Here we have the fifth post in a long series. If you really want to know what this post is about, check out THE SEARCH FOR THE MOST VIRTUOUS VERSATILE BLOGGER — PART 1. Otherwise, just read on and enjoy.
PRIDE OR HUBRIS
Pride is one is one of the seven deadly sins. How do we recognize inappropriate pride? Their eyes are haughty (Psalm 18:27). Their look is proud (Proverbs 6:17). Here is what the Catholic Encyclopedia has to say about pride.
Pride is the excessive love of one’s own excellence. It is ordinarily accounted one of the seven capital sins. St. Thomas, however, endorsing the appreciation of St. Gregory, considers it the queen of all vices, and puts vainglory in its place as one of the deadly sins. In giving it this pre-eminence he takes it in a most formal and complete signification. He understands it to be that frame of mind in which a man, through the love of his own worth, aims to withdraw himself from subjection to Almighty God, and sets at naught the commands of superiors. It is a species of contempt of God and of those who bear his commission. (continued here)
Political bloggers speak often of pride.
- Pride in their identity group (Fed bank unlikely to fly gay pride flag again).
- A peculiar pride in the products they buy (Greening Your Garbage).
- Of the supposed pride of others (Candidate Chris Royse blurs wall of separation between church and state).
- Of the pride some take in disrupting the lives of their neighbors (The Union and Foreign Influence Behind the #OccupyWallSt Crowd).
- Of the pride they take in the bravery of their countrymen (Never Forget – By Mac Cannon).
Yet pride is the most dangerous of vices. Mere Christianity (Chapter 8 of Book 3), C. S. Lewis says the following of pride.
According to Christian teachings, the essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere fleabites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind.
An Aside
With the acceptance of the Versatile Blogger award, I took on the task revealing seven things about myself. In PART 4, I revealed two things plus the fact that Dave Jeffers influenced my decision to blog. Here I point one other small detail about myself. I am too proud. From time-to-time I boast.
Lest you laugh, consider this quote from C. S. Lewis (also in Mere Christianity).
If anyone would like to acquire humility, I can, I think, tell him the first step. The first step is to realise one is proud. And a biggish step, too. At least, nothing whatever can be done before it. If you think you are not conceited, it means you are very conceited indeed.
SWAC Girl
Does Lynn R. Mitchell, the blogger at SWAC Girl preach against the sin of pride? No. What Lynn does is exhibit when pride is appropriate. When is pride appropriate? When it is not at odds with proper humility. A prideful soul sees everything from only point-of-view, his own, and he demands his own elevation at the expense of others. The humble soul concedes that only one point-of-view matters. However, that point-of-view is God’s, the Lord of all.
Because a humble soul loves others, the humble take pleasure in advancing the interests of others. Therefore, pride is righteous when we take pleasure in the accomplishments of others. Lynn’s blog revels in the accomplishments of others.
In fact, Lynn categorizes many of her posts with the label American pride. In addition to 4th of July celebrations, Lynn uses label American pride for:
- 4th of July in Staunton 2011, Shenandoah Valley 4th of July weekend … events around the area, and Gov. McDonnell on Independence Day: “Remember that freedom is not free” – honoring the 4th of July.
- Flag Day Ceremony … Bon Air American Legion Post 354: The face of America – honoring the national unity that our flag symbolizes.
- American pride … red, white, and blue – honoring our fallen soldiers.
- Equal opportunity bashing and Italy … socialist government decides when you can run your air conditioner – honoring the founding principles of our nation.
- Troops return home to surprise family members, “America’s got your back”, and “I’m ridiculously happy right now” … Navy SEAL Matthew McCabe not guilty – honoring the soldiers who give up so much to protect us from foreign enemies.
Lynn also takes pride in the beauty God offers us in Staunton, Waynesboro, and Augusta County (see here, here, here, and here). Here is how she describes herself.
As SWAC Girl (an acronym for Staunton, Waynesboro, and Augusta County), I have been writing in the Virginia political blogosphere since 2006. One of my passions is to photograph this scenic area as seen from my window on the world. The Shenandoah Valley of Virginia is one of the most beautiful places to call home … the Republican Party most closely carries my beliefs.
Next week we will discuss lust. 
How do I go about selecting a blog for that one? 
I’m humbled … thank you for your kind words. Our military members are our heroes and I will never stop recognizing and thanking them and their families for their sacrifices to preserve our freedoms. We just lost 13 more American soldiers over the weekend, killed by a homicide bomber in Afghanistan. Patriotic pride is something I learned growing up in a family with a World War II Navy veteran dad (USS Wisconsin), now deceased, and a red, white, and blue-celebrating mom who still works the polls on election day. We truly live in the greatest country on earth….