Thursday, February 01, 2007

Seven deadly sins? No, that's another list

Driving the kids to school this morning, I was making a right turn onto Marsh. The light hadn't yet turned green for me, but there was a big gap in the right-hand lane, so I went for it. A quick check revealed a 60-plus foot gap on my left, so I slid into it, pursued closely by a red Land Rover, who followed me as we went for the left-turn light (still green!) on Bay Road.

I remarked that the Land Rover didn't look too happy about being behind me (he was following pretty close) "but," I added, "if he'd been driving a little faster, he'd be in front of me."

"Oh Dad," said the elder teen in mock(?) exasperation, "you're such a boy."

I was speechless.

OK, being a boy isn't a Deadly Sin™, and it isn't on the list from today's reading either. And where did the Catholic church get that list of deadly sins, anyway? Not having grown up Catholic, I never memorized them; I only have a vague idea, from Art Buchwald, that they include pride, gluttony, sloth, envy, and lust. Today's reading in Proverbs has this list:
There are six things the Lord hates,
seven that are detestable to him:
  • haughty eyes,
  • a lying tongue,
  • hands that shed innocent blood,
  • a heart that devises wicked schemes,
  • feet that are quick to rush into evil,
  • a false witness who pours out lies
  • and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.
Proverbs 6.16-19
The lists do overlap some, but they're far from identical.

Here's something I noticed, though: Ever heard the phrase "hate the sin, love the sinner"? One can hate the proud look (as I believe the King James Version has it) without hating the person who has it. But look at the end of the list! It says the Lord hates, he detests a false witness. And he detests a man (or woman I suppose) who stirs up dissension among brothers.

What's that about? Can it really mean that? I'm not really sure, but anyway there's a list of things I want to be really careful not to have, or to be. So help me God.

No comments: