Thought of the Day 10.09.09

There are two different kinds of deadly sins. Lust, Wrath, Pride, and Envy apply to things that are always wrong in any amount. In contrast, Sloth and Gluttony apply to desires that are good in moderation but bad in excess. So, in which group does Greed belong?

I’ve always thought that material gain fell into that second category, being okay up to some nebulous boundary marker beyond which it becomes sinful. The big problem with this is that degree-sins encourage us to soothe our own defects by comparing them with much more egregious examples. We look at the lazier, fatter, and greedier people and think we must be okay.

But what if Greed isn’t something that’s wrong in degree, but wrong as a category? What if it’s like Lust and Pride, where any concern for material possessions at all is a problem? More importantly, if you understand what I’m really asking here, what conclusion do you draw from the extreme discomfort which I’m sure even considering this question seriously is causing you?
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4 comments:

Elizabeth said...

I've got to say, I don't completely understand what you're getting at here.

My first thought was "what about righteous anger?" - money changers in the temple? Is that not a degree of wrath? As I tried to think about the others, it made me realize that I don't even have a good working definition for them all. Lust isn't just disordered sex. I've been given to understand that it is possible to lust after one's own wife: "Aristotle's criterion was excessive love of others, which therefore rendered love and devotion to God as secondary." I KNOW I've been guilty of that. But that still has to be a degree, there has to be a legitimate level of love, and even more difficult to know when that degree line has been crossed within a legitimate, loving relationship...


Oddly enough, greed is one for which I can't think of an "ok" degree. Are we not supposed to be swallows and lilies, not asking what we are to eat. Forget about acquiring great wealth, we are not even to labor or toil to provide for our basic needs, but rather to rely on God.

October 9, 2009 at 7:58 PM
Steve said...

Interesting coincidence that I've been reading the book "The Perfect Joy of St. Francis." It is challenging my view of material possessions.

One example is that they (his band) where a poor garment (and no shoes) and when such garment needed mending, they borrowed a needle and thread and made sure to return it as they did not want to own anything. He refused (in the beginning at least) to have a monastery since then they would waste time and energy defending it and be subject to lawsuits.

We definitely own too much in the states and it actually feels good to realize that the stuff we stress over so much isn't necessary.

My cautions so far include - if no one "owns" a needle then who do you borrow it from? the church? Though I like that they work and toil, I haven't yet wrapped my head around the begging that also occurs. And it seems like having money saved up at least for emergencies (financial/disasters/medical) is proper does that turn a Christian away from trusting God?

Lastly, while his life may be possible for a single man, what about a family? I know that seems to be a cop-out more often than not, so I'm still testing myself on that.

October 13, 2009 at 9:05 PM
Andrew Tallman said...

I'm tracking right where you are, Steve. The practicality of it is my first objection. But how much of that is just what I'm used to talking? This subject has been very much on my mind recently, and the only real thing I can imagine people objecting to even such a radical approach as St. Francis took was by saying, "Whoah, that's really radical." This, of course, is not a particularly persuasive rhetorical strategy.

October 14, 2009 at 2:41 PM
Steve said...

thanks for commenting back.

I'm making some changes - getting rid of stuff I don't need - and the definition fo that keeps encompassing more and more as time goes on...

I'm no longer buying into the "you may need it someday" strategy that filled up the basements with old toys, clothes, and such where I grew up in the midwest.

we shall see where it goes!

October 15, 2009 at 3:01 PM

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