Big Sin Meme

I’ve been tagged with a rather bold meme from Roger Mugs, asking about ’sins that could take you down’…

I find myself in agreement with the view that ‘evil’ has no inherent substance, but is rather the corruption of good.  This seems to make sense, and fits with the biblical account, in which God’s subjection of creation to frustration takes the shape of the withdrawal of previously-given blessings.  Similarly, then, I wonder if it’s fruitful to think of much ’sin’ as the tragic corruption of virtue: Hatred is the corruption of discernment; lust is the corruption of desire; greed is the corruption of enjoyment; rage is the corruption of a desire for justice, etc etc…

I think that out of those things, I’m most inclined toward desire and enjoyment, so it’s a danger for those things, which can be good, to be twisted and corrupted into the ugliness of lust and greed.  But perhaps even worse than any of these – because it’s so unassuming – is apathy… that all-too-acceptable condition in which I just can’t be bothered changing my life or changing the world.

…oh, and I’m way not brave enough to pass this meme on!!  (or am I just apathetic?)

Published in:  on October 4, 2008 at 3:26 pm Comments (5)

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  1. On October 4, 2008 at 3:51 pm olsenbiebighauser Said:

    Yes. Sloth.

    Reply
  2. On October 4, 2008 at 4:11 pm James Korsmo Said:

    Apathy. Good answer. It’s so very C. S. Lewis. And thus, so very insightful. It’s way too easy a trap, especially when combined with an academic bent. I love the inscription Karl Barth once wrote on the inside of a book to a friend:

    Collect books? No, read them!
    Read them? No, think about!
    Think about? No, do something for God and for your neighbor!

    Reply
  3. On October 4, 2008 at 4:48 pm Bryan Said:

    Apathy. Definitely.

    In fact, there would be so many other sins to take me down, but I’m so apathetic and lazy that I don’t commit them.

    Reply
  4. On October 5, 2008 at 12:21 pm Matthew Said:

    Jeff: Another one of the deadly sins covered…

    James: Barth wrote that? Wow… I like that.

    Bryan: Now there’s a positive spin on it!!

    Reply
  5. On October 9, 2008 at 1:57 am James Korsmo Said:

    Barth did actually write it. I printed it off (in his handwriting no less) and put it in my library. Seems like a good reminder. (It seems like the sort of thing that becomes an urban legend of sorts, so I thought I’d pass it along.) Here’s where I found it:
    http://faith-theology.blogspot.com/2007/09/collecting-books-note-from-karl-barth.html

    Just in case you’re interested.

    Reply

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