W is for wrath, the seventh sin.
From Webster 1913:
Wrath
1. Violent anger; vehement exasperation; indignation; rage; fury; ire.
Wrath is a fire, and jealousy a weed. Spenser.
When the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased. Esther ii. 1.
Now smoking and frothing Its tumult and wrath in. Southey.
2. The effects of anger or indignation; the just punishment of an offense or a crime.
“A revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.” Rom. xiii. 4.
Syn. — Anger; fury; rage; ire; vengeance; indignation; resentment; passion. See Anger.
Wrath is a sin, yet is it ever justified?
I am wrathful about this: http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/03/23/471595323/drug-company-jacks-up-cost-of-aid-in-dying-medication
In my state a terminally ill patient may choose Death with Dignity: http://www.doh.wa.gov/YouandYourFamily/IllnessandDisease/DeathwithDignityAct
The person must be terminally ill, must not be suicidal and must go through a process. But one of the tablets prescribed, which only the person may administer to themselves, has had a price increase from $200.00 to over $3000.00.
I heard this from another physician, who has a patient who is going through the process.
I feel wrath and anger and hurt and rage that a corporation is choosing to make an enormous profit from terminally ill patients.
And so wrath may be a sin, but it is also an appropriate feeling at times.
In a sermon about forgiveness, hate is also discussed:
“Let me also say a word here about hatred, since I am speaking of forgiveness as being the release of hatred. Many of us, I suppose, like myself, have been taught not to hate. We have been taught that hatred is always a bad thing and there is no place for it. Thus, we feel uncomfortable in the face of this intense emotion and attitude. Many times I have stumbled on the line from the biblical book of Ecclesiastes which reads, “There’s a time to love and a time to hate.”
Can there be a time to hate? Ironically, when reflecting on the subject of forgiveness, I see that there is a place for hatred.
First, your hatred lets you know that you are feeling diminished and perhaps being stepped on and treated as no human being ought to be treated.
Secondly, your hatred lets you know that you’re fighting back and that you have something to fight back with. It lets you know that the situation is intolerable and you will not put up with it.
And so hatred can be a natural and even necessary response to situations that threaten human dignity. Says one author, “Not to feel resentment when resentment is called for is a sign of servility,… a lack of self-respect.” (Forgiveness, Haber)”
From: November 15, 2009, here: http://www.quuf.org/index.php?page=2009—2010-sermons
I took the picture in 2007. No wrath here, but three different expressions, and all complex….
Terrific post. And I so agree…
In South Africa, the basic human right to self-autonomy in end-of-life decisions is still denied. This is a controversial issue and everyone has something to say about it, with the exception of those people who no longer has the voice or the strength to argue their own cause. Great post.
Thank you. Stopping eating works….
For me? Eish, I’ll have to be very desperate indeed …
No, no, no, for end of life folks… but I did have an elderly patient who SAID she was ready to die, but a year later, “I keep stopping eating but then I get HUNGRY.”
Haha, sorry but that was funny. Here they force feed the patient. Should the person try this at home, the family or other members of the community may be incriminated for assisted suicide.
Ah, I am very sorry. Washington State has a law but some states don’t.