Sins - 7 deadly sins

Sin was a term from archery that meant ‘to miss the mark’.  The idea of ‘intention’ is a central tenet of the spiritual life. It’s central to psychiatry, addiction and law.  Romans 7:15=20 NIV” I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but whaat I hate I do.”  This speaks to ‘intent’ and ‘outcome assessment’ .  In law the issue of ‘intent’ is also known as “mens tea’ (guilty mind).  It is a critical component of law. 

All of this then rests on the idea of ‘free will’ versus ‘fate’ or ‘determinism’.  

The 7 deadly sins focus on the most important aspects of human endeavour and assuming ‘free will’ address the ‘intent’ and ‘outcome’.  The seven deadly sins are:

1. Anger

2. Envy

3. Gluttony

4. Greed

5. Lust

6. Pride

7. Sloth.

If we take gluttony as an example, as related to food and drink, there is a ‘healthy’ consumption that leads to well being and longevity.  Gross obesity or anorexia are by the traditional language of ‘sin’ missing the mark.  Personally I’m off the target by some 50 lbs and spiritually am advised to fast and restore my balance and ideal weight.  Unfortunately the sins are interlinked and ‘sloth’ which has me preferring snacking on the couch watching tv is in conflict with my ‘intention’ to be healthy which in the material world today is a kind of term form “holy’.

The  12 step programs essentially have a self help group aligned with several of the ‘deadly sins’.  Alcoholics Anonymous , narcotics anonymous,  and overeaters anonymous address gluttony.  Emotions anonymous looks into anger and anger management. Sexaholics anonymous, sex addicts anonymous and sex and love addicts anonymous address the issue of lust.  Greed is addressed by Debtor’s anonymous. I’m not sure how envy, pride , sloth, enter into this except that they are recognized as contributing to the more overt expression of the difference between intent and outcome.

Pride is central given that the song of addiction is “I did it my way”.  In Milton’s Paradise Lost the devil was seen as preferring to look at his own shadow than turn and look into the light and face of God.  Humans are all said to be interconnected and tribal and family based. We may claim individuality but ‘solitary confinement’ is the toughest treatment given in the jail.  Shame is the sense of being outside and excluded from the group. Essentially we are ‘herd’ animals and need each other. 

Jesus said, ‘where two or more are gathered together in my name, there too am I’.  In day to day jargon we need someone in the physical world to ‘cover our back’.  The buddy system of war was having the ‘wing man’ or the person who stood back to back with you to cover the 360 degrees of potential risk.  Alone our vision at most managed 180 degrees 

Jesus didn’t speak about a lot that is attributed to him or interpreted about him But he did say ‘do not be afraid’.

Faith is believing in spite of contrary evidence.  The faith that w are ‘not alone’ is central to life.  Buber described the child’s awareness of ‘I and it’ growing to the spiritually realization of “I and thou”.  The paranoid doesn’t make this transition but maintains the idea of hostile other or environment.  Alone they struggle. Together we prosper. The early tribes found hunting and living together more successful.

Like the Dylan song, May be the devil or it may be God but I have to serve someone’. Hubris or pride was the great evil of the Ancient Greek and Roman times.  Pride goesth before the fall.  In a hurricane at sea uncertain of my likelihood of survival I considered that I depended on the guy who did the rivets on my steel boat. No matter how good and courageous a sailor I might be I was still interconnected with my fellow in that moment. 

Each of the ‘sins’ are considered in psychiatry as ways of reducing anxiety.  We collectively have this ‘anxiety’, an ‘existential angst’ related to childhood nurtured, adverse childhood events and later trauma.  Bill Gates said the greatest thing in his life was being born in the Pacific Nothwest.  That place of birth was a deciding factor related to the rest of his successful life. There is an island of Stone Age tribes that have not developed any more advanced degree of technology. Had Bill Gates been born there it is unlikely he would have developed Microsoft. The interconnectedness of the world and the need for certain precedents to be in place define success of individuals and groups.

Each of the sins gives a reward that reduces adrenaline increases dopamine neurochenical response and provides a temporary relief from anxiety,  I have relief from the pain and anxiety of life briefly in indulgenceng the manipulations of the senses by any means.  

I am afraid.  I seek distraction.  I move through the mall of sins but in the end pride remains.  I am afraid.  I am alone.  Seeking companionship and help I overcome the haunting desperation of anxiety.

The power of now and the practice of the presence is that time is central and I just need to get through this second minute hour or day.  

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This too will pass.

Thank you Jesus