The Seven Deadly Sins

Whilst I was in church today zoning out and looking at the stained-glass windows, I amused myself by trying to list the seven deadly sins by way of visualizing the photo shoot that they do in cycle 4 of America's Next Top Model where each girl represented one of the Seven Deadly Sins.

Yeah. I get real bored in church.

The capitol vices i.e. the Seven Deadly Sins which sounds more dramatic and god-fearing, are essentially considered to be the root of all evil; they are the vices from which all other sins originate. In early Christian times they were pretty much used to teach people that if you didn't get a grip on your self-control you'd end up screwed and eternally damned (demonstrated quite graphically in Dante's Inferno). In the present day they are more like an ethical code that you should aspire to follow. Though you still will probably end up eternally damned.

The Seven Deadly Sins are as follows:

1.) GREED

2.) LUST

3.) ENVY

4.) WRATH

5.) SLOTH

6.) GLUTTONY

7.) PRIDE

Looking over the list I realize that I exhibit each of these sins at least once a day. Skimming over the Seven Deadly Sins Wikipedia page however, I'd like to focus on just number 6 for a moment.

GLUTTONY.

Now I originally thought that gluttony was just the act of eating to the point of excess where you can't physically put another crumb into your body because your stomach might burst. Like on Thanksgiving. It's considered a sin because when you are clearly rollin' in (fried) dough, 500 pounds, and not giving handouts to the needy, you are like the worst type of person. I understand that bit, but in the Middle Ages this one priest expanded that definition to include a total of six ways to commit gluttony:

Praepropere – eating too soon
Laute – eating too expensively
Nimis – eating too much
Ardenter – eating too eagerly
Studiose – eating too daintily
Forente – eating wildly

Now some of those make sense I guess, but I'm sorry eating too daintily? I don't really see how that's an insult to the needy, in fact I'd consider stuffing your mouth full of burgers in front of starving African children to be more of an insult than using basic table manners when you're at a social event. But alas. Both perpetrators are considered gluttons and are condemned to the third circle of Hell where they are eternally pelted with garbage and rain and have to stand amongst, filth, worms, and their own waste. Sounds like a fun time. 

Regardless of what the exact definition of a glutton is, I fully intend to relish every one of my meals with the appropriate amount of zealousness because I think it's more of a sin not to enjoy a good filet mignon than to just passively enjoy some cold porridge.

For as it so eloquently says in the Bible, "And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry." Summary:

Thank you Luke 12:19 for validating my habits and giving me comfort that I won't end up stuck in an eternal storm of raining garbage. Cheers.