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The 7 Deadly Sins: Understanding and Repenting from the 7 Worst Vices
Azioni libro
Inizia a leggere- Editore:
- Self Publisher
- Pubblicato:
- Feb 8, 2019
- ISBN:
- 9788832522143
- Formato:
- Libro
Descrizione
Book 1:
Envy is often something we point out in others, but if we face the facts and admit to being imperfect, finding it in ourselves can actually improve our lives, our attitude, and our happiness.
Book 2:
Gluttony has been mistaken for many things in the past. Some people judge others for being fat. Some are confused as to how far to go when indulging themselves in delicious foods. And others wonder if self-discipline in general is the underlying commandment that is related to the sin of gluttony.
Book 3:
We’ve heard it before: The love of money is the root of all evil. Greed, or avarice, has caused many to “err from the faith” according to Paul, who wrote to Timothy. “Flee these things,” he said, urging him—and all of us—to concentrate on Christlike qualities instead of worldly possessions, and on treasures in heaven, not on earth. Greed is everywhere. It is almost unavoidable. If we let go of the possessions that so easily possess us, we can focus more on God and His purposes.
Book 4:
Lust has caused so much grief, so much heartbreak, and so many broken homes. We cannot underestimate the consequences of infidelity or rushing into a passion without self-control. Not only do our actions have an impact on ourselves, but also on many others around us. As you read through the examples and the immensity of sexual immorality and its consequences, you will see things from a different light. The seriousness of this topic will be impressed on your soul as you read through shocking stories, ironic consequences, and logical yet spiritual theories you will feel are true.
Book 5:
Many people don’t see it this way, but pride is truly the most important thing we need to control and eliminate. We all have something to work on. We all need to realize better who we are. If we do, we won’t look down on others, and less conflict, more equality, and more tolerance will follow. Learn how to make the world a better place by overcoming your own ego, and instead of blowing up your self-image, submitting to God’s will and allowing Him to make you the best you can be.
Book 6:
Sloth, or laziness, is not something we do; rather, it’s NOT doing something we should that makes it so sinful. The Latin words “tristitia” or “acedia” mean “without care.” When we stop caring, things go wrong. How come laziness is so destructive, especially when we are not actually doing something wrong? In holy writ, life is sometimes referred to as a spiritual war.
Book 7:
Regarded as one of the seven deadly sins, wrath can lead to serious consequences, such as violence, aggression, saying things we regret later, or making decisions that go contrary to what benefits us. The world is filled with anger, rage, and frustration. The difference between passive and aggressive anger will be explained, as well as neurological connections that are made each time we lose our temper.
Informazioni sul libro
The 7 Deadly Sins: Understanding and Repenting from the 7 Worst Vices
Descrizione
Book 1:
Envy is often something we point out in others, but if we face the facts and admit to being imperfect, finding it in ourselves can actually improve our lives, our attitude, and our happiness.
Book 2:
Gluttony has been mistaken for many things in the past. Some people judge others for being fat. Some are confused as to how far to go when indulging themselves in delicious foods. And others wonder if self-discipline in general is the underlying commandment that is related to the sin of gluttony.
Book 3:
We’ve heard it before: The love of money is the root of all evil. Greed, or avarice, has caused many to “err from the faith” according to Paul, who wrote to Timothy. “Flee these things,” he said, urging him—and all of us—to concentrate on Christlike qualities instead of worldly possessions, and on treasures in heaven, not on earth. Greed is everywhere. It is almost unavoidable. If we let go of the possessions that so easily possess us, we can focus more on God and His purposes.
Book 4:
Lust has caused so much grief, so much heartbreak, and so many broken homes. We cannot underestimate the consequences of infidelity or rushing into a passion without self-control. Not only do our actions have an impact on ourselves, but also on many others around us. As you read through the examples and the immensity of sexual immorality and its consequences, you will see things from a different light. The seriousness of this topic will be impressed on your soul as you read through shocking stories, ironic consequences, and logical yet spiritual theories you will feel are true.
Book 5:
Many people don’t see it this way, but pride is truly the most important thing we need to control and eliminate. We all have something to work on. We all need to realize better who we are. If we do, we won’t look down on others, and less conflict, more equality, and more tolerance will follow. Learn how to make the world a better place by overcoming your own ego, and instead of blowing up your self-image, submitting to God’s will and allowing Him to make you the best you can be.
Book 6:
Sloth, or laziness, is not something we do; rather, it’s NOT doing something we should that makes it so sinful. The Latin words “tristitia” or “acedia” mean “without care.” When we stop caring, things go wrong. How come laziness is so destructive, especially when we are not actually doing something wrong? In holy writ, life is sometimes referred to as a spiritual war.
Book 7:
Regarded as one of the seven deadly sins, wrath can lead to serious consequences, such as violence, aggression, saying things we regret later, or making decisions that go contrary to what benefits us. The world is filled with anger, rage, and frustration. The difference between passive and aggressive anger will be explained, as well as neurological connections that are made each time we lose our temper.
- Editore:
- Self Publisher
- Pubblicato:
- Feb 8, 2019
- ISBN:
- 9788832522143
- Formato:
- Libro
Informazioni sull'autore
Correlati a The 7 Deadly Sins
Anteprima del libro
The 7 Deadly Sins - Christian Vandergroot
Sin
Preface
Note: Throughout this and other books, I will quote the King James Version of the Bible. Please listen to the Holy Spirit, and if you do, then you will comprehend the message I try to bring across, because of despite the version and/or translation of the Bible that I am using.
The 7 deadly sins and 7 heavenly virtues were adopted by the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Whether your part of Catholicism or some other Christian denomination, or if you don’t attend church but you study the holy scriptures on your own, we can acquire these Christlike traits and continue developing them throughout our lives. In these books, I will explain more about each sin and virtue, and the origins, psychology, biblical references, manifestations, and consequences of them.
Here is a list of all the books in this series. They are all available on Amazon, both as e-books, paperbacks, and audiobooks.
Chapter 1: Envy and Jealousy
As I begin writing this book, I am again confronted with the seriousness of envy, the consequences thereof, and the inner roots related to this severe sin. Societies, and the whole world actually, are influenced by the green monster that rests in all of us, and it is our challenge to stand up to it and show it the door. But before we discuss the effects of this feeling, we ought to point out what it really is.
As with all of these sins,
we are, in reality, referring to a feeling, an emotion or primal urge of some sort that we cannot always contain. But the sin lies not in the feeling itself. If you feel envious, you haven’t done anything wrong, but acting on that feeling can cause you to commit sin. Let’s always make this clear: Feeling something isn’t a sin. But feelings often lead to thoughts, which lead to deeds, which can lead to habits, even destructive ones. And so, controlling the internal animal is the goal, not elimination.
The Difference between Envy and Jealousy
Many people confuse envy with jealousy. That’s because they are pretty similar. The differences are subtle, and sometimes, it doesn’t really matter if you call someone jealous, which is more common nowadays, or envious, which is more old-fashioned. The feeling is wanting something someone else has, no matter how strong it is, and most of us know what we mean when we refer to it.
Envy indicates you are not content with your own circumstances. It’s related to the ancient commandment, Thou shalt not covet
(Exodus 20:17). And more specifically, Moses, when he recited this God-given commandment, specifically referred to houses, wives, servants, cattle, etc. And all those things are related to lust and greed, which in a way, is understandable. Every man wants a good-looking wife, a big, comfy house, and enough food and service to have some moments of laziness and enough to eat. It’s okay to have all these desires, but when covet what another has, it goes beyond that. Coveting is not just wanting something. It’s yearning to possess something.
Yearning is stronger than coveting. It leans more towards what we call an obsession.
And that makes it so dangerous. Discontentment battles with our feelings of happiness and satisfaction.
Jealousy is similar, but sometimes, people use it more to refer to a relationship problem. Jealousy can not only mean coveting, like, You’re just jealous of him, because he’s doing better than you are,
but it can also indicate an unhealthy feeling of suspicion. When someone is jealous in a relationship, it could be a lack of trust. Being able to trust your partner, is important. Those who are trustworthy, should be trusted. On the other hand, being gullible or too trusting can be damaging too. The most important purpose when it comes to developing a healthy trust in others, is to become a good judge of character. The more you’ll understand people, the better you’ll be able to tell if someone should be trusted or not.
Let me just emphasize something you might need: You are not the only one who gets jealous. It happens to everyone, including me. Successful people with the highest IQ or best achievements still get jealous. Nobody has it all. A good-looking person may be jealous of someone else’s income, and vice versa. A smart nerd may envy a jock for his or her athletic abilities, and the same might be jealous of the first’s test scores or cognitive skills.
But don’t get me wrong. Jealousy can be dangerous. It can get out of hand. It can turn to other emotions like resentment, bitterness, rage, fear, grief, and hatred. All of those can be a direct consequence of jealousy. It can poison relationships and trouble a person’s mind, and it could even result into physical violence, which is evident in the many murder cases or homicides that were a direct consequence of the bitterness because of cheating, adultery, or neglect.
So are you allowed to be jealous then? Well, it depends on what you do with it. If it somehow inspires you to put more effort into something that can get you better results, it may not be the best motivational emotion, but it can certainly lead to a greater end. However, in most cases, the answer is simply to control it. You cannot always control which feelings you feel, but you are in charge of your actions. And it may not always be easy, but it’s possible.
The similarities between envy and jealousy lie in the fact that they both feel unsatisfied and desire someone else’s traits, skills, status, or rewards. The difference, according to certain theologists, lies in the extra strong desire to actually covet it and take over their entity. It’s related to one of the ten commandments, which is also related to greed, that says, Thou shalt not covet.
Dante described envy as a desire to deprive others of what they have in Dante’s Purgatory. In his macabre definition, the envious have their eyes sewn shut with wire because they gained sinful pleasure from seeing others brought low. They wanted to elevate themselves above others, which is where the element of competition lies. More about that in the next chapter.
Jealousy, as we refer to it, is not to be confused with the various times God points out in the Old Testament that he is a jealous God.
(Exodus 20:3, 5). Such references simply point out that he demands exclusive love, because to love God above all else, with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind
is the first and most important commandment. (Luke 10:27). Our Father in Heaven is not subject to emotions He has no control over. Therefore, such words only indicate that he commands us to no worship anyone or anyone else, and that He should be the main focus of all we do. This is for our own good and our own success on the road to happiness, and He knows that.
Thomas Aquinas pointed out that the struggle aroused by envy has three stages: In the first stage, the envious man or woman tries to defile someone else’s reputation. Next, he or she finds pleasure in another’s misfortune or grieves over another person’s prosperity and success, depending on what happens to that other person. The third stage is typified by hatred.
In a nutshell, the word jealousy
can sometimes refer to possessiveness of a sexual, intimate partner, and in the general sense of the word, refer to looking at someone else and hoping or wanting to have or be the same. When we speak of envy, it goes farther in the sense that a person doesn’t only want what another person has or is, but also wants that other person to have or be less. Another’s misfortune is an envious person’s joy.
Envy is said to be the motivation behind Cain murdering his brother, Abel, as Cain envied Abel because God favored Abel's sacrifice over Cain's.
When you think about it, envy damages ourselves the most. We make ourselves unhappy by hoping we will do better than everyone else and getting frustrated over the fact that this is not the case. If you had no one to compare yourself with, feelings of envy would be easier to put aside. The competition makes the difference. Imagine yourself, if you will, in a world where you are the only human being. If you were like Adam, the only person on earth, who would be there to compete with? There would be no envy. Thus, when we take this analogy and try to find the core of any envious or jealous feelings, we always come back to that same element: Competition. It’s not being better than you used to be or gaining more than you had; it’s about having or being more than another.
We’ll discuss this more in the next chapter.
Chapter 2: The Obsession with Competing
One of the most important aspects of envy is that it separates one from others. Having more than another is always what matters most. It’s the comparison that makes the difference. In that way, it’s similar to pride, and we often can’t stand it when someone else has or is more.
I remember when we had a case study in college. It was about the negative effects of tourism.
They contrasted the increased revenue in a country, and the glamor and the economic boost with some of the dire consequences of a number of tourists taking advantage of the environment, the local population, or the facilities. One part they pointed out in the study, was that the local impoverished population became more aggressive and dishonest, because they envied the luxurious lifestyle and the big pockets the tourists had. When they saw their cell phones, their nice clothes, and some other things they brought from the North American, Japanese, or European nations, they wanted those things too, and it had a negative effect on the crime rates in the poorer countries.
But material possessions aren’t always what we obsess over, and neither is a beautiful or handsome partner. Something that has crept into society more and more—even though it has been around for centuries in one degree or another—is the fixation on fame. Research has pointed out that a much higher percentage of millennials sees becoming liked on social media and some degree of celebrity status is one of their highest goals, much higher than in previous generations.
In Galatians 5:26, the Apostle Paul wrote, Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
Those words, vain glory
have everything to do with the opinion of others. So often we find ourselves stressing out over having everyone liking us. What others think of us, matters to too many people. Some spend thousands or even millions of dollars to get a certain status, most of it just to show off. Others spend hundreds of hours of their lives perfecting a skill that will give them that one applause or standing ovation. One of the biggest motivators to choose a partner is to be loved, not necessarily just to love. Research has shown that if a person hears that another person likes him or her, i.e. is romantically interested, there is a much higher chance of that person liking him or her back, for the simple reason that it’s flattering to hear that someone is interested.
Fame, attention, and recognition are general needs in every human’s psyche. If we don’t feel loved, we get depressed, lonely, or start doubting ourselves. Even negative attention is often preferred over being ignored. Look at the world and how that reflects in the technology we adopted not so long ago. The dopamine that gets released in someone’s brain by receiving a notification, a message, a like, a share, or some other form of attention on social media is tremendous. Some people are on their cell phones all day long, trying to be noticed, taking selfies, and doing the most extravagant things to get more followers, more fame, and rise to the top.
I would dare say that if anyone had to choose between fame and fortune, the majority would choose fame, and that may be more particularly true for millennials.
That drive to acknowledged, honored, or worshipped can stay at a basic level of seeking attention. It can be relatively harmless or minimal, but it can also lead people to go through the most unethical lengths, and, more importantly, to the point where we don’t like others to get the same attention as well.
One of my friends was a soccer fan. It was his favorite sport to play and he told me about the high stages and leagues he had gone to. What was interesting, was that he wasn’t much better at soccer than a few other guys I knew, yet those other guys always remained in the shadows. They had the same skills, but they played in small city leagues and towns where nobody cared to come and watch. My friend, however, said he played in a huge stadium several times, and the best moment of his life was a standing ovation. He related, Imagine thousands of people standing up and clapping, and basically saying, ‘I love you!’ It’s the greatest feeling in the world.
Surely such a perception of magnitude can boost anyone’s ego beyond comprehension. I don’t want to talk ill of my friend, so please keep in mind that, although he loved that particular moment, he didn’t esteem himself to be a better person than anyone else. He simply explained to me the power of being liked.
I had a similar experience with feelings of being appreciated. I was on a trip one time, and although I had a girlfriend at the time, I was on the other side of the world and ended up going to an event with young singles who were about my age. One thing I forgot before I came there, was that white males from affluent countries were in high demand there, and the young ladies at that event didn’t leave me alone. They asked me questions, showed a lot of interest in me, and took turns dancing with me at the night club. No inappropriate sexual actions were taken, of course, since they were all devout Christians, as was I. But I still remember the feeling. I went back to my apartment, and I immediately noticed how addicting it felt to have so many young women interested in me. When I called my girlfriend and told her about it, something else went wrong. She interpreted my observations and the way I related what had happened as inappropriate or overly flirtatious behavior, despite the fact that I let those young women know I already had a girlfriend, even showing them a picture that I carried around in my wallet. But the green monster came out, and she accused me of being more interested in others or being a player.
And that’s when it hit me in two ways: First, everyone wants to be liked, especially by the opposite sex. Second, some people can be so possessive of their partners that an intense fear or faithlessness causes them to be suspicious and lose their sense of being a good judge of character. I had done nothing inappropriate at that dance, not even anything suggestive, but still, I was being accused of lacking loyalty.
Popularity is addicting. There is no denying it. We care greatly about what others think about us.
Should this be the case?
Well, yes and no. Let me explain.
Some competition is good. I recently saw a book with chapters about the seven sins, and how each of those desires or feelings still had a purpose. Envy,
they stated, motivates us to compete and achieve more in life.
But, as always, an excess can be dangerous and can kick us out of balance. Besides, caring about what others think of us is far less important than what God thinks of us. Sometimes, the two are completely opposite from each other. Following God’s commandments isn’t always the popular thing to do in the world’s eyes. When everyone is getting drunk or watching pornographic images or inappropriate movies, it can be hard to resist the peer pressure and tell your friends that it’s something you don’t do. I’ve personally been in that exact situation, and I was blessed enough to have the stubbornness to stick to my morals and values.
In fact, many prophets and disciples of Jesus have done precisely that: Going against popular opinion. We know that apostles got murdered, and that people like Moses, Isaiah, Abraham, or Jeremiah had to face a lot of opposition when they preached the word of God.
Elijah was a firm example of being the only one on God’s side. The entire people were against him, and the priests of Baal opposed his claims. In 1 Kings 18:20-40, we read the story of King Ahab, who agreed to have some kind of contest. In those times, it was no strange thing for the god of one group of believers to challenge another’s, and to back up their power with miracles or unusual phenomena. This time, it was no different, and God allowed Elijah to exercise the divine power He had given him, to show what God is capable of.
The story of Elijah may not be a classic example of something that relates to envy, but it’s there to illustrate my point of the following: That at times, the road to righteousness is a lonely one, but that we should trust in God to reward us hereafter.
In a nutshell, Elijah challenged the priests of Baal. He told the people, If the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him… I, even I only, remain a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.
(See verses 21-22.)
Can you imagine how he felt? Can you see that it doesn’t matter how many people agree with something? The truth is the truth. What’s right is right, even if the whole world disagrees. God’s truth is not a democracy. One cannot go against the laws of the universe. Saying that 1+1 equals 3 doesn’t make it so, even if all scientists agree, like they did for a long time when they assumed the world was flat, and later, that when one would cross the Atlantic Ocean, one would end up in India. Elijah knew this. He knew the truth, and he wouldn’t let 450 idolatrous priests tell him otherwise.
You may know what happened after that. They both built altars with bullocks
as a burnt sacrifice to their gods, and whichever god would answer their prayers with fire, would be the real god. The contest was simple, but Elijah even took it up a notch. After the priests of Baal made a myriad of vain attempts to cause some kind of miracle, even cutting themselves and having their own blood spilt to try some Satanic rituals to work, it was Elijah’s turn.
The miracle had to be obvious. It couldn’t be a magician’s trick, and the people of Israel had to have no doubt in their mind that it was, indeed, a miracle, not just the sun hitting the right spot or some other natural thing causing the fire.
For this reason, Elijah took twelve stones (see verse 31), according to the number of the tribes of Israel, and built a trench around it. Think about it: The priests of Baal didn’t
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