Seven Harmful Sins

Mahatma Gandhi referred to seven sins. They are:

• Wealth without work: This refers to the practice of getting something for nothing. Today there are some persons who make wealth without working and enjoying all the benefits of citizenship of country without assuming any risk or responsibility.

• Pleasure without conscience: The chief query of the greedy and selfish has always been “What is in it for me? Will this please me?” Lately many people seem to want these pleasures without conscience. To learn to give and take, to live selflessly, to be sensitive, to be considerate is our challenge. Otherwise there is no sense of social responsibility or accountability in our activities.

• Knowledge without character: As dangerous as a little knowledge is, even more dangerous is much knowledge without character. Purely intellectual development without internal character development makes as much sense as putting a high-powered sports car in the hands of a teenager who is addicted to drugs.

• Business without morality: If we allow economic systems to operate without moral foundation, we will soon create an amoral, if not immoral, society ad business. Economic and political systems should ultimately be based on a moral foundation.

• Science without humanity: If science becomes all technique and technology, it quickly against humanity. If there is very little understanding of the higher human values that the technology is striving to serve, we become victims of our own technology.

• Religion without sacrifice: Without sacrifice we may become active in a temple but remain inactive in its gospel. It takes sacrifice to serve the needs of other people, the sacrifice of our own pride and prejudice among other things.

• Politics without principle: If there is no principles, there is no truth. You see politicians spending millions of rupees to get votes and gain office, And when it works, it leads to a political system operating independently of the natural laws that should govern.

The key to a healthy society is to get the social will and the value system aligned with correct principles.

In the best societies natural laws govern and even the top people must bow to them. No one is above the natural laws.