Don’t let temptations escalate.
Believe it or not, temptation obeys the laws of supply and demand.
We pray: “Lead us not into temptation”, yet we love to be tempted.
The forbidden fruit tastes sweetest.
How contrary, how fallen.
If temptation did not exist, then neither would several industries, including illegal drugs and pornography.
Laziness, anger, pride, gluttony, envy, lust and greed are the seven deadly sins. They are deadly because these attitudes and behaviours trap you in your bodily-ness and separate you from your spiritual-ness. They remain perpetually popular.
Modern western society indulges them all. Modern eastern society isn’t far behind.
The Saints know the answer to this. Adopt a lifestyle that reduces contact with these temptations, i.e. reduce the demand, and the supply will dry up. It really is that simple.
Acetic acid (vinegar) preserves stuff by discouraging the growth of pathogens.
Ascetic life preserves souls by discouraging the growth of temptations.
Be warned though: Asceticism without the Love of God will just make you into a martinet. Also, without God’s Love, trying to fight temptation all by yourself, alone, will be like fighting fire with petrol.
You need to be in God’s Love first. I’ll talk about that another day, God willing.
A simple life is most conducive to being close to God, but don’t fall at the first fence and become lazy!
Catholicism Pure & Simple 
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“Laziness, anger, pride, gluttony, envy, lust and greed are the seven deadly sins..(…)…Modern western society indulges them all. Modern eastern society isn’t far behind.”
Certainly, Modern Weatern Society does indeed indulge, Burrissimo – at inordinate length at times, it seems..
But then, so did people 60 years ago, when Toad was even greener than he is today.
What’s more, so did Ancient Biblical Society. That’s what make the Good Book such a fun read, and the best-seller of all time, isn’t it?
Until Harry Potter, anyway.
I’m sure you don’t want to give us the utterly erroneous impression that the Seven Deadly Sins are exclusively modern. Do you, Burro?
Because you seem to be very slightly hinting at it.
Or, is it that you think things are worsening?.
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Several felicitous aphorisms and other turns of phrase in that post, Bro.
Sadly, I’ve been afflicted with all deadly sins at various times in my life…except the one beginning with the letter L, of course.
I believe Toad is right in saying that things have been ever thus, but some types of sin are more prevalent today than in the past, and vice versa. To paraphrase Joseph de Maistre, every generation gets the sins it deserves.
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“…every generation gets the sins it deserves.</i<
What a very interesting thought, JH.
Which sins in particular is this generation getting – and deserving?
It’s certainly true that Toad, for one, at 71 – is beset with an entirely different set of sins than he was 50 years ago.
Thank God.
He need not elaborate..
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“We pray: “Lead us not into temptation”, yet we love to be tempted.”
Well Burrito, I’m not sure that we do love to be tempted, but if temptation were not appealing or attractive, it would no longer be temptation….. if you see what I mean.
Adopting a lifestyle that reduces contact with temptation is certainly a good idea, knowing how weak-willed we often are. I believe this is called “avoiding the occasions of sin”, as we say in the Act of Contrition.
Amusing sketch above by the way. 🙂
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“Adopting a lifestyle that reduces contact with temptation is certainly a good idea,”
Toad has always found this to be the case. Let us hope the U.N. will emphasise that fact when trying to prevent the global spread of AIDS this week on Saturday, World Anti-Aids Day.
Toad is prepared to concede that God is not responsible for AIDS. But who then, is? Is it an accident?
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John Henry says:
“Sadly, I’ve been afflicted with all deadly sins at various times in my life…except the one beginning with the letter L, of course.”
Eh, I think there are two deadly sins that begin with the letter ‘L’ John Henry, ‘laziness’ and ‘lust’. I wonder which one you are referring to? 😉
Toad,
Everyone knows what started off the terrible AIDS virus in humans, and that is why there were so many who have seen it as ‘a punishment’ and a direct result of men’s sin. Do you really not know what it was? Google it and you will find out.
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I refuse to answer that question on the grounds that anything I say may incriminate me, one way or the other 🙄
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johnhenry,
There is an eighth deadly sin: Lawyerliness.
You’re sunk chum.
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kathleen,
deadly viruses surround us as part of the natural surroundings.
What makes them problematical is human misbehaviour patterns, namely promiscuousness.
Why is this so hard for people to understand?
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The AIDS virus arrived via evolution.
Why don’t the evolutionists confess to this fact?
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Did your time at a tabloid newspaper colour your attitude to immorality?
Just arsking.
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But for lust we could be friends,
On each other’s necks could weep;
In each other’s arms could sleep
In the calm the cradle lends:
Even in this night I know
By the awful living dread,
By this craving tear I shed,
Somewhere, somewhere, it is so.
On topic? Assuredly! Two stanzas from a poem by Ruth Pitter (1897-1992). I get about a book a week delivered, and yesterday’s was The Faber Book of 20th Century Verse (ed. John Heath-Stubbs & David Wright, 3rd Edition, 1975), and this poem appears on p. 239.
On topic, yes; but I have to laugh – and the reason I laugh is because the copy I received is an ex-library copy from the “Hatch End High School Library – London Borough of Harrow – School Library Service (anyone here ever head of it or attended it?), and the fly leaf has a warning by the librarian:
Please lend with caution to a sensible student only.”
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Interesting to learn from Bussissimo and Kathleen that leprosy and malaria are the result of promiscous sex, and thus God’s punishment on us for eating bacon sandwiches on Fridays.
And yes, naturally Burro. along with my time a a Catholic school, an Art school, some time in advertising, Hello! magazine, 16 years in the States and recently retirement – all add up to colour my “attitude to immorality.”
My whole life, in fact, colours it.
And so does yours, if you think about it.
And yes again, everything in the world arrived via evolution. Even God. Evolutionists will happily tell you that. Particularly God, Suspects Toad.
(..Who will probably be out of computer range for a few days. Cries of “Thank God!”)
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“Did your time at a tabloid newspaper colour your attitude to immorality? Just arsking”
Well, Toad’s just answerin’, Bro.
Are you suggesting – or even obliquely implying – that your own time as a doctor, and your Catholic beliefs, do not colour your atttitude to immorality?
For, if so, “Fie!” says Toad.
They certainly should!
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Toad,
I haven’t a clue how leprosy appeared, and malaria, I believe, came from a certain type of mosquito. I only mentioned how AIDS was started…. and if you reread my comment you’ll see I did not say that it was rumoured to be a punishment from God!! I only insinuated that it came about in the beginning as a result of Man’s own messing around with nature. And then was spread through contact with body fluids, namely blood. (You haven’t bothered to look it up to see where it came from, so I’ll give you a clue – ‘chimps’!)
Many innocent people have died, or are currently suffering, from AIDS. It’s a terrible tragedy, and not something to be joked about.
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