Page 73 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 23
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Community
excess or surplus that drives
the human mind into the Seven
Sins. Through moderation,
the sins can be normal or even
admirable traits in any person.
Let us treat each sinful act
separately and see where it
takes us.
Vanity emanates from self-
esteem or self-worth. An
appreciation and sense of worth
is verily useful for existence.
But over pride or vanity
leads one astray, into a realm
of demeaning or belittling
perception towards others. It
portrays the self as god. It can
Or to take arms against a sea of presented as a major topic in also blind a person and fill
troubles …” Chaucer’s ‘Canterbury Tales’ one’s world with hubris leading
and Dante’s ‘Purgatory’. When to ignorance. It is a sort of
While going through the we look at the idea from which ignorance that takes root when
classical writings, which we they emanate, The Seven Sins we consider the self as sage or
currently may presume as originate from the thought that profoundly wise and close the
‘a waste of time,’ one finds abuses or excessive versions door to learning.
elaborated discourse regarding of one’s natural facilities or
‘The Seven Deadly Sins’. They passions are sinful or immoral. Covetousness (greed) finds
are: Vanity, Covetousness These ideas can operate on its origin from the human
(greed), Lust, Anger, Gluttony, both personal and social levels instinct of want. It is normal
Envy, and Sloth. for the sins have the potential and admirable to continue and
to harm not just society but sustain our lives by satisfying
The Seven Sins, having their also the person practicing them. our needs and desires. In this
origin in religious doctrines, lifelong journey, we ought
had dominated the works of The German philosopher, to ask these questions: ‘How
famous writers. John Cassian Nietzsche in his work ‘Human much is enough?’ and ‘Upon
was the first to introduce - All Too Human’ expresses whose expense am I to satisfy
them to Europe and Catholic ‘Excess’ by stating, “The my desires?’ When we lose
teachings through his work, mother of excess is not joy but sight of our path, we desire
‘The Institutes’. They are also joylessness.” It is the desire for to possess all by sacrificing
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