Rendezvous

A Brief Explication on the Seven Deadly Sins

By D.B. Myrrha, B.A., M.A.T, O.G., A.B.C., O.P.P.*

*Not a doctor

Introduction:

On Ren’s Sick Boi album, the seven deadly sins of Christian theology play a major role. Here I will detail some of the qualities and meanings of these sins, which I first researched in preparation for the “Money Game” played prior to the album’s release on October 13, 2023. (See also the “Money Game Treasure Hunt” recap video posted below.)

The seven deadly sins, also known as cardinal sins or capital vices, are groups of undesirable behaviors discussed within Christianity. Other spiritual practices may or may not have the concept of “sin” as part of their moral philosophy, and/or may classify such “sins” in a different way.

The seven sins are seen as “evil thoughts” or excessive expressions of natural faculties (physical, emotional, or mental) to the point where they bring pleasure or passion to the actor to the detriment of self or others.

While classification of behaviors into vices and virtues began with the Greeks and Romans, early church theologians (namely Tertullian, a 2nd/3rd century priest) brought the idea into the Catholic Church (the only Christian church at the time.) Tertullian was kind of a killjoy; for example, he banished theatre productions because acting out stories was a form of lying. No fun.

Originally there were nine sins, but eventually these were consolidated into the seven we know today: gluttony, lust, greed, envy, wrath, sloth, and pride. Each of these sins were balanced by a virtue that believers were supposed to embrace to counter the sins that humans were prone to (thanks to Eve, supposedly.) The capital sins act as the headwaters of all other lesser, or venial, sins. Many sects of Christianity retain this list of sins as behaviors to avoid in order to escape damnation in Hell. Sin is the way, theologians say, to “eternal death”.

The seven capital (heavenly/contrary/remedial) virtues are temperance, chastity, charity, kindness, patience, diligence, and humility. We will briefly explore these as well in contrast to each sin.

In this essay we will explore each sin in the order Ren chose for his opening song “Seven Sins”. We will introduce each sin with the lyric presented by Ren in each video portion of the Money Game.

Sin One: Pride

Pride makes a man kill a man for his ego to survive

Pride, or in Latin, superbia, is also known as hubris (from the Greek), or futility. It is considered the original and most demonic of all sins, as “pride goeth before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18.) This refers of course, to the fall of Lucifer, whose pride led him to challenge God for the throne of Heaven. Pride, the opposite of humility, is thought to be the true source of all other capital sins.

Pride is the excessive belief in one’s own abilities, importance, or value; an excessive love of one’s own excellence. Pride is considered to be the “anti-God” state: the “mother of all sins”, and the devil’s most essential trait (see above.) Pride holds the position of the ego-self in direct opposition to God.

Pride supposedly severs the human spirit from God. According to C.S. Lewis, “unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness and all that, are mere flea bites in comparison (to pride).” In a state of pride, one rebuffs the very presence of God’s life-giving presence.

As with many of the sins, there are many different reasons for and expressions of pride. There is spiritual pride, which, as mentioned above, is the foundation of Satan’s power, insidious in how it invades under the guise of humility, not only secular life, but religion. (I’m sure we can all think of a few religious “leaders” who have succumbed to the sin of pride.)

Pride in the form of hubris lures humans into foolish actions that go against common sense. Leaders with great power over others may, over years, become self-confident to the point of irrationality. They become contemptuous, not heeding anyone’s counsel, believing they are infallible, and acting impulsively. It is possible that many of us have seen such behavior, not only in the actions of dictators, but in our own elected officials.

The virtue that counteracts pride is humility. Humility (from the Latin humilitas) is the act of being humble. This does not mean putting oneself down, overindulging in self-deprecation, or being obsequious (overly flattering) to others. This sort of overexaggerated modesty is not humble at all; rather it is usually a false humility to gain attention and approval, and to feed another’s pride, hence contributing to another’s sin.

True humility lies in not thinking of yourself much at all but recognizing and honoring the virtues and talents of others. it isn’t about denying one’s own gifts and talents but recognizing their limits. This also extends to authority. In a religious sense, humility recognizes that all gifts and power come from God, and therefore God should be honored and obeyed. Even for the non-religious, a sense of humility allows people to appreciate, support and lift others with kindness: a rising tide lifts all boats.

Pride Fun Facts:

• Pride is linked with the horse and the color violet
• Pride is ruled by the celestial sign of the sun
• The astrological sign Leo, which is ruled by the sun, is represented by the lion who is also connected to pride. A group of lions is called a “pride.” Pride is considered a weakness of the Leo personality. Leos want to stand out as shining stars and leaders among humans. (I’m a triple Leo myself, so please don’t come at me!)
• Pride can have an innocuous side when it is shown in others, in one’s family or country, or through self-affirmation, but when this pride turns toward the detriment of others, it is no longer a virtuous act
• Pride plays a role in literature in Milton’s “Paradise Lost”, in Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, and many other poems, novels, and plays
• A modern novel that deals with the theme of Pride is Our Little Racket by Angelica Baker
• Those who exhibit the sin of pride will supposedly be “broken on the wheel” in Hell

Sin Two: Lust

Lust makes the grass look greener, crucifies trust

Lust (from the Latin luxuria meaning “carnal”) or lechery is usually defined as excessive, unbridled sexual desire. Lust leads to both fornication (premarital sex and adultery) and perversion (such as rape, addiction to pornography, pedophilia, bestiality, etc.) In the past, homosexual acts were also considered sexually perverse and before marriage was legal for LGBTQIA+ folks, non-heterosexual sex was considered (by definition, as it was outside of marriage) fornication.

Lust could also refer to other desires outside of sexuality, including the desire for money or power (thus feeding into the sin of greed.) Christian theologian Henry Edward Manning said that the impure nature of lust could transform one into “a slave of the devil” (BDSM is also a “perversion”, of course, so being a “lust slave” is right out.)

Although lust is a sin, it is a sin of the flesh, an abuse of the sexual drive found naturally in all animals. Hence, it is considered the least serious of the capital sins.

Chastity (L. castitas) is the virtue which counteracts lust. Chastity, often referred to as “purity” is the abstaining of sexual thoughts or actions before marriage, and the moderation of sexual desires even within marriage. Chastity, of course, precludes fornication, adultery, prostitution, or masturbation.

Chastity and/or celibacy (complete abstinence from sexuality) are considered crucial virtues to nurture, as lust distracts the will and reason from doing good and focusing on devotion to God. Once again, pleasure loses out to discipline.

Lust Fun Facts:

• Lust is linked to the cow and the color blue
• Desire for one’s husband or wife is not lust unless it becomes uncontrollable or inordinate. Of course, in some religious traditions it was unacceptable (or even considered impossible) for women to experience sexual desire. Like, okay…
• Some theologians consider sex to be for procreation only, not pleasure, although others believe it is a necessary tool to build unity between husband and wife
• Jesus said that even looking at another person with lust can be considered fornication or adultery, so keep those impure thoughts and glances to yourself
• Lust is ruled by the moon, which is represented in the zodiac by Cancer. Cancers can be addicted to love and luxury, which can lead to a lustful desire for all the finer things and using sexuality to find connection with others (lust to find love)
• The condemnation of lust and the belief that sex is only for procreation within marriage is what leads some religious people to object to sex education and birth control, in addition to same-sex marriage
• The entire Romance genres of literature and film basically pivot on lust
• A modern novel with a theme of lust is The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen
• Those who commit the sin of lust are banished to the second circle of Hell
• In Hell, the lustful will be smothered in fire and brimstone
• In Dante’s Purgatorio, the lustful are forced to walk through fire to purge themselves of lustful thoughts

Sin Three: Gluttony

Humans consume and consume, planet Earth gets a frontal lobotomy

Gluttony (gula in Latin), is derived from the word gluttire, meaning “to gulp down or swallow.” It refers to overindulgence and overconsumption of anything to the point that leads to waste. The main reasoning for condemning gluttony is that when the prosperous gorge on food or other resources, the poor are left wanting.

Thirteenth century priest and theologian St Thomas Aquinas listed five varying forms of gluttony related to the consumption of food.

• Laute — eating too expensively, eating rich, sumptuous food over simple and moderate fare
• Studiose — eating too daintily, i.e. gourmet, highly seasoned or excessively prepared food
• Nimis — eating or drinking too much; not in moderation
• Praepropere — eating too soon (such as between mealtimes, or when others are waiting for their food)
• Ardenter — eating too eagerly or hastily, being greedy and unwilling to share

All of these forms of gluttony encapsulate the idea of eating for pleasure, and we all know that pleasure for its own sake is a sin.

Of course, consuming more than we need does not only apply to food, but to resources as well. By stripping less prosperous nations for natural resources, we leave them little to rely on for their own comfort, development, and prosperity.

The virtue that counteracts gluttony is temperance (L. temperantia), which is usually defined as moderation or restraint: control over excess. It’s described in relation to the things we as humans keep ourselves from doing, such as eating or drinking too much, acting out on our emotions, or spending too much money. Basically, the opposite of gluttony consists of practicing self-control. Temperance, however, goes a step further, in that while self-control allows us to not act on our desires, true temperance curbs desires completely so that there is no need to make a choice. We can’t act on temptations we don’t have.

Gluttony Fun Facts:

• Gluttony is linked with the pig and the color blue
• Gluttony is sometimes seen as a sign of status, which feeds into greed and pride
• In modern-day theology, eating for pleasure is not frowned upon, but eating and drinking to excess or beyond reason is sinful, especially when it leaves others in need
• Drunkenness is also considered a type of gluttony
• Gluttony is ruled by Venus. Taurus, the astrological sign ruled by Venus, is sometimes addicted to comfort and over-indulgence. Libra, also under the influence of Venus can be seduced by all things beautiful and delicious, and therefore indulge themselves with more exotic and precious things, including food and drink
• A modern novel dealing with Gluttony is The Appetites of Girls by Pamela Moses
• Gluttony was one of the sins listed in God’s judgment of the city of Sodom
• St. Paul likened gluttony to idolatry, wherein the sinner treated their stomach as God, providing it their finest offerings
• Gluttons are punished in Dante’s third circle of Hell where they are guarded and tortured by Cerberus, the three-headed dog, while lying face-down in icy mud and slush
• In Hell, the gluttonous will be force-fed toads, rats, and snakes. Yum!

Sin Four: Sloth

Rinse, re-run, repeat, time lost

A blend of the Latin ideas of tristitia (sadness) and acedia (without care), sloth refers to a mix of several emotional states which lead to inertia. These states include mental, spiritual, pathological, and physical states. The blend of these lead to absence of interest in anything and a disinterest in exerting oneself, not occasionally, but habitually. This is often seen as “laziness,” but can often be extended to a larger scope. A common definition might be “sorrow about spiritual good.”

Spiritually, sloth might refer to indifference to religious duties (such as those practiced by priests, monks, etc.) and obligations to God, such as attending/performing services, praying, or observing holy days or practices.

Emotionally, sloth refers to lack of affect or feeling towards the self or others. This includes the disinclination or inability to love. It might refer to boredom, rancor, apathy, inertia, passivity, or sluggishness. Unfortunately, some might view depression, neurodivergence, or executive function disorders as sloth. While these challenges were definitely mistaken for personal choice in the old days, sadly, some religious leaders still consider them so, telling people who suffer to “pull their socks up” and just “choose to do better.”

Mental sloth, of course, refers to laziness, lack of motion, and indifference to work. Being idle (“the Devil finds work for idle hands to do”) and avoidance of any activity (indolence.)

When sloth is engaged, the seven gifts of grace given by the Holy Spirit (Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Knowledge, Piety, Fortitude, and Fear of the Lord) are underutilized, which could lead to slowing of spiritual progress, and even animosity towards others who believe in God.

Sloth, unlike the other six, is not a sin of commission but rather omission. It consists of neglecting one’s responsibilities and can arise from any of the other vices. While the tendency towards sloth (mental entropy?) is not a sin in itself, it becomes mortal when it becomes a habitual state.

In both a mental and emotional manner, the expression of sloth becomes evil when it exhibits lack of any feeling for the world or those in it, including the self. Sloth alienates us from both the worlds and from ourselves. When we withdraw from care from ourselves and others, we are in a state of sloth.

As I mentioned above, it is questionable with what we know today to put a moral judgment on things like depression, ADHD, or Autism. Some of these conditions may produce emotional/mental states that mirror the intentional entropy exhibited through a state of sloth.

Sloth (especially in the form of tristitia), and the withdrawal connected to it, could lead, in the opinion of early theologians, to “malice, rancor, cowardice, and despair.” Despair (depression), therefore, was thought to arise from sloth and not the other way around.

Chaucer wrote that the sin of sloth led to despair, somnolence, idleness, tardiness, negligence, laziness, anger, and peevishness (referred to in his writing as wrawnwesse.) He felt that sloth consisted of holding back from doing good because doing so is too difficult and would cause suffering for the do-gooder.

Sloth, therefore, subverts every motivation to work or do better in and for the world. It keeps us from caring for our own bodies, halts our intellect by diverting us from paying attention to important matters, and hinders our spiritual growth, leading us down the road to damnation.

The virtue that counteracts sloth is diligence (L. diligentia.) Diligence, defined as carefulness and persistent effort or work, is one of the heavenly virtues. It can be reflected in one’s “work ethic” or the belief that working is something one does because it is a good thing to work, regardless of the purpose or reward. Hard work leads to productivity, which is a reward in and of itself, as it keeps us from lethargy and idleness.

“There is a perennial nobleness, and even sacredness, in work. Were he never so benighted, forgetful of his high calling, there is always hope in a man that actually and earnestly works: in idleness alone there is perpetual despair.”
       ~Thomas Carlyle

Sin Five: Envy

That’s when one man’s win is another man’s frenzy

Envy (from the Latin invidia), like lust and greed, is characterized by insatiable desire. In this case, it’s sadness or resentment that comes from wanting what another person has. One can be covetous towards another person’s goods (such as a material object), companions (friends or romantic partners), or traits (good looks, intelligence, or even spiritual goodness or advancement.) Envy is the child of “vainglory” (vanity, unjustified boasting, and the opinion that one is perfect enough that they don’t need help or guidance from God) and severs the neighborly bond between humans.

Aquinas posits that the struggle of envy has three stages: in the first stage, the envious person attempts to damage or lower their target’s reputation, e.g. through rumors or lies. In the second, or middle, stage, the envious one finds either “joy at another’s misfortune” (for example, when the attempts to discredit them succeed) or “grief at another’s prosperity” (when they don’t.) In the final stage, envy morphs into hatred, which, Aquinas says, is caused by sorrow.

Envy, it’s said, is one of the most insidious causes of unhappiness. It is toxic, bringing sorrow to the envious, who then have the urge to inflict pain and unhappiness upon others. Lucifer envied God’s position in the heavens, and his envy and pride caused him to rebel.

The virtue that counteracts envy is kindness, or filial (sibling-like) love (L. humanitas). This type of behavior is marked by acts of generosity, consideration, concern for, or assistance to others, without expecting praise or reward in return. When you treat your fellow humans with kindness and love, there is no room for envy. You can celebrate their successes alongside them, and better appreciate your own. An alternate virtue that also counteracts envy is gratitude, being thankful for and satisfied with the things you already have.

Envy Fun Facts:

• Envy is linked to the dog and the color green
• Envy is “the key behind every advertisement.” Remember that when you’re feeling FOMO!!
• Jealousy, a milder form of envy, is a lesser sin in that, while it is still covetousness of another’s good fortune, it does not include the belief that another’s blessings lessen their own. For example, I might be a bit jealous that my friend is on holiday in Spain, but I am also happy for her, and don’t feel it takes away from my own happiness
• In the zodiac, envy is connected to Jupiter and the signs of Pisces and Sagittarius. Pisceans are selfless to the point of codependency and can envy the confidence and healthier relationships others have. Sagittarians can be highly dogmatic and sure of their own moral superiority. They can be envious of those who are held in higher esteem or hold more prestigious positions
• Envy is a theme in the modern novel Everybody Rise by Stephanie Clifford
• Stories of envy in the Bible include the story of Cain and Abel in
  Genesis, and the selling of Joseph into slavery (also in Genesis)
• In Hell, the envious will be thrust into freezing water

Sin Six: Wrath

Rage, vengeance, killers, psychopaths

Wrath (Latin ira) is the uncontrollable feeling of anger, rage, or hatred. Those embroiled in wrath are driven to seek vengeance for real or imaginary slights.

Anger is a natural emotion and a neutral act. Most people feel anger at times, such as when injustice is done. When the angry person is certain of the act and source of injustice, they will have a natural inclination to address the issue and right the wrong. When appropriate, anger can be controlled and channeled towards righteousness. However, when anger is directed towards an innocent person, when it is too fierce, demands excessive punishment, or doesn’t abate, it becomes the sin of wrath.

Wrath leads to the desire to harm, wound, or kill another. It leads to hatred, which engenders the desire for the actions listed above, and is thus a mortal sin, as it goes against the virtue of charity and forgiveness.

“Angry people”, Manning says, “are slaves to themselves.”

The virtue that counters wrath is patience. Patience (from the Latin Patientia), also called forbearance, is the ability to endure difficult or frustrating circumstances.

Patience may involve perseverance in the face of delay; tolerance of provocation without responding with disrespect or anger, forbearance when under strain, especially when faced with longer-term difficulties; or being able to wait for a long time without getting irritated or bored.

It is annoying or frustrating to simply be alive sometimes, and more so when you have to deal with the foibles and faults of other humans. Patience can lead us away from wrath towards understanding, which leads to compassion, connection, and healing.

Wrath Fun Facts:

• Wrath is linked with the bear and the color red
• Wrath is often depicted in art
• Wrath is connected with Saturn, Aquarius and Capricorn. In mythology, Saturn devoured his children. Saturn is also a dark and ominous planet in Vedic lore, holding humans in his grip. Aquarius can be rebellious and angry at the world, while Capricorn, when you get on its bad side, can be calculating and vengeful
• In Spencer’s “The Faerie Queene”, Wrath is describes as riding a lion and brandishing a fiery sword. His eyes shoot out red sparks and his clothes are bloody and torn
• Randy Susan Meyers deals with the theme of wrath in her novel Accidents of Marriage
• God also exhibits wrath, but supposedly his is always justified
• Those who exhibit wrath were banished to Dante’s fifth circle of Hell, where they either writhe or are submerged in the river Styx
• Another punishment for wrath in Hell is being dismembered while still alive
• The wrathful are in the 5th level of Hell (for anger), while the violent are in the 7th

Sin Seven: Greed

Greed plants a seed that will destroy us all if we succumb to greed.

Greed, or avarice (avaritia in Latin), “plunges a man deep into the mire of this world, so that it makes it to be his god.”

Greed is the inordinate desire to acquire or possess more than one needs. This especially refers to material wealth.

Next to pride, greed is the deadliest of sins, as it feeds into all others: back into pride at being the richest and most powerful, lust for as many partners as one can attract, demand for the most expensive and luxurious meals where leftovers are simply thrown away, glamorous and grand vacations in exotic locations where one can relax and benefit from the labor of others, envy of the competition if they pull ahead in the game, and the ability to literally get away with murder if you have enough money to pay for the right lawyers. Greed, the insatiable desire for money, power, and pleasure, is at the root of all evil. (The oft-misquoted line from the Bible states, “love of money is the root of all evil.”)

The virtue that counteracts this deadly sin is charity, or caritas. Charity is the virtue that leads humans to love God above all others, and to love their fellow humans as they love themselves. With charity, humans act with the power of God’s love to show empathy and care for other humans, seeing them as children of God, as well. When we love God, ourselves, and others equally, we cannot help but treat one another with fairness, equity, and equality.

Charity is a lot more than just giving money to the poor. It is loving people regardless of their position in life, and seeking to lift others up. A rising tide, they say, lifts all boats. In caritas, we are called on to be that tide of peace, mercy, and love.

It may be useful to note that even if one does not believe in God, they can certainly believe in the power of love.

Greed Fun Facts:

• Greed is linked with the frog and the color yellow
• Mahatma Gandhi said, “Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s needs, but not every man’s greed.”
• Disloyalty, deliberate betrayal, and treason are also outcomes of greed. Theft and robbery, scavenging, and manipulation to get the things you want fit this description as well
• Greed is the theme of the modern novel by E. Lockheart, We Were Liars
• Greed is ruled by Mercury which represents both Gemini and Virgo. Mercury is the planet of trade. Gemini loves variety, and therefore can strive to have “all the things.” While Virgo is dedicated to service, those who gather resources, even to perform good deeds, can be corrupted by money and power. (See the CEOs of several service organizations who pay themselves outrageous salaries while the people they “serve” struggle)
• The greedy are in the 4th circle of Hell
• In Dante’s “Purgatorio,” the greedy were bound and forced to lay down flat on the ground, as they concentrated too much in life on “earthly thoughts”
• In Hell, the greedy will be boiled in the finest, most luxurious oil that money can buy

Final Thoughts:

Ren often points out that our human nature often leads us into hypocrisy. We may point out the evils in our world (e.g. The Money Game), yet still participate in things like late-stage capitalism. Humans are far from perfect, but as a wise man once said, “All things are subject to change.”

Humans can always be better if we choose to be. Regardless of personal belief, the idea of sin and virtue transcends most religious dogma and is familiar territory to all of us. We recognize that indulging in the worst aspects of ourselves removes us from love, happiness, and a deep sense of peace, while nurturing our best selves brings positive things into our lives. We may not all agree completely on which ideals or actions are “good” or “evil,” but we can probably agree that, in a utopian world, we could be free of hate, violence, and greed.

The “Money Game” that we were invited to play in the fall of 2023, asked us to explore the best and worst of ourselves. in Sick Boi, Ren explores the best and worst in himself. What good might we do in this world if we were willing to do the same, and to exemplify the virtues that can lead us into a more egalitarian future?

Until later,
Oi, Renegades!

c. 2023 D.B. Myrrha

Read the RENalysis of “Seven Sins”