Particular personal 'first vices'?

[Peter S.]

Is it so that there always is a special vice that you must fight before you can fight others? It seems like that when you read the Ladder. Everyone have their own problems, and it seems like the devil has "designed" a special vice for each person, that fits with your personality.
I dont know what's mine, I have not asked my spiritual father if there is one. I ve also heard there will always be a new one ahead.

Peter

[Paul Cowan]

I suppose to answer this question, each of us must ask what is the one sin, we continually commit/ or perhaps fight more so than all the others. Or what sin do we have more shame over than others? I would say, that would be it.

If one can't name a specific sin, then perhaps there are more than one that lead the pack. But I am sure one will stand out more than a second ot third.

I can name mine very easily.

Paul

[Moses Ibrahim]

The devil will try anything and everything. But then again each person is different.

Based on the quote below... I'd have to say pride.

"I saw the snares that the enemy spreads out over the world and I said groaning, "What can get through from such snares?" Then I heard a voice saying to me, "Humility." (St. Anthony the Great)

It might be a great idea to ask your spiritual father since by God's grace he should know what is profitable and what is damaging for you. Another thing I would like to mention now, maybe not something that is enjoyable to all ears but certainly something St. Basil the Great says, "The same fashion should be observed in the confession of sins as in the showing of bodily diseases. As then men reveal the diseases of the body not to all or to chance comers but to those who are experienced in their treatment; so also the confession of sins ought to take place in the presence of those who are able to treat them, as it is written: 'Ye that are strong bear the infirmities of the weak' (Rom. 15:1) - that is, take them away by your care."

taken from Ascetic Works of Saint Basil (pp. 313-314)

[Marianthy]

I can name mine very easily.

Paul

I can name mine very easily as well.

In Christ
Marianthy

[Marianthy]

Dear Peter,

I have to agree with Moses. Pride is #1 and it so hard to achieve true humility, because even when we think we are being humble, we have to make sure we are not taking pride in our humility.

I once started writing a blog and so many people complimented me on my thoughts that I stopped writing the blog...

Why? Because I could feel pride swelling that people would think so of my religious ideas.

Humility is the first thing I beg for during my unworthy prayers.

In Christ,
Marianthy

[Peter S.]

Quotation:
Originally Posted by Marianthy (Post 59242)
Dear Peter,

I have to agree with Moses. Pride is #1 and it so hard to achieve true humility, because even when we think we are being humble, we have to make sure we are not taking pride in our humility.

I once started writing a blog and so many people complimented me on my thoughts that I stopped writing the blog...

Why? Because I could feel pride swelling that people would think so of my religious ideas.

Humility is the first thing I beg for during my unworthy prayers.

In Christ,
Marianthy


Yes, but I ve heard there are many kinds of humility. I think they are belonging to the vices,that means to deal with them and to defeat them. And there are meny types of pride, which "governs" the vices.

In our personal life we must defeat pride, but it is different ways of doing it, depending on the personality and vices...thats my point, we must also do that fight to fight pride. There are also many types of gluttony, but in a different way, than that there are different types of pride. Still pride is pride and humility is humility. :)

However I'm not so good at praying for humility before I pray my (daily) prayers. But that is a good prayer. :)

NOTE: I asked an experienced monk about my idea that you must have humility to accuire all the virtues, like walking litterally on a ladder( I was reading "the Ladder"), and when you had accuired humility at last, the work was done and you had accuired the virtues... :)
He answered that there are many types of humility, and he said it with a smile.

Then I guess there are many types of pride? I'm not an expert in virtues(humility) and vices(pride),must say that, but it seems right that you must fight pride in different ways, fighting other special/"typical for an individual" vice(s) too?

Peter

[Amy]

Thank you, Moses, for sharing the quote from St. Anthony the Great! I've added it to my collection.

I tend to think that, as Christians, we strive against sins that go hand in hand with our spiritual gifts. Satan trembles at the use of God's gifts in the hearts and hands of his saints, and so I think it makes sense that he would craft deceits against those specific elements.

For example, those with the gift of mercy desire others' pain to be alleviated. They are sensitive to statements and actions that may hurt others- they can "rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep" Romans 12:15 The danger, then, imo, is that they are also reluctant to speak against any person, regardless of what they have done ...sometimes they should speak up to confront danger or evil.

Does Satan know our God given gifts? I think so and it makes sense to me that he would attempt to twist those gifts toward his own purposes.

[Nina]

For example, those with the gift of mercy desire others' pain to be alleviated. They are sensitive to statements and actions that may hurt others- they can "rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep" Romans 12:15 The danger, then, imo, is that they are also reluctant to speak against any person, regardless of what they have done ...sometimes they should speak up to confront danger or evil.


You know Amy? This is so right. I was reading the other day that while watching the angels who followed Satan fall, Archangel Michael said "Let us stand well, let us stand with fear..." The Archangel did not dare to pass judgment on Satan. He just redirected the attention of the angels to our God. I have been thinking about this a lot and it is a fearful thing and a great example at the same time for us.