RO lists the original sins. (When you mention sloth, what is that?) It’s laziness, failure to perform deeds to family or friends. (What about the new sins?) The new sins include social inequality and injustice, use of drugs, accumulation of excessive wealth, pollution, manipulation of science and particularly genetics. The Pope’s explanation is that we live in a globalized world and need to look at globalized sins, instead of individual one. (Is the intent to present these new sins in broader strokes than the old ones?) This is part of Pope Benedict view that Western society has lost its way in consumerism and we have lost sight of our soles. (When the Vatican first brought the sins forward, they had their own punishments). They were terrifying, in the case of sloth, for example you were thrown into a pit of snakes. The Vatican wouldn’t hold those today and there are no parallel punishments for the new sins. (What’s the expectations with these new sins?) They do hope it will be taken seriously, it’s an attempt to say to the Western World to just adhere to your own values. You must also acknowledge these new sins.
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