the churches falls under this category?

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

About time Seven gets a sequal that movie was awesome

lol!

I wonder which of the churches falls under this category?

Not too many Catholic ones, least not in the States, to my knowledge.

Thanks for the clarification, Banquo.

The genetic modification bit seems silly to me - the Church has never condemned genetic modification through breeding (heck, one of the forefathers of genetics was a monk, forget his name). Seems that more artificial methods aren't too much worth, combined with the potential benefits (including stuff like feeding more people).

[Big_John]

lol!


Not too many Catholic ones, least not in the States, to my knowledge.

Thanks for the clarification, Banquo.

The genetic modification bit seems silly to me - the Church has never condemned genetic modification through breeding (heck, one of the forefathers of genetics was a monk, forget his name). Seems that more artificial methods aren't too much worth, combined with the potential benefits (including stuff like feeding more people).

you're probably thinking of gregor mendel.

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

That's the guy.

[Ja'chyra]

I would imagine the church is worried about Man playing God.

[Ronin]

I wonder which of the churches falls under this category?

I´m sure the pope is begging for forgiveness for that one right now

[KukriKhan]

For those interested,

The original 7 deadlies
Pride
Envy
Gluttony
Lust
Anger
Greed
Sloth

and 7 Modern evils:
Environmental pollution
Genetic manipulation
Accumulating excessive wealth
Inflicting poverty
Drug trafficking and consumption
Morally debatable experiments
Violation of fundamental rights of human nature

The Pope's comments on the "results" of the seminar, which examined sin-confessing, were:

"We are losing the notion of sin," he said. "If people do not confess regularly, they risk slowing their spiritual rhythm," ...

I'm no expert on Church Law, but I don't think his remarks, or the seminar's findings, amount to an ex cathedra pronouncement. More like a non-binding opinion, to further discussion.

[ICantSpellDawg]

That is not what the Church is doing here - it has been played up by people who dislike the church.

One BBC article claimed that the new sins would eventually be added to the 10 commandments....

What the church is actually doing is adding things to it's list of mortal (as opposed to venial) sins. That list is already longer than 7.

The MSM likes to mock things like this, even though it is consistent. Most of the new additions are already covered by the umbrella terms (sloth, Greed, gluttony, etc.) but serve to illuminate a deeper meaning for the modern would-be penitent who likes to find loopholes in morality.

Here are two links:

Mortal Sin+

Venial Sin

[Gregoshi]

A few thousand years of progress since the original 7 sins and they can only come up with 7 more?

[Mikeus Caesar]

I personally find the whole concept of the church having to have any list of sin absurd.

Surely, if you believe in God, it is up to you to find the power within yourself and your belief to follow what you believe is a good and moral life? Not some old men in some shiny buildings in Italy?

[ICantSpellDawg]

I personally find the whole concept of the church having to have any list of sin absurd.

Surely, if you believe in God, it is up to you to find the power within yourself and your belief to follow what you believe is a good and moral life? Not some old men in some shiny buildings in Italy?

That's what would make you a protestant. Or a non-believer.

[Ronin]

I personally find the whole concept of the church having to have any list of sin absurd.

Surely, if you believe in God, it is up to you to find the power within yourself and your belief to follow what you believe is a good and moral life? Not some old men in some shiny buildings in Italy?

but...if everyone creates their own personal relation with faith how can those old men get power?

it seems we have stumble upon the basis for organized religion....

[Conradus]

Was the original list of seven sins every officially recognized by the church and taken in their scriptures?
I thought not, but could be wrong.

[Husar]

Most of you are going to hell for your posts here.

And when you're make sure to look out for the Pope and laugh at him...

[Mikeus Caesar]

but...if everyone creates their own personal relation with faith how can those old men get power?

it seems we have stumble upon the basis for organized religion....

Oh crud, and now i've destroyed the world.

If i recall correctly, that would happen to be the basis for the Quaker movement. I think.

TuffStuff - it wouldn't make you a non-believer or a protestant, it would just make you independently minded. Heaven forbid we think for ourselves, rather than some old men who are so out of touch with the world it's laughable. No, instead, let's just be good sheep and stay with the crowd.

[ICantSpellDawg]

Oh crud, and now i've destroyed the world.

If i recall correctly, that would happen to be the basis for the Quaker movement. I think.

TuffStuff - it wouldn't make you a non-believer or a protestant, it would just make you independently minded. Heaven forbid we think for ourselves, rather than some old men who are so out of touch with the world it's laughable. No, instead, let's just be good sheep and stay with the crowd.

I'm agnostic, but I defend decent men and women.

[Mikeus Caesar]

I'm agnostic, but I defend decent men and women.

I hardly consider a man who is against people's choices in life as decent.

If this 'decent' man had his way, there'd be absolutely no genetic research, no real science, no freedoms for those who have alternative lifestyles. He's like a nazi.

in b4 godwin's law.

[Geoffrey S]

How is this creating a fuss? It's obvious to any even remotely sensible interpretation that the Church is simply showing how the classic seven sins are still more than applicable in the modern day, illuminated with the above examples. Arguably, polluting the environment is a form of sloth, genetic manipulation of pride.

All this fear-mongering makes my head spin.

One BBC article claimed that the new sins would eventually be added to the 10 commandments....

Those newly risking eternal punishment include drug pushers, the obscenely wealthy, and scientists who manipulate human genes. So "thou shalt not carry out morally dubious scientific experiments" or "thou shalt not pollute the earth" might one day be added to the Ten Commandments.

And that didn't set off any sarcasm alerts?

[Fragony]

Most of you are going to hell for your posts here.

Abandon all pope. Yep I go to hell but only to level 2!