Last month the Vatican introduced seven additional sins to account for modern trends in society. The list is baffling and points to a confused state of mind.
Last month the Vatican newspaper published a list of seven deadly sins that were rampant in the modern world. These were genetic modification, human experimentations, polluting the environment, social injustice, causing poverty, financial gluttony and taking drugs. With the old seven deadly sins of lust, gluttony, avarice, sloth, anger, envy and pride, the total now becomes fourteen.
Sin and religion are inextricably linked, because one of the functions of religion is to keep people away from sin. In my understanding sins that require Divine punishment, such as the deadly sins, are those moral or ethical transgressions that cannot be covered under human law. The old seven deadly sins fit this description.
The new list of the seven deadly sins, however, is somewhat puzzling on several counts. One would expect the new sins to be a product of modern society. In fact the Vatican announcement said just that. But social injustice, causing poverty and financial gluttony are almost as old as human civilization. If one believes that these transgressions did not exist in feudal Europe when the power of the Vatican was at its zenith, then one is turning a blind eye to history. Environment pollution and taking drugs are punishable by law therefore need not be left to Divine retribution. To call genetic modification and human experimentations sins is myopic. It is a step back to the ages when Galileo was tried for heresy and had his eyes put out.
If the new seven deadly sins are baffling then the reasons for declaring them are more so. If the Catholic Church wants to stem its dwindling flock then it has to take a more inclusive approach to diversity rather than brand diversity as heresy. It needs to take a leaf out of Hinduism in this regard.
