Pride and Greed-The Deadliest Sins of All?

Human beings just don't get it. Pride as well as greed are very grave sins-known as two of the Seven Deadly Sins (also referred to as Capital Sins or vices). In case you've forgotten what the Seven Deadly Sins are: Pride, Envy, Gluttony, Lust, Anger, Greed and Sloth (avoiding work).

When I read (with dismay) that "Sea levels are rising at the fastest rate in 2,100 years" or that "Shocking reports tell of alarming rate of mass extinctions in the oceans"...you have to wonder what kind of news or scientific reports it will take to wake up the human race before pride (we can do anything we want, without consequences), or greed winds up destroying all of creation on this planet, including us. I certainly hope not.......These kinds of news stories (very trending right now on the internet), I find quite disturbing.

Some people don't believe these reports and they choose to ignore them or downplay them. But soon, according to scientists you won't be able to ignore them any longer, as the effects of global warming (starting to show up already), will be in our faces, so to speak. Unless the global community starts to act and act decisively and constructively, I fear the future will hold more bad news for our children and grandchildren.

Where are the geniuses, the innovators, the creative, out-of-the-box thinkers and scientists? Who is listening to them? Who is listening to God and the promptings of the Holy Spirit? There are certainly enough warnings and promptings being communicated to us.

In the Bible the word listen appears 1,000 times in the Hebrew Scriptures and 425 times in the New Testament. When I give talks to adults or children I always mention that. Do you think God wants us to listen? (It's pretty clear in the Bible that God does, for our own good.) Do you think God wants us to be good stewards of the Earth and care for this beautiful and awesome creation and use the resources wisely, for the good of all? I'd say, Yes! Is humankind listening? We can have a good business environment, create jobs, which this country desperately needs, while making good decisions to safeguard the environment. It's time for everyone to work together on this, because not to do so, is going to cost everyone in the future, money as well as security and well being.

The Pope seems to be listening. The Vatican has contracted "Mercedes for the first ever hybrid popemobile. That's some good news.

NJA

Greed and Its Disastrous Effects

Greed is one of the seven deadly sins. It is a sin of excess, like lust and gluttony. It is also known as avarice or covetousness. It is an excessive desire for wealth or power. St. Thomas Aquinas wrote that greed was "a sin against God, just as all mortal sins, in as much as man condemns things eternal for the sake of temporal things." (Wikipedia)

Greed has played havoc with humankind. In news story after story the ill effects of greed can be seen. Throughout history, greed has been a destructive force.  And aren't we all guility of it to some degree. I try to be a charitable person and yet I have so much more than I need. Many of us in America as well as other rich countries have much.  And that's fine, people work hard and they should receive rewards for that....but there is so much excess. Unfortunately,  there are so many people who never get a chance for a better life. 

I read with interest a New York Times article titled, "Parasites in Paradise," by Peter Hotez. It begins, "President Obama has started an ambitious global health initiative that will deliver urgenty needed medicine and preventative care to hundreds of millions of people in poor countries. Included in the plan are efforts to devote resouces to 'neglected tropical diseases' .....that many think have gone the way of smallpox, but which still make up the most common ailments among the world's bottom billion." One thing I found interesting in the article was a statement that diseases in the Caribbean could be easily eliminated if every tourist who visited the Caribbean on vacation,  just gave one dollar (it would cost $20 million per year for five years) to this cause. One dollar, that's it. I'm sure people would be willing to donate one dollar, if asked, to support this endeavor.  

I'm always inspired by famous people as well as everyone else who give of themselves to great causes. There are many inspirational entertainers and leaders out there. There is so much good in the world, but there is also greed, which continues to be a problem for humankind into the 21st century.

NJA