Thursday, May 2, 2013

"Crime is Pride"

Think: all men make mistakes
But a good man yields when he
Knows his course is wrong,
And repairs the evil:  The only
Crime is pride.

This quotation from an excerpt from Antigone, by the classical Geek playwright Sophocles, implies that it is perfectly okay to make mistakes. In fact, all people make mistakes, but it is admitting those mistakes that we show who we are as people. Pride is the only ugly thing, the only sin. A man who does not admit to his mistakes but acts as if he is perfect is nowhere near the man who makes mistakes, but who admits them and forgives those whom he has hurt.

This is so true. I have met many people who are very arrogant and who refuse to admit their mistakes. These people are very unappealing. They think too highly of themselves and their ego gets in the way of everything else. But people who are loving, forgiving, and humble--and who admit to their mistakes-- are much more likeable as people, as friends, as co-workers, as bosses, as managers, etc. The people who are truly good and kind are the ones who will coexist happily with the rest of the world. These are the people who have earned their respect because they are respectful of others. These people are honest and humble and kind, not boastful or egotistical or insolent. It is these people who live by the golden rule: they treat others as they themselves would like to be treated. If you are respectful towards others, you will earn their respect and they will treat you as you with dignity.

No one is perfect. God made us this way. He gave us free will. Each one of us was given human dignity, and we are to treat others with dignity as well. Pride is one of the seven deadly sins.

God wants us to feel good about ourselves and be proud of what we have accomplished, but our accomplishments are not of our own doing. We have accomplished what we have accomplished because of God and his grace. No one is perfect--only God is perfect, and this is the way it has always been and will forever be. Each of us was born with original sin. So when we make mistakes, we ask Him for forgiveness because God knows we are only human, but if we are sorry for our sins and ask pardon for our mistakes, we become better people.

(Word Count: 418)

1 comment:

  1. I appreciate your use of God as an example. Too many people now are omitting him from common usage and, while not a very religious person, I still maintain he plays a vital role to be referenced.

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