Is Being Over-Weight A Sin?

Niffer

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i will preface this by saying that I am ONLY talking about those who are overweight, but by changing diet/activity could lose weight.
I am NOT talking about those with medical issues, or on meds that mess with your metabolism.

Now, back to the question:
Is being overweight a sin?
Is it a form of gluttony? Or lack of self control? Can it be considered being a bad steward of your own body?

Should obesity be portrayed as an acceptable lifestyle choice?
Sizes everywhere are getting larger and larger to accommodate for the ever-growing population of obese people - should society be trying to make being obese easy?
Take for example another dangerous lifestyle choice: Smoking - society has made it as difficult as possible for smokers, both in cost and where they can smoke..should the same be done concerning weight?

TONS we can discuss - please keep it nice people. :)

Peace,
- Niffer
 

dorig59

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Niff, I don't know about being overweight as a lifestyle choice or a sin. That's a tough one. I guess if someone chronically overeats that could be considered a self-control issue. I believe gluttony is mentioned somewhere in the NT in a list of sins. I'm not really sure about all this BUT one thing I wanted to comment on is when you said they've made smoking a difficult thing to do in public. I think the difference with that versus someone overeating is that smoking directly affects other people around them, while the overeating does not.
 
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mmksparbud

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Well--we are the temple of Christ. And we are to treat our bodies as such. We are not to cut or make markings on our bodies--part of ancient pagan worship involved cutting. Not talking about surgery here!--And the bible does say "to him that overcometh" will be given the right to enter into the city of God and eat of the tree of life. So, being fat is not exactly overcoming, I guess. The bible does talk against gluttony--then you have to define gluttony. There are people who have very high metabolisms who require enormous amounts of food. They eat like pigs just to stay underweight! (I hate them!)--I knew 2 sisters who drank cream--not milk, and had to eat just about every 2 hours in order to be about 10 lbs underweight! They were actually tired of eating! And when they went dancing they had to be eating all the time. Me--I look at food and gain 10 lbs. I am obese--and it sucks--I can't exercise, I have foot nueropathy pain that gets ever so much worse with walking, along with severe cramping. I have fibro and other stuff and even if you eat only 1000 calories a day (which they say you should not go under)--but you only use up about 500 calories 'cause you can't hardly move--well--only one way that scale is going--up. Being fat is a health issue. We are supposed to take care of our bodies. And you know what---there is not one instance in the whole entire bible where a fat person was healed--nope--we got to do this on our own! I guess God will help--a little--but He doesn't seem to have much in the line of miracles for us--we got to tuff it out and eat carrots and alfalfa sprouts. Overcome!! I don't want to not be able to go into the city 'cause I can't fit through the doors!--on the other hand--if I were 8 feet tall I would not have a weight problem! More stretching???
 
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grasping the after wind

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Being overweight, Which I confess to being, is indeed a sin, as the body is the temple of the Lord. So too is ear or any other piercing, tattooing and hair dyeing also qualify as a sin as these things show a lack of respect for the body that God has given us by putting our own vision of human perfection above that of God's. Gossiping and intolerance of those that have engaged in the things that I previously listed are also grievous sins. Use of mind altering substances also qualify as sins as does lust and impure thoughts and numerous other things which I do not have the time, inclination or space to specify. Numbering and pointing out the sins of others is also a sin and worthy of eternal damnation. Thank God Jesus has paid the price for these sins.
 
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grasping the after wind

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Then again, if the body is a temple to the lord then perhaps the larger the temple the greater the glory to God.

My temple has grown considerably so I must be very pious.
 
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Romanseight2005

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i will preface this by saying that I am ONLY talking about those who are overweight, but by changing diet/activity could lose weight.
I am NOT talking about those with medical issues, or on meds that mess with your metabolism.

Now, back to the question:
Is being overweight a sin?
Is it a form of gluttony? Or lack of self control? Can it be considered being a bad steward of your own body?

Should obesity be portrayed as an acceptable lifestyle choice?
Sizes everywhere are getting larger and larger to accommodate for the ever-growing population of obese people - should society be trying to make being obese easy?
Take for example another dangerous lifestyle choice: Smoking - society has made it as difficult as possible for smokers, both in cost and where they can smoke..should the same be done concerning weight?

TONS we can discuss - please keep it nice people. :)

Peace,
- Niffer


Being overweight is not a sin. If someone was doing sinful things that resulted in being overweight, then those things would be sin, but not being overweight. Furthermore, a person could be overweight because they are spending their time tending to the needs of others, rather than working out, you know? Like what if a person had a sick relative, and caring fir that relative required them to sit for long periods of time? That's just one example. Iow, there are only so many hours in a day, and if people are making good choices with their time, but not fitting in the exercise, that would not be a sin.
 
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Sabertooth

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1CO 6:12 "Everything is permissible for me"--but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"--but I will not be mastered by anything.

1CO 10:23 "Everything is permissible"--but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"--but not everything is constructive. ;)
 
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Niffer

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Niff, I don't know about being overweight as a lifestyle choice or a sin. That's a tough one. I guess if someone chronically overeats that could be considered a self-control issue. I believe gluttony is mentioned somewhere in the NT in a list of sins. I'm not really sure about all this BUT one thing I wanted to comment on is when you said they've made smoking a difficult thing to do in public. I think the difference with that versus someone overeating is that smoking directly affects other people around them, while the overeating does not.

Gluttony is listed as one of the 7 deadly sins.

Being overweight is not a sin. If someone was doing sinful things that resulted in being overweight, then those things would be sin, but not being overweight. Furthermore, a person could be overweight because they are spending their time tending to the needs of others, rather than working out, you know? Like what if a person had a sick relative, and caring fir that relative required them to sit for long periods of time? That's just one example. Iow, there are only so many hours in a day, and if people are making good choices with their time, but not fitting in the exercise, that would not be a sin.

People in offices sit for long periods of time, and they can lose weight if they decide to,
Even if you sit for long periods of time, just by eating appropriately can prevent weight-gain.
I think it can be too easy of an excuse to blame weight gain on someone else or some situation. ((keep in mind I am NOT talking health issues that prevent loss of weight, or allows you to gain it easily.))

-Niff
 
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Sailor_A

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Gluttony overeating is the sin. Thin looking people can be guilty of this also. However being overweight/not obese, you may not be gluttonous but rather not exercising enough. If you eat a lot then purge that is still gluttony whether you gain any weight or not. So no I would not say gaining weight or even being heavy is a sin. Is not taking care of your body a sin? Or even if you are just going on being overweight, is having a bad/non-ideal body a sin? :)
 
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3rdHeaven

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Gluttony, derived from the Latin gluttire meaning to gulp down or swallow, means over-indulgence and over-consumption of food, drink, or wealth items to the point of extravagance or waste.

Seven deadly sins: wrath, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy, and gluttony.

Proverbs 23:20-21 "Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags."

Proverbs 23:2 "And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite."

Luke 7:33-35 "For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil. The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners! But wisdom is justified of all her children."

Was Jesus over weight? Why should we over eat? Isn't it personal satisfaction?

I'd say yes it is a sin, because whatever we do will either be for ourselves or for God. Obvious eating too much food is for ourselves.
 
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Athene

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I'm not sure if it's a sin but imv it's a bad witness. How can you talk to others about turning away from sin etc when you can't even turn away from a cupcake? How can you encourage others to walk with God, when you refuse to walk up the stairs?
 
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Romanseight2005

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Gluttony is listed as one of the 7 deadly sins.



People in offices sit for long periods of time, and they can lose weight if they decide to,
Even if you sit for long periods of time, just by eating appropriately can prevent weight-gain.
I think it can be too easy of an excuse to blame weight gain on someone else or some situation. ((keep in mind I am NOT talking health issues that prevent loss of weight, or allows you to gain it easily.))

-Niff

niffer I was simply giving an example of people who have to prioritize their time, and sometimes the gym isn't a top priority, but that isn't a sin. Gluttony is a sin, but not going to the gym enough, isn't.

Also, when I was in my 20's it was really easy to never be overweight. When I hit my early 40's, it became much more difficult. In order for me not to be overweight now, I have to not only eat really well, and exercise, bit I have to revolve my entire day around it. That's what I am talking about. If it comes down to a choice of spending most of my day exercising, or getting some other things, that frankly are eternally more important, done, then I am not going to exercise my day away.

For me, this really has been an issue. I have spent my entire days around health, to the point that I had to stop, and decide that having healthy habits was enough, regardless of what my body looked like. Iow, our bodies aren't always honest about our habits.


Btw, I am not excusing bad habits at all. I am just saying that people can have good habits, and still be overweight.
 
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Niffer

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niffer I was simply giving an example of people who have to prioritize their time, and sometimes the gym isn't a top priority, but that isn't a sin. Gluttony is a sin, but not going to the gym enough, isn't.

Also, when I was in my 20's it was really easy to never be overweight. When I hit my early 40's, it became much more difficult. In order for me not to be overweight now, I have to not only eat really well, and exercise, bit I have to revolve my entire day around it. That's what I am talking about. If it comes down to a choice of spending most of my day exercising, or getting some other things, that frankly are eternally more important, done, then I am not going to exercise my day away.

For me, this really has been an issue. I have spent my entire days around health, to the point that I had to stop, and decide that having healthy habits was enough, regardless of what my body looked like. Iow, our bodies aren't always honest about our habits.


Btw, I am not excusing bad habits at all. I am just saying that people can have good habits, and still be overweight.

It seems that keeping our bodies healthy does tend to be lower on the priority list than it should be.
Like right now, I wanted to make some good healthy food, buuuut I'm not going to get around to making that bread because I'm on here. ;)
We all can have the best of intentions, but doing them can be the hard part.

You're right, a person can have all the good habits, and still have health issues - there are legitimate medical reasons for weight gain, or extreme weight loss that cannot be controlled.

You can have good habits and still be over weight?

Show me one person starving that is over weight.

Should prove, that eating too much contributes to being over weight. :)

Medically there can be reasons.
I've known women who get gastric bypass, lose all the weight, but still only eat junk and are malnourished. Just because they're "thin" doesn't equate "healthy"

Peace,
-Niff
 
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Romanseight2005

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You can have good habits and still be over weight?

Show me one person starving that is over weight.

Should prove, that eating too much contributes to being over weight. :)


Starving is good habits? :eek:

I can tell you that I eat much healthier, and get better exercise now, than I ever have in my life, yet, I am 20 pounds overweight. When I was younger, I ate whatever I wanted, and did whatever I wanted to, and my body looked good. I was ideally fit. My point is that anyone who says that being overweight is a sin, is being shortsighted and presumptuous, because a lot of assuming is going on with that judgement, and it can be blatantly wrong.
 
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