Apologies for Cross-Postings
*Recycle or go to Hell, warns Vatican*
By Malcolm Moore in Rome
Last Updated: 12:01am GMT March 10, 2008
Failing to recycle plastic bags could find you spending eternity in Hell,
the
Vatican said after drawing up a list of seven deadly sins for our
times.
The seven, which include polluting the environment, were announced by
Monsignor
Gianfranco Girotti, a close ally of the Pope and the head of the
Apostolic
Penitentiary, one of the Roman Curia's main court.
The "sins of yesteryear" - sloth, envy, gluttony, greed, lust,
wrath and pride -
have a "rather individualistic dimension", he told the
Osservatore Romano, the
official Vatican newspaper.
The new seven deadly, or mortal, sins are designed to make worshippers
realise
that their vices have an effect on others as well.
"The sins of today have a social resonance as well as an individual
one," said
Mgr Girotti. "In effect, it is more important than ever to pay
attention to your
sins."
According to Roman Catholic doctrine, mortal sins are a "grave
violation of
God's law" and bring about "eternal death" if unrepented
by the act of
confession.
They are far more serious than venial sins, which impede a soul's
progress in
the exercise of virtue and moral good.
Mgr Girotti said genetic modification, carrying out experiments on
humans,
polluting the environment, causing social injustice, causing poverty,
becoming
obscenely wealthy and taking drugs were all mortal sins.
Gary Liss
916-652-7850
Fax: 916-652-0485
www.garyliss.com
|