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Darling I don't know why I go to extremes
Jul. 25th, 2008 05:50 amWell I kind of do know why I go to extremes because Moosey explained how both our parents do and we (him, me, Brian, Laura) get it from them.
In an effort to get rid of my pride (5 year long struggle, sort of closing on its most ferocious war though it'll never fully be over) I attempted to remember the other 6 of the 7 Deadly sins and strive not to replace one with another. This led to the remembrance that the direct opposite of the 7 Deadly Sins is not actually a virtue but another extreme end, the virtues are the GOOD moral "middle" to which one must strive.
7 Sins -- 7 Corresponding Virtues
Pride -- Humility
Lust -- Chastity
Gluttony -- Temperance
Greed -- Charity
Sloth -- Diligence
Wrath -- Patience
Envy -- Kindness
For instance the opposite of sloth would kind of be workaholicism but this is NOT in fact good. It's bad, it's unhealthy for me AND those I love and those around me. It has negative effects. The key is to be able to do one's best without overdoing it. To work well at one's job so that the quality is good but not overwork to such an extent that all other aspects of one's life must suffer. Budgeting one's time and not being lazy but not collapsing at the workplace like a dead horse either.
And it's easy to assume the opposite of gluttony is just fasting and no food but obviously this is bad because food IS a required to live, scary (in my case) or not. The key is to eat healthy. Eat in moderation, not excess (no storing up for winter like a chipmunk) and not too little. And yet still manage veggies, sugar, whatever is needed and/or helps. Or in my case, carefully making sure to do it right and a) not let pride get in the way and b) not get sick.
There is a long standing theory that for many people each 7 deadly sins is based on one that sparks the others. Example: Pride of Lust, Pride of Gluttony, Pride of Greed, Pride of Sloth, Pride of Wrath, Pride of Envy. Someone being proud that they were sexually appealing, proud of their appetite, proud of their greedy ambitions, proud that they didn't have to work as hard (ie: making someone else do it), proud of their "righteous anger", and even proud of their desire to have things "everyone else has."
In my case my pride exacerbates the virtues so that they are NOT the virtues themselves but something else. Instead of diligence, workaholicism, thanks to the pride that I'm not lazy. And for awhile instead of proud of my appetite: proud of my resistance to appetite but rather than healthy eating this led to being too proud to even acknowledge my allergies for years. I have gotten better about it (having worked on decimating my pride as far as possible) but I've got leagues to go.
It reminds though of the theory that each 7 sin has a corresponding devil.
Pride - Lucifer
Greed - Mammon
Lust - Asmodeus
Envy - Leviathan
Wrath - Satan
Sloth - Belphegor
Beelzebub - Gluttony
It reminds me kind of my muse. I finally worked out how my muse is of course, the muse of all epics and what that really MEANS (long, heroic, lyrical/music but always tells a story with the works: plot/theme/setting/characters etc.) so it's like randomly got me thinking now would Lucifer be trying to bring me down to his level so to speak? It's intriguing.
In that case, I have Raphael on my side -- the arch-angel of healing. But this is just for my own musings (I think) just like my muse etc. so those of you who are completely atheistic and think I'm insane, look it as a method of psychology for myself, it's all attempts to understand and better myself in ways that will help me achieve truer happiness ;)
But as for the opposite of Lucifer, assuming he's the devil of pride and the morning star (weeeeee legends that have little to no bearing on religion) the most "humble" religious-ish reference I can think of would be Jesus. So I'm not sure how helpful that is. haha. Maybe a Saint.
But I do think Raphael is on my side. Because I'm getting better, I asked it to be that way, and I say so. Plus I like it. It's comforting. And for some reason I link my removal of pride with the regaining of my health. The more I come to acknowledge and defeat the evil aspects of myself, I not only get happier and more fulfilled and at peace but I have been getting healthier. Maybe it's coincidence or psychological but the link remains in my head nonetheless.
While I respect St. Anthony's thoughts and foreground in carving out the path I'm now taking I DO think he missed some of the ball. TOO much humility for example doesn't lead just to humbling oneself before God and acknowledging the limitations of oneself etc. but also leads to crippling low self-esteem that can even prevent a person from being able to remember God DID make them and they are NOT worthless for every single person is capable of helping and saving someone else. Joseph (Technicolor Dreamcoat) didn't spend all his time in the dirt wallowing in the self doubt that he is nothing before God but instead said, "my skills are nothing but a gift from God but I'll do my best to help you", etc.
While obedience to an extent is ALSO a virtue, blind obedience is certainly NEVER something God could possibly wish to seek. One clear obvious point to this is that if he did free will wouldn't exist. Many orders are evil where we will not SEE it at first and frequently in the bible it says to be wary of "orders" that SEEM to come from God because sometimes it's bad forces, or really just ALL in our heads. And in my particular instance, obedience is a form of pride for me. If someone gives me an order, I WANT to obey and would take pride in doing so and shame in NOT doing so. But sometimes for my health or for others or for the "greater good" it is better to suffer the shame and acknowledge such a request is not possible for me to do without severely negative consequences.
Balance will always be key for life IS a balancing act.
In an effort to get rid of my pride (5 year long struggle, sort of closing on its most ferocious war though it'll never fully be over) I attempted to remember the other 6 of the 7 Deadly sins and strive not to replace one with another. This led to the remembrance that the direct opposite of the 7 Deadly Sins is not actually a virtue but another extreme end, the virtues are the GOOD moral "middle" to which one must strive.
7 Sins -- 7 Corresponding Virtues
Pride -- Humility
Lust -- Chastity
Gluttony -- Temperance
Greed -- Charity
Sloth -- Diligence
Wrath -- Patience
Envy -- Kindness
For instance the opposite of sloth would kind of be workaholicism but this is NOT in fact good. It's bad, it's unhealthy for me AND those I love and those around me. It has negative effects. The key is to be able to do one's best without overdoing it. To work well at one's job so that the quality is good but not overwork to such an extent that all other aspects of one's life must suffer. Budgeting one's time and not being lazy but not collapsing at the workplace like a dead horse either.
And it's easy to assume the opposite of gluttony is just fasting and no food but obviously this is bad because food IS a required to live, scary (in my case) or not. The key is to eat healthy. Eat in moderation, not excess (no storing up for winter like a chipmunk) and not too little. And yet still manage veggies, sugar, whatever is needed and/or helps. Or in my case, carefully making sure to do it right and a) not let pride get in the way and b) not get sick.
There is a long standing theory that for many people each 7 deadly sins is based on one that sparks the others. Example: Pride of Lust, Pride of Gluttony, Pride of Greed, Pride of Sloth, Pride of Wrath, Pride of Envy. Someone being proud that they were sexually appealing, proud of their appetite, proud of their greedy ambitions, proud that they didn't have to work as hard (ie: making someone else do it), proud of their "righteous anger", and even proud of their desire to have things "everyone else has."
In my case my pride exacerbates the virtues so that they are NOT the virtues themselves but something else. Instead of diligence, workaholicism, thanks to the pride that I'm not lazy. And for awhile instead of proud of my appetite: proud of my resistance to appetite but rather than healthy eating this led to being too proud to even acknowledge my allergies for years. I have gotten better about it (having worked on decimating my pride as far as possible) but I've got leagues to go.
It reminds though of the theory that each 7 sin has a corresponding devil.
Pride - Lucifer
Greed - Mammon
Lust - Asmodeus
Envy - Leviathan
Wrath - Satan
Sloth - Belphegor
Beelzebub - Gluttony
It reminds me kind of my muse. I finally worked out how my muse is of course, the muse of all epics and what that really MEANS (long, heroic, lyrical/music but always tells a story with the works: plot/theme/setting/characters etc.) so it's like randomly got me thinking now would Lucifer be trying to bring me down to his level so to speak? It's intriguing.
In that case, I have Raphael on my side -- the arch-angel of healing. But this is just for my own musings (I think) just like my muse etc. so those of you who are completely atheistic and think I'm insane, look it as a method of psychology for myself, it's all attempts to understand and better myself in ways that will help me achieve truer happiness ;)
But as for the opposite of Lucifer, assuming he's the devil of pride and the morning star (weeeeee legends that have little to no bearing on religion) the most "humble" religious-ish reference I can think of would be Jesus. So I'm not sure how helpful that is. haha. Maybe a Saint.
But I do think Raphael is on my side. Because I'm getting better, I asked it to be that way, and I say so. Plus I like it. It's comforting. And for some reason I link my removal of pride with the regaining of my health. The more I come to acknowledge and defeat the evil aspects of myself, I not only get happier and more fulfilled and at peace but I have been getting healthier. Maybe it's coincidence or psychological but the link remains in my head nonetheless.
While I respect St. Anthony's thoughts and foreground in carving out the path I'm now taking I DO think he missed some of the ball. TOO much humility for example doesn't lead just to humbling oneself before God and acknowledging the limitations of oneself etc. but also leads to crippling low self-esteem that can even prevent a person from being able to remember God DID make them and they are NOT worthless for every single person is capable of helping and saving someone else. Joseph (Technicolor Dreamcoat) didn't spend all his time in the dirt wallowing in the self doubt that he is nothing before God but instead said, "my skills are nothing but a gift from God but I'll do my best to help you", etc.
While obedience to an extent is ALSO a virtue, blind obedience is certainly NEVER something God could possibly wish to seek. One clear obvious point to this is that if he did free will wouldn't exist. Many orders are evil where we will not SEE it at first and frequently in the bible it says to be wary of "orders" that SEEM to come from God because sometimes it's bad forces, or really just ALL in our heads. And in my particular instance, obedience is a form of pride for me. If someone gives me an order, I WANT to obey and would take pride in doing so and shame in NOT doing so. But sometimes for my health or for others or for the "greater good" it is better to suffer the shame and acknowledge such a request is not possible for me to do without severely negative consequences.
Balance will always be key for life IS a balancing act.
