[Wezfyowk]

The Vatican recently put out a list, based on years of confessions, of what seems to be the three top sins which men and women struggle with.

For women they are: Pride, Envy, Anger

For men they are: Lust, Gluttony, Sloth

I wanted to contemplate about this passion of pride, this overwhelming sin of my gender, since it can mean many things. So I did some Orthodox and other Christian research on the topic and the sin, and I gave a little thought to expand on it within my many experiences in life and with myself and others, and wrote a little summary. It certainly helped me thinking about it and writing it down, so that I think that this may help me give a better confession next time around.

In this realization, I will now be withdrawing from Monachos for Great Lent. I rejoice that there are so many beautiful, intelligent, loving, charitable and faithful fellow women writing here, (much more worthy than me in every way) but I have sometimes felt that in some of our posts on topics, sometimes we seem to be talking past each other, not communicating well or agreeably, or maybe misconstruing each other?

I will take full responsibility for that, however, as maybe it is my own sinful personality that is the reason for this.

So, I ask sincere forgiveness as we approach next week Forgiveness Sunday from all my sisters in Christ here if I have offended, if I have annoyed, if I have irritated, or if I have brought out in any of you any negative passions by my words, my thoughts, my attitudes, or my verbocity, and I wish you all a *holy, grace filled, and blessed Sarakosti/Great Lent* !!

So many of you have been true sisters in Christ to me in private and I love you very much for that and I thank you humbly and from the depths of my soul.

I offer these thoughts in humility, and being the least of all here, I hope that it is worthy of your reading:

About Pride

The sin of pride is actually another word for 'self love'.

When we desire praise, and when everything we do and desire is wrapped up in 'self' and for 'self', that is pride.

When we deem ourselves superior to others that is pride.

When we believe that we know everything that is pride.

When we cannot say 'I am sorry', or 'I was wrong', or 'I made a mistake', that is pride.

When we judge and critique others that is pride.

Some women, probably a good number of women, have a very hard time with that. It is believed or thought that either there is no reason to humble oneself to admit one is wrong, or that such an act will make one seem weak and vulnerable to another.

It is also often difficult for some women to elevate, compliment, praise and give due credit to other women. Perhaps the sin of pride manifests itself more between women than between women and men... It is hard for women to not think that they know better than others and that their way is the best way.

It is a difficult sin and it can also be wrapped up with envy...(a two for one package and the next most difficult sin for women)

The antithesis to it is humility...Humility tells us that we are not the all knowing, all wise, all competent, all beautiful, all brilliant, all knowledgeable and all perfect ones!

Humility forces us to put ourselves aside as much as possible and to focus on others and to acknowledge, and to rejoice and praise THEIR positive traits, THEIR accomplishments, THEIR piety, THEIR thoughts, etc.

Humility is something which the Lord loves and something which, with utmost difficulty, (because living in this world humility goes against everything we are taught to do and be), we must strive for.

In Christ,
Alice

Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on ME a sinner.

[xtrupoke]

I could not edit the above title on my post. It should have been: 'Different sins of men and women'.

[softy54534]

The Vatican recently put out a list, based on years of confessions, of what seems to be the three top sins which men and women struggle with.

For women they are: Pride, Envy, Anger

For men they are: Lust, Gluttony, Sloth
Not to go against what the RC says here, but I think these 3 things are pretty evenly spread out between both sexes. Aern't we missing 1 though? I thought there were 7 deadly sins; not just 6.

[MIBgirlsXXL]

Aern't we missing 1 though? I thought there were 7 deadly sins; not just 6.

Yep - Greed is among the seven but wasn't on the list.

[baxodrom]

Not to go against what the RC says here, but I think these 3 things are pretty evenly spread out between both sexes. Aern't we missing 1 though? I thought there were 7 deadly sins; not just 6.

lol Paul Yes I agree that this two camps thing with sins is so... You are right that we all suffer from pride first. We maybe should have a look in the studies of the Church Fathers who have said all people suffer from pride and pride is the root of every evil.