Vice and Virtue, and Vice-Versa are “V” Words To Die For

Greetings children of the empire! Today I was planning to speak with you about the things that make our country great; its vices and virtues. However a little examination of the vices or sins as listed by the officialdom of churchdom left me wondering a bit. I found myself comparing, I feel, apples and oranges. I submit for your consideration, complete with links to wikipedia explanations, the list of vices and virtues, except the vice column is titled sin.

Sin Virtue
Lust Chastity
Gluttony Temperance

Greed Charity
Sloth Diligence
Wrath Forgiveness
Envy Kindness
Pride Humility

This entire list baffles me. It takes little observation to see that what are listed as a sins are actually motivators toward sinful behaviors. They are not actions, but rather tendencies, feelings, urges, etc. The virtue column tends to list actions or certain behaviors, one would assume in response to the tendencies, feeling, urges, etc.
So I would suppose that men and women who have no sins in their heart can also have no virtures, since virtues are a response to a sinful nature. Abraham Lincoln has been quoted as stating, “It has been my experience that those with no vices have very few virtues.” No doubt.

What’s the person with no self pride to accomplish? Does the starving orphan care if his meal was bought by a greedy tax write off? What great inventions and forward progress would society have missed if not for the sloth of idle dreamers? Was it forgiveness or righteous anger that ousted Adolph Hitler and the Nazi party and stopped the holocaust? And, I submit that none of us would be here if left to chastity to produce us.

So am I a proponent of sin and a basher of virtues? No. I think there is a better formula. I think the world is not made up of such black and white issues. I think common sense and moderation are worthy aspirations. I think Winston Churchill had it close when he said of someone I wasn’t able to identify, “He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire.” I can sympathize. I’ve met people like that. Most of you know at least one. Some of you even have them in your families. But I’m sure you’re not from around here, beneath the Carolina moon.

Dread