Sin | New and Improved!

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia there exists a panoply of sin. First, of course, there is original sin, which you inherit from Adam and Eve. Bad baby, bad!

Then there are sins of commission and omission, with the excuses "I didn't do it," and "I didn't do anything," respectively.

Sins are also divided in terms of malice: sins of ignorance, passion or infirmity, and malice, and then again according to sins of thought, word, or deed.

Finally, sins are categorized according to their gravity, and until now these were mortal and venial sins. One or both of these leave a stain on the soul that needs to be removed by penance. (Sorry, my eyes are starting to glaze over, sorting out this stuff.)

The seven deadly sin, or capital vices, according to Saint Thomas, are those that incite desire and provide a pleasurable, though limited, result. These are greed, lust, envy, gluttony, anger, sloth, and vanity.

As if this were not all confusing enough, the Pope has come up with one more category of sin - Ultimate Sin, a platinum line, if you will.

Betcha can't guess the first one. Yep!

1. Abortion
   


2. Using the Eucharistic host in Satanic rites
   


3. Clergy pedophile offences
   


4. Violation of the confessional
   


5. Offences against the person of the Pope

These sins are SO deadly that they'll "require forgiveness from the Pope himself."

Call me paranoid, but it looks like, rather than a new category of sin, the Vatican has set up a situation where they can compile lists of people for their own benefit - whatever that might be.