The 7 new mortal sins

[WatchfulPilgrim]

Climate Change May Boost Contact With Pollutants
from my Yahoo news page…

I’m not trying to be an alarmist.But,things are happening.As Christians it is important that we get more active in environmental action.We have been told to take care of our planet.

I really do try to be “green”, but, for instance, buying a 6-pack of individually packaged applesauce is far cheaper than making my own. Canned is cheaper than fresh vegetables, fruits, etc… We have 4 recycle bins filled to the brim every week! Too bad we can’t go back to the good ol’ days with less “variety” and less “convenience”. I appreciate my Mennonite friends who do things the old ways despite the cost and labor. I wish I could adapt to that lifestyle. I’m just so used to the fast-food culture we live in. I’m learning, but its a slow process, and I’m not getting any younger! I only hope my children will learn and pass it on to future generations.

 

[WatchfulPilgrim]

Guy,

Considering your posts here, and looking at your signature, I’m curious what your take is on abortion. I mean, I assume you are pro-life, but my question is: what extent do you go to in avoiding supporting it? I’ve often thought of going veg b/c of animal cruelty. I can’t do organic b/c there really isn’t any around here, and I don’t travel much. Although, on second thought - I probably just don’t give it enough thought to try. If I really set my mind to it, I could find a way to buy organic meats (don’t know how much that would help though).

Anyway, back to my question… (sorry, this is late for me to be thinking )

How far do you take avoiding supporting abortion? Do you avoid patronizing stores that give money to planned parenthood for instance? Ban brands that give proceeds to pro-“choice” groups, etc…??

I have agonized so much over this question:
WHERE IS THE LINE BETWEEN ENABLING AND NON-PARTICIPATION???

And the list of issues involved here could go on and on. It’s enough to drive one crazy. Now we are faced with the possible enactment of the “Freedom of Choice Act” which means our tax dollars may be used to pay for abortions. No parental consent needed. No limits to partial-birth abortions. It’s all in the government’s hands too which could mean forced-abortions on women who go over the birth-limit (if/when that does happen).

We live in scary times! Jesus must be on His way
Maranatha!!!

 

[That_one_guy]

Howdy,Pilgrim!

I really do try to be “green”, but, for instance, buying a 6-pack of individually packaged applesauce is far cheaper than making my own. Canned is cheaper than fresh vegetables, fruits, etc… We have 4 recycle bins filled to the brim every week! Too bad we can’t go back to the good ol’ days with less “variety” and less “convenience”. I appreciate my Mennonite friends who do things the old ways despite the cost and labor. I wish I could adapt to that lifestyle. I’m just so used to the fast-food culture we live in. I’m learning, but its a slow process, and I’m not getting any younger! I only hope my children will learn and pass it on to future generations.

Convenience is a factor.The society which has evolved in the last 100 years or so is one of convenience.And,as a direct result one that is disposable.We throw everything away.Although,I would hope that people could go a little out of their way to recycle.
And this seems to effect our society on even a psychological level causing us to be selfish.Don’t like your job?Get a new one.Don’t like your car?get a new one.Don’t like your spouse?Get a divorce.Don’t like being pregnant?..

It is a dilemma.But,one that takes discipline.I don’t want to give the impression that I am perfect.It is difficult for me,too.We divvy up the trash,and we use cloth bags at the grocery store.

We are also Vegan,so we don’t use animal products of any kind.(fossil fuel doesn’t count) And our clothes are cotton or man made.Any animal stuff like wool or leather was either a gift or purchased from a thrift store,so we feel we aren’t necessarily directly enabling.

I think that if everyone really tries to alter their own habits,even if just a little,…then the world is a little better,however perceptively it may seem.
Just don’t give up and keep fighting the good fight!

 

[That_one_guy]

Guy,
How far do you take avoiding supporting abortion? Do you avoid patronizing stores that give money to planned parenthood for instance? Ban brands that give proceeds to pro-“choice” groups, etc…??

I would love to know who these stores and groups are.I would most definitely boycott these groups.Can you provide this information?I will surf for this,too.I think that a lot of us would like to know.

I have agonized so much over this question:
WHERE IS THE LINE BETWEEN ENABLING AND NON-PARTICIPATION???

And the list of issues involved here could go on and on. It’s enough to drive one crazy. Now we are faced with the possible enactment of the “Freedom of Choice Act” which means our tax dollars may be used to pay for abortions. No parental consent needed. No limits to partial-birth abortions. It’s all in the government’s hands too which could mean forced-abortions on women who go over the birth-limit (if/when that does happen).

We live in scary times! Jesus must be on His way
Maranatha!!!

I do know that there is a link we can go toin order to post our opinions.It’s almost like Obama really wants to reach out to us.

change.gov/page/content/openforquestions20081229/

and if nobody does check this out and voice their opinion,well,its just like not voting and then complaining about the results when you didn’t even participate.

 

[LeroyCRHP]

I think you are probably right, but we really do not know the long term risks with these genetically modified foods. Clearly farmers and big companies are making more money from these advances.

For instance we are growing bigger and things like girls cycles are starting much earlier, suspect is the growth hormone in animals we eat. In Europe this bigger/earlier trend is not happening as they block meat with growth hormones.

What is happening to us as a result of the genetically modified foods? Time will tell.

Genetic modification of foods has saved a billion lives because of increased crop outputs. There’s no way that’s what the Holy Father was referring to; I think he’s talking about stuff like cloning.

 

[That_one_guy]

I think you are probably right, but we really do not know the long term risks with these genetically modified foods. Clearly farmers and big companies are making more money from these advances.

For instance we are growing bigger and things like girls cycles are starting much earlier, suspect is the growth hormone in animals we eat. In Europe this bigger/earlier trend is not happening as they block meat with growth hormones.

What is happening to us as a result of the genetically modified foods? Time will tell.

Check it out

What is patentable also needs to be mentally “distinctive” - fixed or mostly unchanging in our minds to obtain an ownership or right-to-control patent. Again, something unchanging is not constantly adapting to its surrounding environment. It is less alive, and strategies to maintain that are often deadly. For example, much of GM technology is directed at eliminating surrounding biological environment - competing animals and plants, soaking them with lethal toxins. Secondly, there are terminator plants that do not reproduce a second generation - preventing a subsequent generation from escaping the controlling patented mold. In contrast to nature’s rainforests teeming with life, GM technology has planted forests of flowerless, fruitless “terminator trees.” They are not habitats for life, but exude poisons from every leaf, killing all but a few insects. Thirdly, GM companies have gone on multi-billion dollar buying sprees, purchasing seed companies and destroying their non-patented (potentially competitive) seed stocks. Time magazine called the widespread consequences of this effort a global Death of Birth. All of this is why “biotechnology,” in its naked essence, has be tagged by some as thano- (meaning death) technology. Rachel Carson, back in the 1960’s wondered why suddenly there appeared such an ever-widening wave of death in the terrains of nature. On the surface it seemed this was because of a marriage of powerful monetary interests and the proliferation of pesticides so that the harms were not objectively faced. But there are also far deeper reasons, and these are uniquely brought out in our article Moving Away from a Death-Centered Vision of Nature.

Looked at from outside of commercial interests, perils are multi-dimensional. They include the creation of new “transgenic” life forms - organisms that cross unnatural gene lines (such as tomato seed genes crossed with fish genes) - and that have unpredictable behavior or replicate themselves out of control in the wild. This can happen, without warning, inside of our bodies creating an unpredictable chain reaction. A four-year study at the University of Jena in Germany conducted by Hans-Hinrich Kaatz revealed that bees ingesting pollen from transgenic rapeseed had bacteria in their gut with modified genes. This is called a “horizontal gene transfer.” Commonly found bacteria and microorganisms in the human gut help maintain a healthy intestinal flora. These, however, can be mutated.

Mutations may be able to travel internally to other cells, tissue systems and organs throughout the human body.

raw-wisdom.com/gmofood

I’m just sayin…

 

[cathybramble]

Guy,

Considering your posts here, and looking at your signature, I’m curious what your take is on abortion. I mean, I assume you are pro-life, but my question is: what extent do you go to in avoiding supporting it? …]

actually… veganism a very easy and lazy form of activism LOL. seriously, avoiding meat, eggs, and dairy is not difficult compared to avoiding products and businesses that support PP. i’d be happy to do it and encourage others too, if i knew what to stay away from.

do you have a list of those businesses that we should avoid?

i’m afraid it’s going to be an easier fight to change animal welfare laws than to ban abortion - the world is already moving in that direction. when you can legally justify putting a man in prison for dogfighting (and rightfully so, in my opinion), it is only a matter of time before logic sets in and we decide it’s wrong to mistreat pigs and chickens too. but with abortion, people have already come to think that they have a “right” to abortion on demand. it will be much trickier to remove that “right” now that the floodgates are open.

 

[That_one_guy]

look what I found.Groups that support abortion.

holysmoke.org/fem/fem0333.htm

 

[WatchfulPilgrim]

Hmmm… I don’t see all of them, but maybe some are off the list now. That isn’t the same list I had. Mine was updated every so often. Microsoft, Walmart, Kraft, Whole Foods and Target used to be on there and now I don’t see them. And its hard to know what to believe. That is why I stopped boycotting. I also started to question where to draw the line in non-participation (which is why I asked). I mean, why is it okay to pay taxes to a government who uses your money for immoral causes and not okay to patronize a store that does the same thing? Why is one justifiable and not the other? B/c one will punish us and not the other?

So my thinking has been this: I need to eat meat and dairy products. I’m on a very restrictive diet already. I can’t really avoid buying mainstream products b/c the organic ones aren’t readily available or affordable. My Celiac also restricts me in other ways too. I rely heavily on specific manufacturers to supply me with all my other needs too b/c I have to watch for gluten content in all my personal hygiene products as well as my food - and not just content but good manufacturing practices as well b/c contamination is a real issue for me. I depend a lot on Johnson and Johnson and Kraft product for instance - both of which are or used to be on the list of companies to boycott. But then I put my health on the line if I avoid contributing to animal cruelty and companies that give proceeds to abortion groups. And yes, I feel very very guilty. The only way I can justify it is that we’re supposed to pay taxes regardless of how the money is spent afterwards. I’m supposed to take care of myself regardless of how the money is spent after I give it to the store.

Does this make sense?

I’m not trying to convince anyone not to be an activist. I’m just voicing my frustration with my own choice not to be one. It really does bother me, but I feel like I’m pretty stuck.

 

[That_one_guy]

= Watchful pilgrim

Does this make sense?

I’m not trying to convince anyone not to be an activist. I’m just voicing my frustration with my own choice not to be one. It really does bother me, but I feel like I’m pretty stuck.

Don’t feel alone my friend!Regardless of our station in life,we are all at the mercy of this beast.Aside from everyone running away and forming their own community and starting from scratch somewhere,…I think that we each must determine what we can do as individuals to at least lessen our contribution. Whether it be direct or indirect.
I wish I had the answer…

 

[cathybramble]

Hmmm… I don’t see all of them, but maybe some are off the list now. That isn’t the same list I had. Mine was updated every so often. Microsoft, Walmart, Kraft, Whole Foods and Target used to be on there and now I don’t see them. And its hard to know what to believe. That is why I stopped boycotting. I also started to question where to draw the line in non-participation (which is why I asked). I mean, why is it okay to pay taxes to a government who uses your money for immoral causes and not okay to patronize a store that does the same thing? Why is one justifiable and not the other? B/c one will punish us and not the other?

So my thinking has been this: I need to eat meat and dairy products. I’m on a very restrictive diet already. I can’t really avoid buying mainstream products b/c the organic ones aren’t readily available or affordable. My Celiac also restricts me in other ways too. I rely heavily on specific manufacturers to supply me with all my other needs too b/c I have to watch for gluten content in all my personal hygiene products as well as my food - and not just content but good manufacturing practices as well b/c contamination is a real issue for me. I depend a lot on Johnson and Johnson and Kraft product for instance - both of which are or used to be on the list of companies to boycott. But then I put my health on the line if I avoid contributing to animal cruelty and companies that give proceeds to abortion groups. And yes, I feel very very guilty. The only way I can justify it is that we’re supposed to pay taxes regardless of how the money is spent afterwards. I’m supposed to take care of myself regardless of how the money is spent after I give it to the store.

Does this make sense?

I’m not trying to convince anyone not to be an activist. I’m just voicing my frustration with my own choice not to be one. It really does bother me, but I feel like I’m pretty stuck.

there is no question that human life should come before animal life if there is a choice between the two. if i have to choose between saving my dog and my grandbaby, i’ll mourn that darn stupid dog for sure. but if i can save my dog without jeopardizing my grandbaby’s safety, you betcha i will

most people do not have celiac or other disorders that limit their options. in effect, they are saying that even though they could save their dog, they choose to only save their grandbaby. i suppose it’s not “sinful” but … ya know… who are we to be so stingy with our compassion? are our hearts really that small? i think most of us were born with an innate love for what God created… but at some point we harden ourselves. that is just my opinion.

 

[WatchfulPilgrim]

Love that Mother Theresa quote, Cathy!

Here is the organization I used to get my boycotting info from:

Life Decisions International
fightpp.org/

It really is pretty overwhelming when you see all the companies on there. And really very sad.

Thanks all for your kind words. I know we all can only do the best we can with what we’ve been given. And I probably could do something to boycott instead of nothing at all. Certainly there are some things I can change.

 

[Sam_Maloney]

Love that Mother Theresa quote, Cathy!

.

So far as I can tell, it wasn’t Mother Theresa who said it, it was Ghandi.

And whether it makes the life of some third world worker better off if I refuse to buy his products, well… I’m not so sure.

 

[That_one_guy]

Love that Mother Theresa quote, Cathy!

Here is the organization I used to get my boycotting info from:

Life Decisions International
fightpp.org/

It really is pretty overwhelming when you see all the companies on there. And really very sad.

Thanks all for your kind words. I know we all can only do the best we can with what we’ve been given. And I probably could do something to boycott instead of nothing at all. Certainly there are some things I can change.

Love in Christ!!!

 

[Spirithound]

Polluting - not new - sloth, gluttony
Genetic engineering - not new - pride, sloth, envy
Being obscenely rich - not sinful - unless it’s gluttony
Drug dealing - not new - gluttony
Abortion - not new - wrath, lust, gluttony, sloth
Pedophilia - not new - lust, wrath
Causing social injustice - not new - wrath, gluttony

 

[That_one_guy]

Polluting - not new - sloth, gluttony
Genetic engineering - not new - pride, sloth, envy
Being obscenely rich - not sinful - unless it’s gluttony
Drug dealing - not new - gluttony
Abortion - not new - wrath, lust, gluttony, sloth
Pedophilia - not new - lust, wrath
Causing social injustice - not new - wrath, gluttony

Thanks for pointing this out.

And this detracts from the importance of the issue how?

 

[cathybramble]

Love that Mother Theresa quote, Cathy!

Here is the organization I used to get my boycotting info from:

Life Decisions International
fightpp.org/

It really is pretty overwhelming when you see all the companies on there. And really very sad.

Thanks all for your kind words. I know we all can only do the best we can with what we’ve been given. And I probably could do something to boycott instead of nothing at all. Certainly there are some things I can change.

yikes. they want to SELL me the list of businesses to boycott… for $20? seems like they should be posting that information for all to see but i will research it further, and thanks for the link, the site looks very informative

and yeah… we can only do what we can do, there is no sense beating ourselves up for what is beyond our control. God bless you.

 

[cathybramble]

So far as I can tell, it wasn’t Mother Theresa who said it, it was Ghandi.

And whether it makes the life of some third world worker better off if I refuse to buy his products, well… I’m not so sure.

you could be right, but some sites do attribute it to mother theresa.

goodreads.com/quotes/show/4391

 

[WatchfulPilgrim]

So far as I can tell, it wasn’t Mother Theresa who said it, it was Ghandi.

And whether it makes the life of some third world worker better off if I refuse to buy his products, well… I’m not so sure.

I think its about more than what products you buy. Many of us live in a fast-paced society of convenience and luxury. It kills me how disposable everything is today. We think nothing of throwing things out when they don’t work instead of fixing them, muti-component electronic equipment for simple entertainment that will be obsolete in just a few years - just throw it out and get the next best thing. Convenience packaging is getting cheaper than the basic fruits and veggies. Many people don’t think twice about how much electricity and water they waste, don’t bother recycling, eat too much, etc. etc… While we’re all well-fed, comfy and well-entertained someone out there is cold, sick, hungry and starving.

Most of us could live with a whole lot less and it would really help to save valuable resources. We could also stop wasting so much money and put it to better use. It really is our fault that many people do without. We don’t all have to walk barefoot and eat bread and water all day, but most of us could scale-down quite a bit and still be healthy and happy. If not, then they wouldn’t ever be happy with all the stuff money can buy anyway.

Sprithound, We all know these things aren’t new, but believe it or not, some people don’t see anything wrong with those things. It’s good that we point out the new manifestations of these sins in the world today.

Cathy, I totally forgot about the $20 cost. That is ridiculous isn’t it? I hope its going to good use. But it definately should be available for free.

Bless you too guys!

 

[Spirithound]

Thanks for pointing this out.

And this detracts from the importance of the issue how?

While several of them are indeed grave, and potentially mortal, they are not the “new 7 deadly sins”; they are rooted in the classical 7 deadly sins.