Having children is an inefficient way of reproducing ones own image, though many people find it rewarding for other reasons. Actually, the situation you described was detrimental to the Popes. In addition, this hypocrisy undermined future Popes ability to disseminate any memes whatsover, since they had the reputation of being disreputable sources. All in all, I'd say they screwed up, from a memetic point of view. But that's probably because they weren't thinking in those terms at the time, anyway.
Wrath is the most obvious, but the others are also similar non zero-sum situations.
Thus, within Religion we see an attempt to dissemiante memes which break society out of continious defection cycles. The problem is, instead of attempting to provide individuals with the tools to make effective decisions, Religion tends to simply enforce those rules which work empirically. These sins are not deadly to the individual, they are deadly to society. I am not a relgious person, but I don't think everything said in religion is wrong.