Is this generation guilty of the seven deadly sins, as catalogued by
medieval theologians?
ARE WE ALL GUILTY OF THE 7 DEADLY SINS?
YES, WE ARE GUILTY of the Seven deadly
sins! And this consensus of opinion comes from groups as diverse as
ecologists, historians and theologians!
According to Richard Pollay, historian at University of British
Columbia, the values behind modern advertising look much like the seven
deadly sins. States Pollay, "But the other side of the coin is almost
absent. Ads don't encourage compassion, selflessness and the values that
build a strong community"!
The business community has for many years succumbed to the "dog
eat dog" value system, in aggressive and often unethical competition
among its members. And we've known for a long time, that advertising agencies
exploit everything available, in their quest for business.
ADVERTISING AGENCIES EXPLOIT THE SEVEN DEADLY
SINS
Like sex (lust), for example. Scantily dressed, sensual females,
selling anything from holiday packages to automobiles, to a night out at
the cabaret!
And a ruggedly handsome cowboy promoting "cancer-causing"
cigarettes, or an elegantly dressed, jet-setting young couple, standing
beside a deluxe car in the driveway of a super expensive home...promoting vodka! (greed)!
Recently (Dec. 1998), Alberta's Telus (phone company)
came out with a Christmas television commercial with 3 wise men bringing gifts,
supposedly to the Christ-Child (He was not shown). Their gifts consisted of
gold, frankincense and a mobile telephone from Telus. After a lot of callers objected, the ad was
pulled!
When contacted by the TV media, I voiced my opposition declaring,
"Nothing is sacred or holy anymore! Nothing is off limits to the
materialistic, secular humanistic MINDSET! It shows a terrible lack of
sensitivity and reverence for God and the Bible!"
"This is but another calculated move by an unthinking, secular
& materialistic advertising agency to utilize a part of the Christmas
Story to further the economic goals of the TELUSCorporation. We do not agree with that
concept. They have crossed over the line of decency and good taste! This practice must stop! We
won't put up with it!"
Now, an advertising historian is saying the same thing. Our
advertising value-system is seriously flawed! And that's upsetting, when
you consider the thousands of ads we are all subjected to through radio,
television, billboards and printed materials!
WE HAVE BECOME GREEDY, ENVIOUS
PEOPLE, FULL OF PRIDE & SELFISHNESS
IT'S NO WONDER THAT A LOT OF CHILDREN ARE GREEDY, SELFISH, ENVIOUS!They want
everything they see, and have a problem sharing what they have with others! The same could be said about many adults who have become
narcissistic and hedonistic in their approach to life. This corrupted value
system helped spawn the Me Generation, 'if it feels good, do it' attitude
and the present YUPPIE and DINKS mentality!
THE WORLD HAS BEEN PLAYING GOD & ABUSING
THE PLANET
The Asian economic recession has taken a big bite out of the
economic pie and a lot of people are frustrated and let down! And the news about the depletion of the ozone layer causing enormous
increases in skin cancer, possible global warming, a deteriorating
eco-system and the stampeding HIV and AIDS endemic, is causing people to
rethink their philosophy of life.
Unfortunately, large numbers are rudderless without any proper
spiritual and moral grounding in God's Word, the Bible...so become fair game
for the deceptive occultist and pagan teachings of the New Age Movement and
other cults!
Several years ago, Newsweek named the guilty nations which are adding
to the destruction of our planet. They presented their own list of the
"seven deadly sins" in an attack on polluters!
Newsweek's special report titled, Earth at the Summit details the
three important items on the table at Earth Summit '92, in Rio de Janeiro:
 1) Global Warming: A treaty
intended to curb emissions of "greenhouse gases" - principally
carbon dioxide - but without specific target or timetables.
2) Agenda 21: A plan for
the industrial nations to help poor countries develop their economies
without ruining their environments - or the planet's. Estimated cost: US
$125 billion per year.
3) Biodiversity: A treaty to
slow the loss of endangered species. One approach, give countries royalties
for products (such as drugs) that are developed from indigenous plants and
animals.
ECOLOGIST'S HAVE MADE THEIR OWN LIST OF THE
SEVEN DEADLY SINS
The Newsweek report stated, "Adam was supposed to be the first
environmentalist - the caretaker in Paradise, even a vegetarian. His fall
doomed us to repeat his sins, time and again despoiling the garden, and
casting ourselves into a more imperfect world".
Here are the Ecologist's 7 SEVEN DEADLY SINS: despair,
gluttony, temptation, hubris, neglect, envy and hatred.
ECOLOGIST'S 7 DEADLY SINS LIST
The ecologist's blame the condition of the world on their own list
of the seven deadly sins. This is the list they have devised: despair, gluttony, temptation, hubris, neglect, envy and hatred.
Ecologist Sin #1 - DESPAIR Despair: For the poor in the
large city ghettoes of Third World nations like Brazil, the only real
concern is getting enough to eat, staying alive using whatever means to do
it!
With open sewers and inadequate clean water supply, speaking to them
about pollution control and global warming, is totally irrelevant. They are
filled with worry and despair.
Ecologist Sin #2 - GLUTTONY Gluttony: Americans have an
insatiable desire for raw materials. They can consume anything. The
European immigrants cut down all but 5% of their forests, since arriving in
the New World. Ecologists are blaming the rich Americans for consuming more
than necessary, further polluting the planet!
Ecologist Sin #3 - TEMPTATION Temptation:
Polluters cannot resist the temptation to dump raw sewage in the rivers,
lakes and streams of the world. The greatest offenders are nations like
Mexico and US companies which have moved their operations there, to take
advantage of lax pollution laws.
Ecologist Sin #4 - HUBRIS : The meaning of
hubris is insolence or arrogance caused by inordinate pride; exaggerated
self-confidence.
For years the Soviet Union tried to play God with nature. In 1960,
it diverted two rivers that fed the Aral Sea in order to irrigate the arid
lands of Central Asia. The chickens have come home to roost and the water
level in the Aral is down two-thirds, leaving boats and towns stranded and
drifting salt storms.
Ecologist Sin #5 - NEGLECT : The pollution caused by
decades of communistic rule in the East-Bloc nations - with their disregard
for human life - has severely retarded these nations, affecting the health
of millions. Unsafe nuclear plants - like Chernobyl - and the virtually
unchecked dumping of raw, hazardous wastes into waterways like the Elbe River
has turned them into "sewers of death"!
Ecologist Sin #6 - ENVY: In her rush to catch up to
the west economically, China has thrown caution to the wind and also
endangered the population with deadly gases from hundreds of factories. In
Benxi - the world's most polluted city - 200 factories spew out more than
87 million cubic meters of gases each year. And Beijing is so smoggy that
at times it vanishes from satellite photos!
Ecologist Sin #7 - HATRED: When Saddam Hussein -
Iraq's cruel despot - retreated from Kuwait - he deliberately ordered the
destruction of 700 oil wells. Black smoke hung over that nation for nearly
one year, polluting the entire region, until the fires were put out!
He also released millions of gallons of oil into the gulf waters,
polluting, killing and destroying marine life, birds and insects,
endangering the underground water supply and causing respiratory diseases
in humans!
The damage of his terrorism will last for years to come and the cost
of the clean-up could total $20 billion, says Ibrahim Hadi, president of
Kuwait's Environmental Protection Agency!
GOD HAS THE FINAL WORD ON THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS
The Bible has a lot to say about sin. Jesus was outspoken on the
subject.
Jesus used the word "leaven" as an analogy of sin,
which rises and expands like leaven. The Lord Jesus also paralleled
it with tares or weeds in a field, that seek to choke out the good grain.
THE BIBLE STATES THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS ARE:
The Bible very clearly states the seven deadly sin are: Pride,
greed, lust, anger or hatred, gluttony, envy and sloth.
Deadly Sin #1 - PRIDE, which makes one feel
superior to others is totally wrong. This sin was Lucifer's downfall! The
Bible says, "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit
before a fall." (Proverbs 15:8)
Deadly Sin #2 - GREED has caused more wars
and created more gangsters and promoted more theft than any other sin.
The Bible says, "Thou shalt not COVET..." (Exodus 20:17)
"For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some
coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves
through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and
follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness."
(1 Timothy 6:10-11)
Deadly Sin #3 - LUST is the desire for
something not lawfully yours. A sensual desire for the forbidden fruit! It
includes an inordinate desire for power, control, sex, substance abuse or
wealth. Lust always brings spiritual death, in the end!
The Bible says, "Then when
lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished,
bringeth forth death." (James 1:15)
Deadly Sin #4 - ANGER or HATRED causes high
blood pressure, ulcers, violent confrontation and even murder!
Jesus said, "But he
that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and
knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes. Whosoever
hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal
life abiding in him."
"If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a
liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love
God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he
who loveth God love his brother also." (1 John 2:11; 1 John 3:15; 1 John 4:20-21)
Deadly Sin #5 - GLUTTONY is an over
indulgence in eating. A phobia or inordinate desire to eat food, even when
one is not hungry. A good rule is: Eat to live, not live to eat! A day of
fasting and prayer each week does wonders for us - spiritually and physically!
Let's use the extra money we save through fasting to give to the poor and needy and to support the poor and the orphaned!
Deadly Sin #6 - ENVY will also cause the
blood pressure to rise and the demons of jealousy and pride to fabricate
lies and even fantasies in a person, given over to this wicked sin!
The Bible says, "Let us
walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in
chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the
Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the
lusts thereof." (Romans
13:13-14)
Deadly Sin #7 - SLOTH goes hand in hand with
laziness and poverty. St. Paul stated, "Be not slothful in
business". (Romans 12:11)
"For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of
love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to
the saints, and do minister.
And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to
the full assurance of hope unto the end: That ye be not slothful, but
followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the
promises." (Hebrews
6:10-12)
REMEMBER - GOD HAS THE FINAL SAY IN
EVERYTHING
The Bible is the Word of God. Don't ever forget that God, our
Lord keeps the books. God, the creator or the world has the final say
in everything.
There is only one way to be freed from these seven deadly
sins and that is through the process of the New Birth. Only faith in
Jesus Christ's death for us on the cross and His glorious resurrection from
the dead, brings us into a vital contact with His saving blood!
Jesus said, "Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy
laden and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)
Almighty God has given us a list of the seven sins which He hates: "These six things doth the Lord hate, yea seven are an abomination unto Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren." (Proverbs 6: 16-19)
Bible study scriptures /
verses on
IMPORTANCE OF BIBLE STUDY
Matthew 6:33
Jesus said, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His
righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto
you."
1 Peter 3:15
The Bible instructs: "But sanctify the
Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every
man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness
and fear."
1 Timothy 6:17-19
"Charge them that are rich in this
world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but
in the living God, Who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they
do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to
communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation
against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal
life."
Psalms 119:2
"Blessed are they that keep his
testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart."
Isaiah 55:6
"Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he
is near."
Proverbs 8:17
"I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me."
Isaiah 1:18-19
God invites: "Come now, and let us reason together... though your sins
be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like
crimson, they shall be as wool." (Isaiah 1:18-19)
MARK 8:34-38
Jesus said, "What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain
the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Mark
8:34-38).
JOHN 3:16-17
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten
Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have
everlasting life."
"For God sent not his
Son into the world to condemn the world: but that the world through Him
might be saved:"
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