Character Traits: The Seven Deadly Sins

Greetings. I'm reposting to bring us all up to date on this weekly writer's post. I need the refresher as much as you do. I will cover all seven sins and your hero. Next Monday will also be a re-post, then after that it's all new. Hope it helps you in your writing.



It's May, welcome back to Character Traits. Sine we have been talking about Hero's and their character traits I thought it would be worthwhile to discuss the Seven Deadly Sins and your hero. Like it or not, these Catholic based "sins" are part of our society and serve to bring layers upon layers to a hero. We expect the villain to have major flaws, but I submit that it is the struggle to overcome our failures that make a hero who they are. If you are not familiar with the seven deadly sins I have posted the Wikipedia definition below. Starting next Monday I will cover our hero and each of the sins one at a time. I hope that you all will join in a discussion on these flaws and let me know what you think.
Nancy

Seven deadly sins
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Seven Deadly Sins, also known as the Capital Vices or Cardinal Sins, is a classification of objectionable vices (part of Christian ethics) that have been used since early Christian times to educate and instruct Christians concerning fallen humanity's tendency to sin. The currently recognized version of the sins are usually given as wrath, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy, and gluttony.

The Catholic Church divides sin into two categories: venial sins, in which guilt is relatively minor, and the more severe mortal sins. Theologically, a mortal sin is believed to destroy the life of grace within the person and thus creates the threat of eternal damnation. "Mortal sin, by attacking the vital principle within us - that is, charity - necessitates a new initiative of God's mercy and a conversion of heart which is normally accomplished [for Catholics] within the setting of the sacrament of reconciliation."[1]

Biblical lists

In the Book of Proverbs (Mishlai), King Solomon stated that the Lord specifically regards "six things the Lord hateth, and the seventh His soul detesteth." namely:[4]

A proud look.
A lying tongue.
Hands that shed innocent blood.
A heart that devises wicked plots.
Feet that are swift to run into mischief.
A deceitful witness that uttereth lies.
Him that soweth discord among brethren.

While there are seven of them, this list is considerably different from the traditional one, with only pride clearly being in both lists.

Another list, given this time by the Epistle to the Galatians (Galatians 5:19-21), includes more of the traditional seven sins, although the list is substantially longer: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, "and such like".[5] Since Saint Paul goes on to say that the persons who commit these sins "shall not inherit the Kingdom of God", they are usually listed as (possible) mortal sins rather than Capital Vices.

So, this is the run down. Next Monday we will start with number 1, and ask the question, does my hero/heroine have this fault and if so how do they respond to it? I hope you will join me. Nancy

Update: We are moving today to a bug free, mold free and clean apartment. Plus I'm saving over $200.00, a much needed amount to help with all the expenses. I won't be around much and all post planned for this week will be delayed. However, I am sure that when I return I will be able to do a lot more blogging and visiting and writing. Yea!

We moved, I'm better! Do you need critique help? Check out my  blog schedule in the pages above to see what I'm doing.

Nancy