“For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet sin in one point, he is guilty of all.”
– James 2:10
For centuries, mankind has been obsessed with the idea of “sin.” Different cultures and religions have sought to define “sin” for their members, and several theories have been advanced regarding what constitutes a “sin.” But, when it comes to Western civilization (which is heavily influenced by Christianity), seven “sins” have risen above the rest to be identified as the “Seven Deadly Sins”. Now, this list of “sins” appears nowhere in the Old or New Testaments, but…
Such things have never stopped folks from claiming they were the inerrant word of God, so why should they now? So, while the “Seven Deadly Sins” are not really expressly condemned anywhere in the Bible, the Roman Catholic Church has propagated them as if they were the Gospel and argued that the avoidance of them is the foundation of the moral life. I can’t disagree. Neither could Dante, who wrote them into his classic Divine Comedy. No. Not Dante Culpepper.
Anyways, the Seven Deadly Sins are as follows:
- Pride
- Envy
- Wrath
- Sloth
- Greed
- Gluttony
- Lust
I know what you are thinking: “he’s seen too many Fincher films and has completely forgot he is supposedly a soccer blogger.” Well, you’re right. I have been watching too much Fincher. He’s a damn good director, and his breakthrough film Se7en is a modern masterpiece. But, I also think the Seven Deadly Sins can teach us a good bit about soccer. In fact, I think if the US MNT can avoid the Seven Deadly Sins, they could shock their enemies @ the 2010 World Cup.
In fact, I think if Bob Bradley can keep his boys “clean”, their spiritual progress could lead to success in South Africa. What the hell am I talking about? Well, over the next two weeks, I will explain. I will highlight each of the Seven Deadly Sins, and I will elaborate as to why our Nats can hoist the Jules Rimet Trophy by avoiding them. Of course, none of us can completely avoid sin, so I will not naively state that the US MNT can prepare perfectly for 2010, but…
One cannot deny that he who avoids the Seven Deadly Sins leads a better life than he who tends to engage in sinful acts, which lead to eternal damnation (at least according to some). Regardless of your religious background (or lack thereof), you likely cannot deny that exhibiting the 7 personality traits above is not a good thing. In fact, I believe that most folks understand these sins to be dangerous to their spiritual and physical well-being. As for soccer..
If the US can remain virtuous, it can win in 2010, but it must exemplify the virtues that counter these sins. Over the next couple of weeks, I will tell you what those virtues are and explain who on the MNT needs to embody them. As with any group of guys, we have many sinners and few saints. And, contrary to Billy Joel’s opinions otherwise, ’tis far better to cry with the saints than laugh with the sinners. Sure, the sinners are much more fun. But, one must admit…
Only Billy Joel fans die young. Wow, that made no sense. In fact, this whole series could be insane. Luckily, insanity is not one of the Seven Deadly Sins, so I am going to be just fine. In fact, I feel like I can rise above the myriad of sins we have addressed and prepare unto you a fine series about the US MNT and how they can succeed in South Africa. Will my posts be preachy at times? Probably. After all, ’tis far easier to preach than it is to practice. Ask Allen Iverson.
So, come back to STO over the next couple weeks to learn about the Seven Deadly Sins and how Bradley’s bunch can avoid being ensnared by them come 2010. To miss this series would be as big a sin as anything on the list above. After all, I will be showing you how these specific sins war against our souls. I will also explain how we can overcome them, not through devotion to any particular deity, but simply through self-discipline. Seriously, what do you have to lose?
Well, other than your soul, of course.
I don’t have to worry about that though. I already sold mine for a vintage TB Mutiny jersey.
I am trying to model my look after Valderrama, who like the girl at the top of this post, is undeniably one sexy devil.
