That's very interesting.

I agree that it's very possible, likely even, that the Christian seven deadly sins were heavily influenced by virtue ethics, the golden mean, etc. But the statement "the seven deadly sins predates Christianity" doesn't feel right imo.

While yes, the concept of virtues, identifying and espousing them definitely predate Christianity, the "seven deadly sins" is a very specific thing. While similar, they aren't the same so you cant really say that the concept of the seven deadly sins existed specifically before it was developed and spread by Christianity.

I don't think you're trying to say that the seven deadly sins specifically predate Christianity, just that the concept of identifying negative and detrimental traits and behaviours do. But it's easy to think you are conflating those at a glance. (Or maybe you are, I don't actually know.)

Yes, also important to note that generally they were called the deadly sins because once you committed them you were damned forever. So the "actual" sin they convey is the extreme of any of them.

So the "deadly" part of sloth was not laying around the house one day. It was the commitment to a life of sadness and self-pity. Greed is not desiring personal wealth, it's when you start destroying other people's lives to enrich yourself etc.