Along with the "seven deadly sins", how important are they to Christians (or whichever other religion follows them).



Do you think of them as informal guidelines? Or strict rules that must be followed at all costs?

If so, what happens if you break one, even once? No Heaven? A slap on the wrist? Do you have to confess or else face an eternity in Hell?

Personally...I don't worry about them. I live to live. I'm too far gone anyways I'd just like your thoughts on the matter.

PS. Sorry if there is already a thread on this

I don't normally think about the seven sins that much. It is a categorization of the roots of 'human weaknesses' as defined by theologians, whose foundation of belief lies in the 10 commandments and the bible, naturally. As for the degree of the sinning act, it can affect your salvation (catholics believe in faith based action, and that faith alone but contradictory/lack of action is hypocritical). Like anger is one of the seven, but if it is conducted to a degree of 'grave sin' like murder, you have stained your state of existence to 'one that hate so much and even lead to destroy other's life', a state of spiritual reality that defines you and will stay with you forever (aka hell).

Speaking of condition of God's forgiveness, the critical criteria is true repentence, which only the one asking for forgiveness will know if it is there. And you can never 'outsin' God's merciness and think that you have gone too far, for who believe in Christ as God's manifestation of forgivenss will believe that the single act of crucifixion has done away all the sins, including those that you will commit in the future, and these of future generation, if repentence follows. Of course, counting on God's unlimited forgivenss and think that 'let's keep on doing it till later' is not very wise, since repentence can be a very difficult task, especially if it is done with full knowledge of act and consequence, and one is at his/her own risk.

Confession as catholic christians believe is one of the institution set up by Christ along with communion, matrimony, etc. I can tell you that it is not an easy thing to do for me. I am not going to say (and not believe) that those who are not christians or christians of churches without cofession will be refused the ultimate life. I believe that God will forgive the real contrite sinner, but, going to a confession gives me a 'strange' sensation, if prepared properly. I can say that I am kind of independant psychologically and couldn't care less what others think about me, but after some confession sessions I can immediately feel something inside me that can be compared to the smell of oil and I feel lighter, and the blood is cleaner, and then I am at another starting point. I don't know if it makes much sense to you, just trying to share some feelings and experience .

That's what I was after...peoples thoughts on the issue

well, i think the seven deadly sins are just a more general set of rules than the ten commandments. but i believe if you have faith in Jesus Christ, then you get into heaven... you get punished for your sins on earth. anywho i follow both sets of rules as best as i can but being a 15 year old guy in highschool, the lust thing is kinda hard, especially since the accepted clothing is getting more and more revealing....(for girls, of course)

Keep it up

im not christian, but i still think most of the ten commandments are a good guide to follow to live a moral life. though some of it is complete poo, such as worshiping idols. but thats just me, im sure that some christians/jews/muslims (i think it is the followers of these religions that revere the commandments) would have a different opinion

The only problem with the 10 commandments is that over half of them pertain to worshipping the Jewish/Xian God and the rest are common sense to keep a society going. So common that very few cultures, prior to or after the Jews, did not have similar laws!

Well, the law has been based on the 10 commandments. People don't always adhere to them. When they don't they go to prison. Hell is also a prison.

To top that off, there were actually 613 commandments, but only 10 were of grievious sin.

613 commandments! Isn't it just easyer to say "Harm Ye None"

Or just listen to that little voice in your head...whats his name? Common something...

Many of these 613 Commandments can be found in Leviticus. But Christians only *chose* to follow 10.

If you're a christian, the 10 commanments all are good. For anyone, respecting your parents, not killing, robbing or rapeing anyone is a good start. From commandments in the bible, the most important to me, and the one I think covers everything is the one that tells you to treat others as you want to be treated (love others as you love yourself). It works fine in any cultur or religion, specially if combined with that thing.. what was it again.. yeah, common sense.

edit: about leviticus, I think that making some choices is good.