I respond: Envy is a mortal sin by its genus. For the genus of a sin is taken from its object. But by reason of its object, envy is contrary to charity, through which the soul's spiritual life exists—this according to 1 John 3:14 (“We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers”).
As one evangelical dictionary puts it, envy is the “sin of jealousy over the blessings and achievements of others.” That's straightforward and it tells us that the words “envy” and “jealousy” are interchangeable.
2539 Envy is a capital sin. It refers to the sadness at the sight of another's goods and the immoderate desire to acquire them for oneself, even unjustly. When it wishes grave harm to a neighbor it is a mortal sin: St.
Envy is the sin of jealousy over the blessings and achievements of others, especially the spiritual enjoyment and advance of the kingdom of Christ freely and graciously bestowed upon the people of God.
Envy is diabolical.
St. Augustine called envy the diabolical sin (De catechizandis rudibus 4,8:PL 40,315-316) because it seeks to minimize, end, or destroy what is good. Scripture says, By the envy of the Devil, death entered the world (Wis 2:24).
Bertrand Russell said that envy was one of the most potent causes of unhappiness, bringing sorrow to committers of envy, while giving them the urge to inflict pain upon others. According to the most widely accepted views, only pride weighs down the soul more than envy among the capital sins.
“Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.” Galatians 5:26. “But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.” James 3:14. “For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.” James 3:16.
It is a historic fact that envy is the first sin to be committed in heaven and also the first one on the face of earth. The Holy Quran tells us four stories which are linked to envy.
Benign Envy and Malicious Envy
Van de Ven et al. (2009) proposed that there are two distinct experiences of envy, one of which is benign and the other is malicious, and that benign envy and malicious envy lead to different behavioral expressions.
The sin against the Holy Spirit and the sins that cry to Heaven for vengeance are considered especially serious. This type of sin is distinguished from a venial sin in that the latter simply leads to a weakening of a person's relationship with God.
The more important the natural or supernatural good we envy, the graver is our sin. This is true only when the envious impulses are fully consented to; however, often they are mere emotional impressions, or at most, feelings in which there is but little reflection and will. These latter constitute only a venial fault.
Examples of mortal sins include murder, adultery, blasphemy, and idolatry. Some extreme instances of these sins, such as violence against the pope, can even result in ex-communication from the church which is a severe punishment that excludes a person from the sacraments and other aspects of the faith.
In this paper I present a novel taxonomy of envy, according to which there are four kinds of envy: emulative, inert, aggressive and spiteful envy. An inquiry into the varieties of envy is valuable not only to understand it as a psychological phenomenon, but also to shed light on the nature of its alleged viciousness.
Envy is wanting what someone else has. You might see a neighbor with a new car or a coworker get a new job and desire the same. You might feel a sense of resentment toward the individual for attaining something you want but have yet to achieve.
It was the first sin committed in the Heavens, when Iblīs was jealous of Adam; and it was the first sin committed on earth, when Cain was jealous of Abel." ~ Ibn al-Jawzī. Monitor your heart constantly & purify it from jealousy.
Jealousy and envy both involve a feeling of desire for what another person has, but jealousy is usually thought to be more negative—it often involves resentment toward the other person. Envy is also a negative feeling—like a mix of admiration and discontent—but the word doesn't usually imply hostility.
One might almost say that these two words are used as if they were interchangeable ... The words are scarcely synonymous, however. Envy means discontented longing for someone else's advantages. Jealousy means unpleasant suspicion, or apprehension of rivalship.
Although many people consider “envy” and “jealousy” synonymous, they actually have distinct meanings. Envy is “the painful feeling of wanting what someone else has, like attributes or possessions.” If you're jealous, you feel “threatened, protective, or fearful of losing one's position or situation to someone else.”
Ithm is also associated with what is considered the worst sin of all, shirk. Shirk signifies associating partners with God. The Quran states that: He who associates with God has surely forged a great sin (ithm).
Envious people tend to feel hostile, resentful, angry and irritable. Such individuals are also less likely to feel grateful about their positive traits and their circumstances. Envy is also related to depression, anxiety, the development of prejudice, and personal unhappiness.
Avoid Being Envied
– To avoid dangerous envy, a believer should be kind and courteous to people. Salām should be spread, and gifts should be given to families and friends. Displaying lofty manners will dispel the jealousy of others and remove evil desires from their hearts.
God is most jealous for his own glory, fame, and honor! God desires above all else that his name be preserved and promoted and he will act quickly and powerfully to vindicate his glory. “The jealousy of Yahweh,” writes Ray Ortlund, “is his profoundly intense drive within to protect the interests of his own glory (Ex.
Not surprisingly, envy correlates with unhappiness, depression, and low self-esteem. It renders us powerless, or at least with less power than the person or people of whom we are envious. When we long to be someone else or to have what someone else has, envy can drive our behavior and cause us to behave blindly.
The opposite virtue to envy is fraternal charity. The charitable rejoice in the success of others without regard to themselves, and are ever grateful to God for what they have.