Do Men and Women SIN Differently?
By Marianne Beach GALTime staff
It probably doesn't come as a great surprise to learn that men and women, as a rule, sin differently. At least according to anecdotal data gathered in the confession booth by Monseigneur Wojciech Giertych, personal theologian to Pope Benedict XVI. (Who knew priests were keeping track?!?) He found men's biggest shortcomings when it comes to the infamous seven deadly goes a little something like this:
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While we women, on the other hand, have pride on the top of our list.
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Related: Seven Deadly Sins State-by-State
That's a problem for the Monseigneur, who states that Pride is the worst of the worst when it comes to sinning, as it makes people believe they don't need God. Lust? Not as big a deal -- as it can be "accompanied by a strong sense of humiliation and, as such, can be an occasion to return to God." To sum up, the Monseigneur categorizes men's sins as "difficult" and women's as "dangerous."
Full disclosure - I'm not Catholic. So instead of getting into a theological debate here, let's look at the lists from a secular point of view. It's not surprising, really, that lust tops the men's list--one only has to look at recent headlines of Tiger Woods and Jesse James--along with a caucus full of politicians caught in the act to see it firsthand. And gluttony? Well, it's no secret our nation's weight problem is skyrocketing out of control. And as for slothfulness--hmm...when WAS the last time my husband took out the trash?
Related: Teacher Fired for Premarital Sex. Justified or Too Far?
Turning to women's biggest sins--it's a bit harder to discuss pride as a secular sin. After all, women have come a long way in the last decades--why shouldn't they be proud of their accomplishments? I guess the key here is to remember it takes a village and regularly recognize those who helped you along the way. In other words--it's not all about you, darling.
Now number two - envy - a biggie, especially with the rise of social media. Women see their friends and family and neighbors living it up, boasting of their adventures and accomplishments online. And sure enough, that ugly green-headed monster starts rearing its head at the worst time, sabotaging your productivity--and yes, maybe even your pride. I gotta admit, this one hits me more than I'd like to admit.
What about you? What's your biggest weakness when it comes to the seven deadly sins? Do you believe men and women sin differently?
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