Capital Sins: Their Meanings And Your Downfall

what are the 7 capital sins and their meaning

The seven deadly sins, also known as the capital vices or cardinal sins, are a grouping of major vices within the teachings of Christianity. They are typically ordered as: pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth. The concept of the seven deadly sins has its origins in Christian theology and tradition, considered particularly severe and associated with moral transgressions that can lead to damnation if not repented. They are called “deadly” because they can lead to spiritual death if not repented and forgiven. They are referred to as capital sins because they are the bases of other sins, leading to further immoral behaviour.

Characteristics Values
Pride Excessive love of self or the desire to be better or more important than others
Greed Excessive pursuit of material goods or possessions
Lust Intense desire, usually for sexual pleasure, but also for money, power or fame
Envy Sadness or desire for the possessions, happiness, talents or abilities of another
Gluttony Overconsumption, usually of food or drink
Wrath Uncontrolled feelings of anger, rage, and even hatred
Sloth Physical laziness, also disinterest in spiritual matters or neglecting spiritual growth

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Pride: Excessive self-love or the desire to be better than others

Pride is considered the original and worst of the seven deadly sins. It is also thought to be the source of the other capital sins. Defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as "reasonable self-esteem" or "confidence and satisfaction in oneself", pride can take on both positive and negative connotations. In the positive sense, pride can refer to a content sense of attachment towards one's own or another's choices and actions. In the negative sense, pride refers to a foolish and irrational sense of one's personal value, status, or accomplishments.

Pride can be viewed as a virtue or a vice. Aristotle, for example, identified pride (megalopsuchia, or "greatness of soul") as the crown of the virtues, distinguishing it from vanity, temperance, and humility. In contrast, Aristotle defined the vice of hubris as taking pleasure in ill-treating others to gratify one's own sense of superiority. Similarly, C. S. Lewis writes in Mere Christianity that pride is the "anti-God" state, where the ego and the self are directly opposed to God.

Pride can be understood as excessive self-love or the desire to be better than others. This form of pride is often associated with negative outcomes, such as conflict, the termination of close relationships, and prejudice. It can lead to a distorted view of oneself and one's abilities, and a sense of entitlement and grandiosity. Individuals with excessive pride may also exhibit controlling behaviour, a lack of interest in others, and a preoccupation with their image or self. They may be resistant to correction or criticism and struggle to accept compliments, viewing them as threats to their inflated sense of self-worth.

Pride can also manifest as spiritual pride, where individuals try to appear overly righteous or spiritual to elevate their status among others. This can include asceticism, the rejection of material possessions, and excessive focus on spiritual language and practices.

Pride is considered a destructive and heinous sin in Christian theology, as it is believed to hurt one's relationship with God. It is often associated with a lack of humility and a resistance to God's grace.

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Greed: An obsessive desire for material wealth and possessions

Greed, or avarice, is one of the seven deadly sins in Christian theology. It is considered a capital sin because it is thought to be the basis of other sins.

Greed is the obsessive desire for material wealth and possessions. It is defined as the inordinate or excessive pursuit of material goods, or the love of possessions. In the Bible, Hebrews 13:5 says: "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'" Other biblical texts that mention greed include Exodus 20:17, Proverbs 11:24, Proverbs 28:25, Ecclesiastes 5:10, Philippians 4:6, and 1 Timothy 6:9-10.

Greed is considered a sin because it is a failure in genuine love for God and neighbour, caused by a perverse attachment to certain goods. Thomas Aquinas, a medieval Catholic theologian, considers that, like pride, greed can lead to evil.

The opposite of greed is charity or generosity. Charity cures greed by putting the desire to help others above storing up treasure for oneself.

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Lust: Excessive desire for sexual gratification

Lust is one of the seven deadly sins, also known as the capital sins or cardinal sins, in Christian theology. The seven deadly sins are the seven behaviours or feelings that inspire further sin. They are typically ordered as: pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth. Lust is considered to be the least serious of the seven deadly sins.

Lust is defined as an intense desire, usually for sexual pleasure, but also for money, power, or fame. It is a strong passion or longing, especially for sexual desires. It is often thought of as intense or unbridled sexual desire, which may lead to fornication (including adultery, rape, bestiality), and other sinful and sexual acts. Lust can also mean other forms of unbridled desire, such as for money or power.

The Bible speaks about lust in 2 Timothy 2:22, "Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, [and] peace...". Other Bible verses that mention lust include Job 31:1, Matthew 5:28, Philippians 4:8, James 1:14-15, 1 Peter 2:11, and 1 John 2:16.

Lust can be cured by chastity or self-control, which involves controlling passion and leveraging that energy for the good of others.

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Envy: Resentment towards others' success or possessions

Envy is one of the seven deadly sins, or capital sins, of Roman Catholic theology. The seven deadly sins are the seven behaviours or feelings that inspire further sin. They are typically ordered as: pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth.

Envy is characterised by an insatiable and covetous desire, similar to greed and lust. It is a feeling of sadness or resentment towards the traits, possessions, happiness, talents, or abilities of another person. Envy can lead to a desire to lower the reputation of the person you are envious of, and to feelings of joy at their misfortune or grief at their prosperity. According to St. Thomas Aquinas, the third stage of envy is hatred, as "sorrow causes hatred". Bertrand Russell said that envy was one of the most potent causes of unhappiness, bringing sorrow to those who commit it, while giving them the urge to inflict pain on others.

Envy is considered a sin because it goes against the root of Christianity, which is love for God, love for others, and love for our bodies. Envy can be cured by kindness, which places the desire to help others above the need to supersede them.

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Wrath: Intense and uncontrolled anger or hatred

Wrath is one of the seven deadly sins, also known as the capital vices or cardinal sins, in the teachings of Christianity. It is defined as a strong feeling of hatred or resentment with a desire for vengeance. This desire for revenge distinguishes wrath from anger, which is balanced with reason and is not a sin. Wrath is often depicted as a volcano erupting, taking out whoever stands in its way.

Wrath is considered a deadly sin because it builds over time, permeating and growing within a person until it is released. It starts as something small, but it can consume a person if left unchecked, eventually producing evil fruits: the desire for another's harm or downfall, all-consuming hatred, violence, and more.

In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, anger is differentiated from the sin of wrath. Anger is considered one of the 'passions' or feelings that incline humans to act or not act in response to something that is perceived as good or evil. Passions are not considered inherently good or evil but take on a moral quality depending on how they engage with reason and will. Thus, anger becomes the sin of wrath when it is directed against an innocent person, when it is unduly strong or long-lasting, or when it desires excessive punishment.

According to Christian teaching, wrath generates other sins and immoral behaviour. In art, wrath has been depicted in scenes from the Bible and classical stories, such as Cain Slaying Abel and The Wrath of Achilles by Peter Paul Rubens. In Dante's Inferno, sinners guilty of wrath are assigned to the fifth circle of hell, where they attack each other in a muddy swamp.

To combat wrath, one must uncover the cause of their rage and practice humility, mercy, and compassion towards others. The Jesus Prayer is said to have a calming effect on the soul, taming it and replacing the heat of rage with gentle warmth.

Frequently asked questions

The 7 capital sins, also known as the 7 deadly sins, are pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth.

Pride is an excessive love of self or the desire to be better or more important than others. It is often considered the root of all other sins.

Greed is the desire for and love of possessions or material wealth. It is generally seen as a form of idolatry, where the pursuit of wealth takes precedence over one's devotion to God.

Lust is an intense or excessive desire, usually for sexual pleasure, but also for money, power, or fame.

Envy is sadness or resentment towards others' success, possessions, happiness, talents, or abilities.

Wrath is intense and uncontrolled anger, rage, or hatred, often with a desire for vengeance.

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