These are *additional* mortal sins, but they in no way replace the seven deadly sins – which are themselves no more than mortal sins of particually significence.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article3517050.ece

Re: drugs, this article says, “Bishop Girotti said that mortal sins also included taking or dealing in drugs…”

I think the budget you are quoting is for the Vatican City, not for the Church. And let’s not pretend that the holdings of the Church in land, buildings, and other financial investments are not monstrously large.

The Church does a tremendous amount of good. And much of the continuance of Western Civilization can be credited to her name.

And I am not faulting the church for accumulating wealth. Nor am I suggesting that priests fulfill their vocation out of avarice. But let’s not pretend that the Roman Catholic Church as a whole is not one of the wealthiest institutions on the planet – and I’m not including art.

For the Church to say that the accumulation of obscene wealth is a mortal sin is indeed ironic. I’m sure they mean by individuals, not by God’s Church… which is what makes it funny.

As for “Drug trafficking and consumption”, please provide a link. The source I linked to just said “drug use”. Maybe it was lost in the interpretation. But in either case, including drug consumption as a mortal sin seems again to be missing the point.

These “mortal sins” seem more the declarations of an arrogant Pope than they do the carefully crafted result of a long process of introspection and the cumulation of the Church’s wisdom.

And taking such a cavalier attitude towards the faith of a billion people, such as randomly declaring polluting to be a mortal sin, does great disservice to all Catholics and to the greater body of Christians.

Or so I think.

1. A proud look
2. A lying tongue
3. Hands that shed innocent blood
4. An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations
5. Feet that be swift in running to mischief
6. A false witness that speaketh lies
7. He that soweth discord among brethren

In other words, your average anti-gay activist.

It seems that you forgot to put the part in about trafficking? Out of all the conservative churches, the Church seems to be the one of the few that has had the long held believe that God actually made you homosexual and you don’t have to change, you should just refrain from having pre-marital sex. (Somehow?)

I’m sure the Church will change its mind on homosexual unions as soon as they realize they can’t prevent it and they are losing members of the Chuch. Also, I’m sure in the new future a thealogian will post a nice paper concerning many of the ancient rites of the church that included queer individuals.

Also, as far as I know the Church is no where near obscenely wealthy. True, the church may have money but an article says the 2006 budget is as follows:

“The July 3 statement said the Vatican budget – technically the budget of the Holy See, including the offices of the Roman Curia and the nunciatures around the world – showed expenses of almost $307 million and income of just over $310 million.

The statement said 2,704 people, including 773 bishops and priests, 331 members of religious orders and 1,600 laypeople, are employed in the Holy See offices”

300 million dollars is a pitiful budget for an organization that serves over a billion people. It’s not like the Pope gets paid for his services. His family (or more likely his nearest relatives) may receive a small amount when he dies, but I’m sure CEOs of all but the smallest corperations would leave more assets.

I think you would be highly mistaken to believe that people go into the priesthood to be rich.

Most the objects in the vatican are priceless art and artifacts. It would be a major injustice for the pope to sell anything in all but the gravest of financial crisises. Not to remember that most things in the vatican are CENTURIES old. I think your statements are influenced by centuries of bashing that Catholics have recieved in America.

Proverbs 6:16-19 (The Holy Bible, King James Version)
“These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, 19A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.”

1. A proud look
2. A lying tongue
3. Hands that shed innocent blood
4. An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations
5. Feet that be swift in running to mischief
6. A false witness that speaketh lies
7. He that soweth discord among brethren