7, Minneapolis, Minnesota, April 2008, photo © 2008 by QuoinMonkey. All rights reserved.
Can you list the 7 Deadly Sins? I usually get to number 6 and fade out. I can never remember all 7. The 7 Deadly Sins began with Evagrius Ponticus as a list of 8 capital vices. A condensed version of the list was given to Pope Gregory the Great in the 6th Century. He chose to go with 7 (in this order):
1 – Lust
Lust began as extravagance, and later became lust. (Is it okay to be extravagant but not lustful?) Lust includes obsessive or excessive sexual thoughts or desires, and adultery. Unfulfilled lusts sometimes lead to sexual or sociological compulsions including sexual addiction, adultery, rape, and incest.
2 – Gluttony
Gluttony derives from the Latin, gluttire, meaning to gulp down or swallow. Gluttony is the over-indulgence and over-consumption of material objects, food – anything, to the point of waste.
3 – Greed
Greed includes acquisition of wealth, avarice, disloyalty, deliberate betrayal, or treason, especially for personal gain. Bribery, scavenging, hoarding of materials or objects, theft and robbery.
4 – Sloth
Sloth is laziness or indifference, an unwillingness to act. Sloth replaced sadness in the 17th century. (Who knew it was a sin to be sad?)
5 – Wrath
Wrath is a harboring of uncontrolled feelings of hatred and anger. These feelings can manifest as vehement denial of the truth (both to others, and in the form of self-denial), impatience with the procedure of law, and the desire to seek revenge outside of the justice system.
6 – Envy
Envy is insatiable desire. Those who envy, desire something someone else has which they perceive themselves as lacking (scarcity mentality).
7 – Pride
Pride is the original, and most serious of the 7 deadly sins; it is the ultimate source from which the others arise. Pride is the desire to be more important or attractive than others, failing to give compliments to others, excessive love of self.
The 7 Deadly Sins have been made famous by artists, writers, and filmmakers. Purgatorio, Part II of Dante’s Divine Comedy, is one of the best known sources since the Renaissance. The most graphic depiction I’ve ever seen hit me square in the face in the film, Se7en. If you haven’t seen the movie, prepare yourself for some of the most twisted psychological murders in film history. Brad Pitt, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Morgan Freeman know how to pull it off.
Luckily, each cardinal sin has a 6th-century, equivalent punishment in Hell. For the sin Pride, one is to be broken on the wheel. For Envy, dropped into freezing water. Anger is rewarded by being dismembered alive (not unlike a scene in Se7en.). For Sloth, you are thrown in the snake pits; Greed, immersed into pots of boiling oil; Gluttony, forced to eat rats, toads, and snakes; and Lust, smothered in brimstone and fire.
In 1485, a few years before Columbus sailed, Hieronymus Bosch painted The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things in oil on wood panels. The painting has 5 circles or mandalas. The 4 small circles depict Death, Judgment, Hell, and Glory.
The 5th, and largest circle, contains the 7 Sins: wrath at the bottom, then proceeding clockwise, envy, greed, gluttony, sloth, lust, and pride.
The center of the large circle is said to represent the eye of God, and Christ can be seen emerging from his tomb. At the bottom of the image is the Latin inscription, Cave Cave Deus Videt (“Beware, Beware, God is Watching”).
How deadly are your sins? Are you quick to judge others for theirs? Are 7 sins enough?
Not for everyone. After 1,500 years the Vatican has brought the seven deadly sins up to date by adding seven new ones for the age of globalization. The list, published in L’Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, came as the Pope deplored the “decreasing sense of sin” in today’s “secularized world” and the falling numbers of Roman Catholics going to confession.
The new deadly sins include polluting, genetic engineering, being obscenely rich, drug dealing, abortion, pedophilia and causing social injustice.
Each of the original Seven Deadly Sins has an opposite, corresponding Holy Virtue. In Writing Practice lingo, the Holy Virtues are the underbelly of the 7 Deadly Sins. In parallel order and opposition, the Seven Holy Virtues are:
- Chastity (opposite lust) – Purity. Embracing moral wholesomeness, achieving purity of body and thought through education and betterment.
- Temperance (opposite Gluttony) – Self-control, abstention, and moderation.
- Charity (opposite Greed) – Generosity. Willingness to give. Nobility of thought or action.
- Diligence (opposite Sloth) – Zealous and careful nature in one’s actions and work. Decisive work ethic. Budgeting one’s time; monitoring one’s own activities to guard against laziness.
- Patience (opposite Wrath) – Forbearance and endurance through moderation. Resolving conflicts peacefully, as opposed to resorting to violence. The ability to forgive; to show mercy.
- Kindness (opposite Envy) – Charity, compassion, friendship, and sympathy without prejudice, for its own sake.
- Humility (opposite Pride) – Modest behavior, selflessness, and the giving of respect. Giving credit where credit is due; not unfairly glorifying the self.
How has the nature of sinning changed since the 6th Century? Do you even believe in sin? What about modern Holy Virtues? What are they?
- Choose a Deadly Sin and do a 15 minute Writing Practice on how it applies (or doesn’t apply) to you
- Do another Writing Practice on the underbelly, a Holy Virtue (the Sin’s opposite)
- Which Deadly Sin do you have the strongest reaction to? Is it a moral issue? Connected to past associations? Something you learned?
- For National Poetry Month, compose a poem or haiku from lines of your Writing Practice
If none of the Sins or Virtues appeal to you, there is always Gandhi’s list of Seven Deadly Sins. Mohandas Karamachand Gandhi, one of the most influential figures in modern social and political activism, considered these traits to be the most spiritually perilous to humanity.
Choose a line from Gandhi, and 15 minutes, Go!
Gandhi’s Seven Deadly Sins
- Wealth without Work
- Pleasure without Conscience
- Science without Humanity
- Knowledge without Character
- Politics without Principle
- Commerce without Morality
- Worship without Sacrifice
-posted on red Ravine, Tuesday, April 15th, 2008
This is such a rich topic. At least for me, being a Catholic. I was influenced, heavily influenced, by the teaching that there *are* sins. It’s not something I can ever shake. I do have my own beliefs about the severity of sins (the consequences). I’ll have a lot to write about in a writing practice, for sure.
I did want to say that I appreciate the research about the 7 Deadly Sins, and the 7 Holy Virtues and everything else. The way the sins have grown to reflect today’s world and the reverence for nature and the Earth — very interesting.
Also, I love Gandhi’s 7 Deadly Sins. Those, for me, lend a different sort of spiritual guidance.
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ybonesy, I didn’t grow up Catholic and don’t have the notion of original sin planted inside. But I have many friends who did. My family was Methodist and we definitely were raised with a strong notion of what was right and wrong. But it’s hard for me to wrap my mind around the idea that we are all born sinners.
For me, Gandhi’s traits he considered the most spiritually perilous to humanity make more sense from the standpoint that I believe we make choices about following spiritual principles. I’m kind of curious to see what comes out in my own Writing Practice around this Topic.
I was struck by the Hieronymus Bosch painting because it reminded me that artists used to have patrons, many of whom were religious. Artists were commissioned to do art for the church (I don’t know if this was the case in Bosch’s case).
It’s similarly true for writers. When I watched the American Masters PBS documentary on Zora Neale Hurston last weekend, she had a patron she called Godmother. Though the woman liked Hurston and supported her (Hurston lived there for a while), in the end, she also wanted to dictate what Hurston wrote about. I find that concept for both writers and artists something to ponder.
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It seems like a whole book could be written around these themes. Each sin, or its opposing virtue, could be a chapter, an essay, a refelection, a poem, a story. Very interesting ideas.
I never knew Ghandi had a list like this.
I once saw one of these depictions by Bosch at the Prado. It was painted on the top of a table. There was another one of the Seven Virtues.
His paintings were way ahead of their time, with so many surreal images, and tons of bizarre details. They’re the kind of paintings you could look at for hours, telling stories to yourself.
GReat post!
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Christine, how great that you saw a Bosch at the Prado. I am drawn to the design of his piece. And even though it’s about a serious subject, it has a whimsy about it. Maybe it is the mandala shape that brings a wholeness to it for me.
Your idea of writing a book around these themes seems very plausible. One could even throw in the history of each sin or virtue, weave that into the personal. I’m surprised someone has not already done it.
I like the idea of writing a poem on each sin and virtue. Something to play with that might be fun. I haven’t written my Writing Practice for this Topic yet. Perhaps I’ll head off the beaten path. Thanks for your insights!
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I’m glad you commented on this one, QM. I knew there was a comment out there that I had wanted to respond to. It was Christine’s.
This book idea — really great. And I could see it illustrated, too, with these wonderful sort of Old Master style paintings of the various sins and virtues.
That reminds me, in The New Yorker not long ago, there was a profile of an artist who is pretty big these days. He paints per the layered gesso method and style of Old Masters, but his subjects are lewd, sometimes pornographic, women (not sure if there are men, too). I’ll have to find that issue if I still have it. What he’s doing — taking these traditional forms of making grand paintings and then applying them to scenes influenced by modern time — it’s so incongruent. It’s fascinating to me.
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[…] -related to Topic post, WRITING TOPIC – The 7 DEADLY SINS […]
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[…] -related to Topic post, WRITING TOPIC – THE 7 DEADLY SINS […]
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I’m gonna go there…yes, I am…
I don’t think the Church gets to add pedophilia as one of the new and improved “sins”.
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leslie, I don’t blame you. Do you think it’s the way the powers that be in the upper tiers of the Church are trying to address the issue? It is ironic, isn’t it. But, I’m thinking, better late than never, eh?
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QM,
Isn’t child molestation against the law? Or is that just in this country?
The fact that the Church has hidden its offenders is appalling, but to then turn the onus of the sin on the people…I just have a hard time with the hypocrisy.
Something about…get the log out of your own eye before trying to remove it from your neighbors eye.
I sound cranky, don’t I?
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Rightfully so, leslie.
BTW, one New Mexico town has a retreat for priests and my understanding is that that’s where some of the “fallen” priests have been sent. Not sure if that’s true, but that’s the story I hear.
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leslie, yes, against the law. And scars a child for life. Did any of these priests see jail time? The molestations have fallen out of the news for a time. But then last week, when the Pope was here in the U.S., I heard a story on NPR about him not going to Boston to address one of the high profile abuse cases. I didn’t follow his visit too closely. But it seemed to be carefully orchestrated and *very* political. Wait – church and politics? Now I sound cynical. You get to be cranky. It does seem hypocritical.
ybonesy, strange. I had never thought of the priests being sent away somewhere, to one common place. I thought they were banned from the Church and sent back into public life. I wonder what they do there in that town in New Mexico?
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I’m not sure what they do, if they leave the retreat grounds often. It’s fairly remote. There are several Catholic retreats — for nuns and priests — sprinkled in the beautiful, mountainous areas of NM. Just like there are many other religious centers and buildings.
Some of the Catholic centers are seminaries or “nunneries” — right now, the right word for where a place a woman goes to become a nun is escaping me. The Catholic places are often belonging to the different branches — the Jesuits, Franciscans, etc. This one that is said to be a sort of “halfway house” for priests-gone-amuck is, I believe, no particular branch.
I hope it’s not the case that I know only enough information to be dangerous — I’d hate to spread misinformation.
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I had planned on steering clear of this particular subject, but the conversations are becomming too tempting. I am shocked to learn that their is a retreat for the “fallen” priests! Absurb! And allowing them to return to society without proper justice is equally absurb. Look at the polygamist group in the news. Equally appalling that they can defy the law using religious beliefs as an excuse. I am sure there are many more religions in which child abuse happens & is overlooked, shoved under the rug in order to not draw public attention. All at the expense of innocent children. As far as I am concerned these acts are sins that can’t be ignored by others.
Growing up, my family attended Sunday school & church without fail. When I was about eleven years old, 3 of my cousins (we were the females in the families) began attending church with our Grandparents. BTW, the boys were never required to attend. Every Sunday & Wednesday night we would hop in their car & go. My Grandparents churches beliefs were no where similar to what I grew up with. There were many “healings” & revivals involved. At one particular revival, every was asked to pray. With eyes shut, I will never forget the minister preaching in a very loud voice, eventually screaming that everyone who found the Lord should raise their hands to the heaven. I was scared to death! I took a peek & almost everyone’s hands were in the air & they also began screaming & praising their Lord. Out of fear I also raised my hands. I went home that night with the feeling of the fear of God. I felt like such a sinner for not feeling the feelings that everyone else seemed to be experiencing. I asked my Mom & Dad to allow me not to attend this church anymore & without question, they agreed to my request. Because of these events I have become an Agnostic, which might not sit well with many. I do not begrugde others of their beliefs. I know religion is important to many, however my experience left me with a sour taste. D
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You’re right. There are a lot of hypocrisies that live in the name of religion, including abuses aimed at children. The leaders of religious institutions have not responded in responsible ways in all cases. In some cases, religious leaders are themselves party to the abuses.
It’s a heavy topic. It brings out a lot of deep-seated emotion and memory. Which is why I think it’s a powerful topic for writing practice. Your lead sentence to the comment reminded me that most of us don’t really ever want to jump into these controversy-laden areas yet by doing so, we exercise our voices. So, don’t ever hold back, diddy.
I also want to say that I sometimes joke about speaking in tongues. Your childhood memory of being at a revival type gathering makes me realize how frightening that could be for a kid. BTW, were people speaking in tongues? (See, here’s the voyeur side of me that just has to ask ; – ).
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Yb, no speaking in tongues & no snakes! My Grandparent’s were truly devoted to their church & they were both kind & generous souls. I respected them, yet I often wondered why the young male members were not attending their church & I am certain my parents had no idea how destructive it could be for young children. It was indeed a frightening experience for me. I’m actually relieved that I aired my feelings. D
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholic_sex_abuse_cases
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leslie, the section on the internal Church document, Crimen Sollicitationis, (under Failure to Report) and the connection to Pope Benedict XVI is disturbing regarding the future of such abuse cases. A lot of info in that link. A lot to think about.
diddy, I’m glad you left your comment. I didn’t know you were Agnostic or your story of going to church with your grandparents. I once went to a church with my step-grandfather where I had a similar experience. I can’t remember how old I was, just that it was very strange and scary. I think I asked my grandmother if I could not go back with there with him. And she agreed. It’s good that your parents responded the way they did. They believed you and stuck by you. That makes a big difference.
I like what ybonesy said about exercising our voices. And we can do it in ways that are respectful (as the comments in this thread are), yet still be heard. Luckily, we are free to practice the religion of our choice in this country. We don’t all have to believe the same things. I highly value that freedom.
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Having found this topic fascinating, I shared it with husband and daughter. We reflected on it together, and enjoyed a good discussion. The inclusion of Ghandi’s take on ‘sin’ was especially good, because he has long been a favourite of ours (up there with Martin Luther King).
I found ‘redravine’ by chance and have reread the writing practice several times now, have also ordered Natalie Goldberg’s book. I have her “Thunder and Lightning’ from the library at the moment. Retreats sound very common there, as if the majority of the population are creative writers. Unfortunately, that is not the case in my country, and I live rurally so its guidance by the book (or books). I love putting pen to paper or fingers to keys. But I feel I lack “oomph”, that spark that a teacher produces I guess, that ‘knowing’ of what can be crafted to a story, and what should remain in the background. I jumped in with passion to writing fiction (cosy murder) but when it comes to pen to paper I feel stilted, my thoughts retreat and seem rusty, lack flow, and dries up. The continual ‘then what happens?’ questions wheres me down & I set it aside because it feels tiring and robotic.
To me, the writing practice makes sense. My question is (I really hope its not somewhere obvious on the blog because I am a prolific reader as well and I dont want to undermine my remaining cofidence) … when we have completed the practice exercise, what becomes of the material? Do I pick through it in the hope there is something there to begin a thread within the ‘novel’, or store it away… or?
I like the writing practice because I actually get something, more than a couple of lines, out without feeling like Ive squeezed blood from a stone (which is how the writing for the novel feels). The result of the practice feels of substance, and I release a satisfied sigh. But I’m anxious that enjoying the writing practice means Im not spending time building the ‘real story’.
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Nicole, thanks so much for your comment. So glad you found us and that you have started to do Writing Practice. Natalie’s book will also help fill in some of the gaps on using writing as a practice. But I wanted to address your last question – the idea that writing practice might take away from the time you might spend building the “real story” or completing your book.
I’ll just speak for myself and say that after doing Writing Practice almost every day since some time in 2000, it has changed me and the way I look at my writing. What it has done for me is provide a safe place I can always come to, a place on the page where I can get back to center. It doesn’t matter if I write the worst crap ever, I always have my practice. And sometimes, there are jewels hidden in those practices that become parts of a chapter, or take me to the next step, the next right thing to do around my writing.
During the times I want to give up or quit or feel blocked, I turn to Writing Practice, too. The practice always leads me to the real story. And many of the pieces I write were born from a Writing Practice. I also use practice to get at the details of a piece — take a line from a chapter of your book and do a 10 minute writing practice on it.
ybonesy, my blogging partner, may have her own insights to add about writing practice as well. It’s different for everyone. For me, now, writing practice has become a part of my life. And I feel connected to all the other writers around the world who are out there practicing, too. We are all in this together. We don’t have to write in isolation.
I don’t know if this helps or not. Most of what we get from Writing Practice comes from just doing it. I’m excited that you’re plunging into it. Keep all your notebooks and your practices. And after you fill a notebook, let it sit for a bit, then go back and read it. You may find other hidden treasures there.
I hope you’ll keep reading and commenting on red Ravine. It’s so great that you found us!
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Nicole, I also wanted to comment on one other thing you said in your comment #19:
Retreats sound very common there, as if the majority of the population are creative writers. Unfortunately, that is not the case in my country, and I live rurally so its guidance by the book (or books).
I don’t think the majority of the population here are creative writers by far. It’s just that you have stumbled on a place, red Ravine, where lots of creative writers find each other and comment. And many of us have supported each other in breaking through fear about attending a workshop, or getting our pieces out there, or not getting tossed away. ybonesy and I created red Ravine for all writers, but especially as a place where people in rural areas or who don’t know other writers can meet, read, comment, discuss, and learn about Writing Practice.
I think it’s true though, that we live in a country with many opportunities for writers: great teachers, scholarships available, literary centers, writers and poets who are out there speaking and reading their work in communities all over the country. It’s very humbling. And I try not to take any of that for granted.
One thing I wanted to mention, Natalie Goldberg teaches at the Mabel Dodge Luhan house in Taos, New Mexico. And sometimes there are scholarships available to attend her workshops. You can check out her upcoming workshops at the link on our sidebar. If you decide to apply to a workshop, you can also ask if there are scholarships available at that time. I think they are sometimes awarded through somosbones. I have attended workshops in Taos with people from New Zealand, England, and France. Just something to keep in mind down the road.
Here’s the link to the webpage of Natalie Goldberg’s workshops at the Mabel Dodge Luhan House (LINK).
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I also wanted to thank you, Nicole, for jumping in with your questions. You mentioned that books are a way for you to learn, and I flashed on the thought that books will take a person quite far, really.
Writing Practice can be the method to get that “oomph,” that aliveness in the writing. Books — both those that teach how to write or craft story and those that are examples of great writing in the genre that fits your writing aspirations — then help a person weave writing into plot, story arc, and completion of a piece of fiction or non-fiction.
If I am working on a piece, whether it’s a post or an essay or something bigger, I use Writing Practice to get the writing done. I struggle mightily with the crafting of a piece. And that’s where I rely on reading others and studying how they do it.
I can truly relate to that feeling of squeezing the words out painfully and not at all effectively. That’s how I used to write before Writing Practice came into my life.
Oh, I also wanted to say that of the six or so workshops I’ve done in Taos with Natalie Goldberg, twice I had roommates from other countries. Tazmania, in one case. Finland the other.
I hope you might look into whether you can ever do a workshop. They are awesome!!!
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Thank you both for those inspiring comments which have rejuvenated the energy level. I am about to pounce on the ‘sins’ and of course their opposite virtues to introduce me to the w/practice. Have picked a perfect pen so I cant go wrong. Will also take in to account the wee prayer Anne Lammott sends up about getting myself out of the way so I can write!
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Nicole, exciting about your Practice. Three other things I learned from Natalie (that she learned from her teacher, Katagiri Roshi) that have helped me tremendously along the way:
1) Continue under all circumstances
2) Don’t be tossed away
3) Make positive effort for the good
BTW, ybonesy’s right on about the books. They are mentors. Thunder & Lightning is one of my favorite books by Natalie. And the one that inspired me to go see her at Orr Books back in 2000. Great book.
And I love Anne Lamott. Her books on writing have been very helpful to me. I keep a 2″ picture frame on my desk in my studio (I can’t remember if she says 1″ or 2″). 8) Small increments. One step at a time.
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