Seven Deadly Sins:

Do you indulge, or are you obsessed?

Pagans indulge, rather than abstain. This approach to life has given us a freedom from obsessions or compulsions that is often found in more restrictive cults.

Greed, is the desire for more than one already has. A study of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs will reveal that, regardless of what we already have, we still want to be all that we may become. This is covered in his “Aesthetics Needs” where a person, in spite of all that has been fulfilled, still wants to reach for the stars.

Envy is the desire to have something your neighbor already has. If your neighbor did not have enough envy to buy that hot red convertible BMW, you might never have known what one was, and not wanted one. However, he did, and now you think to yourself, “Gee, be nice to have one like it.”

Gluttony is eating more than you really need to survive. A feast now and then is a good thing. We gather for festivals, and enjoy the gifts of the Earth. To abstain at such a time is a real crime against the cook, against the Earth, and against the host, who invited us.

Pride is being self-aware enough to be clean, and well dressed. If you have more clothes on than is required for modesty or protection from the elements, you are expressing “pride.” If you went to that festival, and got two weeks worth of eating all in one sitting, you may start to get a little soggy around the middle. Pride will motivate you to get out and run an extra mile, or do fifteen more sit-ups than you might normally do, so you still look good naked.

So, you’ve worked a little harder to get that BMW, and ran around the block an extra time or so. You crawl into bed and have a most restful night’s sleep. But the alarm sounds and you roll over and hit the snooze-button. That is sloth. Resting in bed will help you heal the effects of stress, and allow you time to reflect on all the good things that life has offered you.

You lay in bed, all nice and cozy, and look over at your beloved spouse. Your mind starts drifting into adolescent fantasies. You think how much you love this person, and begin to share some of those fantasies with her or him. This, my friend, is lust. That desire to cultivate sensual fellowship with those you most readily cherish. You chose this person, because they attracted you. You thought, “she’d make some fine children,” or, “I wanna have his child.” Lust, is the desire to procreate. Without it, we would not be here.

Love, is the desire to bring happiness and protection, to oneself and others one loves. Fear, is the desire not to lose love. If one is afraid, one will either avoid the cause of fear, or try to eliminate it. If fear goes unrequited, then it can evolve into anger. Anger, will motivate us to make a change in our environment. But, if one does not act upon one’s anger, that anger can become Hate, or if directed inward, shame.

By indulging in these “Sins” the Pagan will avoid compulsion to fulfill their daemon, or obsessed with being rid of such, natural desires. In this respect, the Pagan is a satisfied, contented individual, ready for anything that may come his or her way. These deadly “sins” are nothing more than natural, animal desires, played upon our human souls. If we deny ourselves a place and time to indulge, then we may set ourselves up for insanity.

So, what of confession. Does this mean that I, as a Pagan Minister will not listen to a soul confess, what he or she feels was a sin? I will not argue that confession is wrong. Opening one’s soul to a counselor can have healing benefits that holding it in would not. As a minister, I am in the business of helping others, help themselves become what they may yet be. So, I do listen, asking questions meant to keep that person honest.

If one should come to me with some, minor ethical infraction, I will listen, and then help the person understand the nature of what they did. If it is a minor thing, and they are truly sorry, I will encourage them to school their character, so that they do not do that again. If it involved another soul, it would be best if they went to the person they hurt, and make restitution. (Now, let’s not beat our head against a stone wall, and apologize until we are blue.) If the infraction is one the person found … enjoyable enough to do again, then I would suggest they ensure their safety and health, while they pursue their interest. Fretting over the “sin” would only drive the desire into the dark shadows of the soul, where it can fester, and grow into a daemon as evil as any in history.

On the other hand, if the infraction is one that might involve the law of the land, This confession becomes a legal matter. As a Minister, I am a “Mandated Reporter.” Like a teacher, or a counselor, I am obliged to report certain things to the appropriate authorities. Crimes of violence are clearly suggested in this issue. If the minister suspects abuse — of a child, adult, or spouse — the minister, like a teacher or counselor, is mandated to report such a thing. The minister can be liable, criminally and civically, if this is not done, and done well.

The minister — of whatever culture of faith — will often find him- or herself as a beast of burden. We must weigh in one hand the confidential concerns of our client. On the other, we must weigh the safety concerns of society. At the heart of this, the minister does not always have the luxury of deciding when the needs of the individual are out weighed by the needs of society.

As a rule, a minister may counsel on concerns of ethics, and matters of metaphysics. If a minister finds her- or himself being asked to go beyond this, they ought to either refer the individual to a more qualified counselor, or pursue a certificate or degree in counseling. (I would recommend this education avenue, anyway, as the education will help the minister more than hurt.) Otherwise, the minister might open her- or himself to problems that would no be solvable in any one life span.

In the end, ministers are human, [yes, believe it or not, we are]. We partake of all the needs and glories of gods and beast. If we are not aware of ourselves — our moods, needs, environment — we can get caught up in the lives of our clients. In our compassion, we may get so involved with their lives, that we may also find ourselves caught up in the game, manipulated into a corner we have no way out of. Trapped, we may compromise ourselves, and our fellow ministers.

This author does not want to discourage anyone from pursuing a ministry. For those of us who are drawn to this helping profession, the rewards are intense. Helping someone realize what they are … a vampire finds out what they are, and everything opens up, a Witch realizes what talents they have, and their world just changes … can be gratifying in its own work. This can be a safe “addiction” in that it feels so good to help another. But, like any addiction, there are risks. Being aware of a trap is the first step in avoiding it. We can choose to avoid any situation to be trapped. But, then, we would deny ourselves that one thing that we must be because we can be, helping professionals. A better approach is to be aware of the risks, and take them with calculated skill.