Very illuminating, as usual. Interesting that our "president" has committed all of the 7 Deadly Sins and violated the 10 Commandments, yet his followers consider him pretty darn close to a deity.
I alone, have sinned as far as I can tell. I know nothing of Trump, or any other man's guilt. But I have sinned against all the commandments in my heart since a youth. The 7 deadly have been my playground, as I look inside. I also notice the young in body and mind seek justice, while the old, tend to seek mercy.
I see. I'm 40. I seek mercy. I might think him not fit to lead, but I judge no man's soul. Good for you, for being 70. I still say, I have violated all of the commandments in my heart since I can remember. I'll settle for mercy. I don't think he's a good leader. I do wish for divine mercy. I'm not interested in wearing judges robes.
Ha, I wrote that I'm OVER 70! You cannot judge trump's soul, because he lacks one. He's a cruel, evil person. Everything he does is the opposite of what Jesus preached.
Also remember what a very good person, former President Jimmy Carter, said: “I try not to commit a deliberate sin. I recognize that I’m going to do it anyhow, because I’m human and I’m tempted. And Christ set some almost impossible standards for us. Christ said, ‘I tell you that anyone who looks on a woman with lust has in his heart already committed adultery.’ I’ve looked on a lot of women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times. This is something that God recognizes I will do – and I have done it – and God forgives me for it. But that doesn’t mean that I condemn someone who not only looks on a woman with lust but who leaves his wife and shacks up with somebody out of wedlock.”
When I was in highschool we were supposed to read this but I just couldn't quite grasp the old world language used in the original text. This so perfectly explains exactly what I missed when I finally gave up on trying to read it... Thanks:)
What really strikes me about Dante's structure here is how he understood that pride isn't just the "worst" sin - it's the foundational one that makes all the others possible. Starting at the bottom with pride makes perfect sense because you can't truly overcome envy or wrath until you stop making everything about yourself first.
The progression from perverted love through deficient love to misdirected love is brilliant too. It's like Dante mapped out exactly how spiritual transformation actually works - you have to stop twisting love into selfishness before you can learn to care about anything at all, and only then can you redirect that care toward what's actually worth loving. The fact that love motivates Dante through the final wall of fire feels so right - it's not willpower or discipline that gets you through the hardest transformations, but falling in love with something higher than your current self.
What's fascinating is how Dante's mountain matches the ancient pattern of spiritual ascent - Moses going up Sinai, shedding his sandals and leaving people behind at each level until he encounters God alone.
These your writings teach without turning the smallest bit boring. In fact, one paragraph leads to the next in a continuous flow, from one capital sin to the next, upwards Purgatory mountain. I remember reading Alighieri, a couple of centuries ago, during history, to learn about the musicality and rhyme of the language he employed .
All these places of advice are really following a tedious template of: "grass is green, sun shines, the sky is blue and the water is wet". Not very sophisticated psychology.
I’m saving this blog for future reference!
Please do!
Very illuminating, as usual. Interesting that our "president" has committed all of the 7 Deadly Sins and violated the 10 Commandments, yet his followers consider him pretty darn close to a deity.
I alone, have sinned as far as I can tell. I know nothing of Trump, or any other man's guilt. But I have sinned against all the commandments in my heart since a youth. The 7 deadly have been my playground, as I look inside. I also notice the young in body and mind seek justice, while the old, tend to seek mercy.
I know a hell of a lot about tRump. He is guilty of so many terrible things. I am over 70 and I seek justice.
I see. I'm 40. I seek mercy. I might think him not fit to lead, but I judge no man's soul. Good for you, for being 70. I still say, I have violated all of the commandments in my heart since I can remember. I'll settle for mercy. I don't think he's a good leader. I do wish for divine mercy. I'm not interested in wearing judges robes.
Ha, I wrote that I'm OVER 70! You cannot judge trump's soul, because he lacks one. He's a cruel, evil person. Everything he does is the opposite of what Jesus preached.
Also remember what a very good person, former President Jimmy Carter, said: “I try not to commit a deliberate sin. I recognize that I’m going to do it anyhow, because I’m human and I’m tempted. And Christ set some almost impossible standards for us. Christ said, ‘I tell you that anyone who looks on a woman with lust has in his heart already committed adultery.’ I’ve looked on a lot of women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times. This is something that God recognizes I will do – and I have done it – and God forgives me for it. But that doesn’t mean that I condemn someone who not only looks on a woman with lust but who leaves his wife and shacks up with somebody out of wedlock.”
When I was in highschool we were supposed to read this but I just couldn't quite grasp the old world language used in the original text. This so perfectly explains exactly what I missed when I finally gave up on trying to read it... Thanks:)
In the Christian Church, the seven deadly sins are called the seven capital sins. Called capital because other sins stem from them.
What really strikes me about Dante's structure here is how he understood that pride isn't just the "worst" sin - it's the foundational one that makes all the others possible. Starting at the bottom with pride makes perfect sense because you can't truly overcome envy or wrath until you stop making everything about yourself first.
The progression from perverted love through deficient love to misdirected love is brilliant too. It's like Dante mapped out exactly how spiritual transformation actually works - you have to stop twisting love into selfishness before you can learn to care about anything at all, and only then can you redirect that care toward what's actually worth loving. The fact that love motivates Dante through the final wall of fire feels so right - it's not willpower or discipline that gets you through the hardest transformations, but falling in love with something higher than your current self.
What's fascinating is how Dante's mountain matches the ancient pattern of spiritual ascent - Moses going up Sinai, shedding his sandals and leaving people behind at each level until he encounters God alone.
These your writings teach without turning the smallest bit boring. In fact, one paragraph leads to the next in a continuous flow, from one capital sin to the next, upwards Purgatory mountain. I remember reading Alighieri, a couple of centuries ago, during history, to learn about the musicality and rhyme of the language he employed .
I read inferno a long time ago. This made me want to reread it and continue with the entire works of the Divine Comedy.
This is incredible thank you for writing this
All these places of advice are really following a tedious template of: "grass is green, sun shines, the sky is blue and the water is wet". Not very sophisticated psychology.
Perhaps that's why nobody goes to church?
A lesson on how to beat the 7 deadly sins. 😍 wonderful. 👏🏻
We are knee deep in them right now which is the source of our suffering.
I heard once that the material world is about suffering to learn to overcome this world. So choose your suffering.
Delay gratification. Work out. Fast. Give others what you desire(especially in marriage 😉).
Thank you for laying it out so nicely.
Profoundly soothing. Thank you.
Loved this. Thank you