The Vatican this week released a “new” list of seven social sins to augment the original seven cardinal vices better known as the seven deadly sins. The new list is as follows:

1. “Bioethical” violations such as birth control
2. “Morally dubious” experiments such as stem cell research
3. Drug abuse
4. Polluting the environment
5. Contributing to widening divide between rich and poor
6. Excessive wealth
7. Creating poverty

The original seven deadly sins:

1. Pride
2. Envy
3. Gluttony
4. Lust
5. Anger
6. Greed
7. Sloth

The first two new sins might as well be the same. I’m still trying to figure out what the deal is with the catholic church being ok with not advocating birth control (24 million cases of AIDS and 2 million deaths in 2005 due to AIDS in Africa is A-OK with the Pope, just as long as they’re not using condoms). The last three new sins could also be the same. Granted, contributing to poverty, possessing great wealth, and creating more poverty are morally reprehensible, but could easily be grouped under - oh, let’s say - “Fiscal Immorality.”

I think the Vatican would be better served looking outside their own ranks for more universally accepted truths rather than trying to update their narrow views to “jive” with todays youth (geez, how old do I sound there??) or current technologies. In other words:

What has been is what will be,
and what has been done is what will be done;
there is nothing new under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 1:9

If this is true, then we’ve already gotten ourselves figured out, and all we have to do is listen to the voices of the past and allow that to point our way. For instance, the Vatican should really have just gone with the original Seven Social Sins as written by Mahatma Gandhi around 1925:

1. Politics without principles
2. Wealth without work
3. Pleasure without conscience
4. Knowledge without character
5. Commerce without morality
6. Science without humanity
7. Worship without sacrifice

From “Young India”, 1925, Mahatma Gandhi

Notice numbers 2 and 6. Huh, way back around the turn of the century people were worried about science/wealth and morality too. All-in-all, this list is more eloquent, more thoughtful and better articulated. These seem to be better oriented towards modern lifestyles and concerns. They even feel more universal and timeless - like they’ll even withstand the test of time - go figure. Sounds like Vatican scholars really need to do a better job of researching their subject matter.

Links:

News item on Bloomburg
via BoingBoing
The complete works of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (see Volume 33 page 135 for his list)
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