7 Deadly Sins

The SEVEN DEADLY SINS — lust, envy, gluttony, sloth, greed, anger and pride — have had an enormous impact on the moral compass of the modern world. These sins have had different interpretations in Christianity, Islam and Judaism, and some argue that they have even greater significance than the Ten Commandments. The series traces the history of the sins, how they became part of religious doctrine, and looks at historical figures who have been the worst perpetrators of each. Each of the seven sins is explored, from their origins and nature, their opposing virtue, and their corresponding punishment.

LUST

Christianity says lust is a sin but the Greek and Roman empires celebrated it. The history of the sin of lust reveals surprising twists—including Gnostic Christian orgies, Puritan anti-fornication laws, and exorcists who battled the demon of lust called Asmodeus. Today scientists believe lust maybe more genetics than choice... but can they prove it?

ENVY

The medieval philosopher St. Thomas Aquinas said that those guilty of the sin of envy take "pleasure at another's misfortune." Italian writer Dante characterized the envious as "sinners [who] have their eyes sewn shut because they enjoyed watching others brought low." The sin of envy has led to murder, revolution and even the fall of empires.

GLUTTONY

As early as the 4th century those of Christian faith believed that eating too much could send you to Hell. During the Dark Ages theologians believed there were seven ways to commit the sin of gluttony, from "eating too much" to "eating too daintily." Crusaders fought against the sin with religious fasts to Prohibition.

SLOTH

Simply put, the sin of sloth is the sin of the lazy. Some scientists suggest that the sin of sloth may actually be a medieval diagnosis of clinical depression. The historical cures for the sin of sloth range from ancient Greek doctors who fought it with herbs, to medieval monks who prescribed prayer and fasting.

GREED

While vilified from the time of Moses, the sin of greed has created vast empires and doomed them as well. Wise men from the philosopher Aristotle to Jesus have railed against this vice, but the 18th Century economist Adam Smith theorized that capitalism itself was based on the sin of greed. Has greed become good?

ANGER

The sin of anger is the sin that kills. The prophet Moses was prone to fits of rage. The mythic warriors of Sparta meditated in order to banish the sin of anger before a battle. Italian writer Dante placed those that committed the sin of anger in the "Fourth Circle of Hell," tearing each other limb from limb for eternity.

PRIDE

The Italian writer Dante called the sin of pride the "Chief of All Sins" - the sin of Satan himself. The sin of pride was condemned by the Bible and the philosopher Socrates, while Romans and Vikings made it their greatest virtue. The sin of pride is thought to have led to the fall of Satan but strangely enough, the most famous story about Satan is not in the Bible.

P.S:

There's such a good movie called 'Se7en' for those wanting to get more information about this subject.It starrs Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman as its leading actors. And here is a summary of the movie:

"Se7en" is a smart and thrilling serial murder mystery. It stars Morgan Freeman as a Lt. William Somerset, a veteran homicide detective who is very sharp and knows the right questions to ask. However, he isn't regarded favorably by his peers and chief, because he often asks the tough and seemingly unrelated questions. In comes Detective David Mills (Brad Pitt) as a new homicide detective assigned under Lt. Somerset's mentorship. Mills is full of pride, confidence, and ambition to make a name for himself in the big city.



Detectives Somerset and Mills investigate a number of murders that at first seem unrelated. Lt. Somerset quickly deduces from the few clues and realizes it's the same killer. The killer fatally tortures his victims after the seven deadly sins: gluttony, greed, pride, sloth, lust, envy, and wrath. The detectives know to expect more murders along these themes, but can they catch the killer (who calls himself "John Doe") before he completes all seven of the deadly sins?

"Se7en" will put you on the edge of your seat until the very end. It is a very well written screenplay that is well performed by an all-star cast. As it is a murder mystery revolving around a serial killer, a number of scenes are quite gory and graphically explicit. It's not for the faint of heart. But if you can tolerate it, "Se7en" is not to be missed. It's one of the best murder mystery thrillers I've ever seen.