Seven Deadly Sins

I went for three interviews in two days. Somehow I am getting disillusioned with the whole thing. Besides, once I have gone in-house, I feel very disinclined to work in a mere law firm anymore as it is like a step down.

I went for the interview today and I was told in my face that they feel I am too "nice" and "demure" for the job. I never know those qualities are bad (not that I am that nice or demure anyway.) The culture of that firm is very aggressive, so they need someone who can function on gear five, so they think I may be frightened away. How would they know anyway? Have they seen me when I am aggressive?

I was remembering the movie "Seven" which featured the seven deadly sins of mankind. I always thought these sins were the greatest sins as set out by Christianity, but through the years, it became more questionable who really laid down these sins as "deadly".

But why are they "deadly"? As a normal imperfect human, I believe each and everyone of us have committed at least one, and some probably even all, of these "deadly" sins. Does it mean we will all be condmened to Hell then? Of course it is not possible we go to Heaven since we are supposedly sinners, but do we go straight to Hell? Then what about Purgatory?

The seven sins are : Lust, Pride, Envy, Greed, Anger, Sloth and Gluttony. Each of us probably have committed a few of them. I know I have probably committed all except for Lust. (Do dreams of and ogling at topless hunky guys constitute "lust"? If so, then I have committed all. :-p) But which human does not feel anger or pride or envy or greed or sloth or gluttony or lust at times? It is just human's nature to feel any of the above.

But where do you draw the line? More and more people in modern times are getting more and more lustful, and can sleep together without even knowing each other. Some Christian friends I know do that too, yet it is so ironical as they are the ones preaching on living a good Christian life. How hypocritical!

What is lust? Sleeping with multiple partners at a time, at different times, or simply just fooling around with no strings attached? Does lust mean drooling at or fantasising about someone of the opposite gender even when one is already in a relationship? What about someone of the same gender? Does inclining towards homosexuality makes someone lustful as well?

What is pride? Being boastful? Or being proud of who you are and what you have achieved? Or is it more of being egotistical and thinks the world of oneself? If pride is a sin, does it mean we have to always put ourselves down so as not to take credit or be proud of what we do? Or is it only a sin if one gets too proud until he / she is blinded to everything else except for him / herself?

What is envy? You admire someone who has something better and yearns to be better than that person. Which of us is not guilty of that in some parts of our lives? Being humans, nothing is enough, we always hope for something better. Is it wrong to yearn for better things? Is it wrong to have some sort of competition to see who can outdo each other? I know I envy people with such nice and warm parents, or people who have loving mates and families, or people who are allowed to pursue their own dreams. Is it wrong to have a secret desire to be just like the person you envy?

What about anger? How many of us have not been angry at some points in our lives? I get angry whenever someone accuses me of something I have not done, or says something about my family or friends, or generally treating me as a fool. Are we supposed to swallow all insults and injustice and take it all upon our shoulders and not cry out in frustration at all? I know the Bible says to be compassionate and turn the other cheek, but are we supposed to just keep our cool even with the most blatant insults and totally ignore?

And what about greed? Greed does not mean just being greedy in food (that is Gluttony), but by desiring more money and material possessions. Who is not greedy in this respect? I believe almost everyone likes more cash and material possessions. Is that really wrong to want or desire more? I also wish I can have more money, or more friends, or more people to care about the environment, or more animal rights.

And gluttony? Most of my friends love to eat and enjoy good food, including me. Does it mean we are sinning by eating so much? All humans eat to survive, is it wrong to indulge once in a while on good food and big feasts? Do we all have to eat plain simple dishes and nothing else everyday?

What about sloth? How many of us would prefer being hardworking than being lazy? I am definitely a lazier person than a hardworking one. If given a choice, I rather be so laid-back and not get involve in such a fast-paced of life in society. I know a lot of my relatives and friends are like that too. Most people do things only because they need to, not because they want to, unless it is something they really like to do. Unfortunately, most of the things people want to do is not work but leisure.

So I am guilty of six of the seven (or perhaps all the seven) deadly sins. I will be condemend to Hell at the end of my life. Even though I do not smoke, take drugs, steal, sleep around, kill, murder, lie, cheat or covet, I still will go to Hell based on living such a sinful life. Do I still have to change for the better? Not eat so much, not flare up so much, try to be more hardworking, not desire to be better? Hmmm.... perhaps I can try, then next time people will see me living in a convent wearing the habit of a nun.