Why is gluttony a deadly sin?

Tallguy88

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Probably because by eating more than you need constantly, you are giving in to the desires of the flesh in such a way as to be spiritually harmful.

I listened to a Priest once say that true gluttony is very rare in modern times. That what gluttony refers to is something like where the Romans would eat until stuffed, then vomit, then eat more.

I don't remember who the priest was, but it was on EWTN.
 
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TheOtherHockeyMom

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I guess its a lot like sexual sin....we need to eat to survive, just as we need to reproduce to survive (as a species at least). But, if we overindulge, we're giving in to temptation.

In some ways it's worse in that there is a limited amount of food available, and wasting food (or taking more than you can eat and throwing it away) is food that is not available for others.

There's also health considerations. I would bet that a majority of people die from diet related causes...so gluttony can be thought of as a slow suicide.
 
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ivebeenshown

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Gluttony is excessive indulgence in food or drink. It is not necessarily mortal. Giving in to temptation and spending an unnecessary several dollars on some candy could be venial. Eating out every day to the point of keeping you and your family on the edge of a financial cliff could be mortal. It doesn't have to be stuffing yourself.

Aquinas would say: "too soon, too expensively, too much, too eagerly, too daintily"
 
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Andres88

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Probably because by eating more than you need constantly, you are giving in to the desires of the flesh in such a way as to be spiritually harmful.

I listened to a Priest once say that true gluttony is very rare in modern times. That what gluttony refers to is something like where the Romans would eat until stuffed, then vomit, then eat more.

I don't remember who the priest was, but it was on EWTN.
That may be so if we equate gluttony to the intensity of its practice by the Roman people. In our times, gluttony might not necessarily mean to over-eat to that point, but to [constantly?] indulge in eating/drinking more than we need, in a way that shows [constant?] lack of self-moderation. Of course, just a personal opinion. No Magisterium or anything.
 
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MKJ

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Probably because by eating more than you need constantly, you are giving in to the desires of the flesh in such a way as to be spiritually harmful.

I listened to a Priest once say that true gluttony is very rare in modern times. That what gluttony refers to is something like where the Romans would eat until stuffed, then vomit, then eat more.

I don't remember who the priest was, but it was on EWTN.

I think he is totally wrong, and I am surprised to hear that from someone who ought to have a little bit of a thoughtful relation to such things.

Gluttony is sin that is centered around food. Using it inappropriately, misusing it. That can mean over-eating. It can mean eating things that are not, in fact, food. Using food for non-food purposes. Creating food in immoral ways. Not eating enough. Being picky.

Food elitism, over-eating, dieting, controlling others through food, spending money inappropriately on food, factory farming, highly processed foods - all of these things can be related to more or less serious inappropriate uses of food.

As for why gluttony is a sin, I would say it is for pretty much the same reasons that lust is a sin. Lust is not necessarily about quantity alone either - it is about inappropriate use as well.
 
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StormInside

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Food elitism, over-eating, dieting, controlling others through food, spending money inappropriately on food, factory farming, highly processed foods - all of these things can be related to more or less serious inappropriate uses of food.

I've got a question about the dieting and being picky. Suppose someone had been a serious compulsive overeater for years - so badly that they'd gotten terribly into debt buying excessive amounts of food, and had damaged their health. They are addicted, basically. They can only stop by limiting themselves to plain foods from now on, because they know that if they eat anything else, they'll binge again. The same way an ex alcoholic might totally avoid all drink if he knows he can't stop at just one. Would that count as being picky, or elitist or dieting?
 
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MKJ

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I've got a question about the dieting and being picky. Suppose someone had been a serious compulsive overeater for years - so badly that they'd gotten terribly into debt buying excessive amounts of food, and had damaged their health. They are addicted, basically. They can only stop by limiting themselves to plain foods from now on, because they know that if they eat anything else, they'll binge again. The same way an ex alcoholic might totally avoid all drink if he knows he can't stop at just one. Would that count as being picky, or elitist or dieting?

Addictions and disorders can absolutely be part of why people do these things, be they binging and purging, masturbation, alcohol use, or whatever.

A person who has to engage in a special sort of diet in order to deal with a real problem - like avoiding all alcohol - is not being picky or inappropriate, and more than a diabetic who refrains from alcohol or other foods for the same reason is.
 
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Maynard Keenan

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I think people are looking at this too much in the context of our society. Look at societies through most of human history, and in many parts of the world today. Food wasn't just abundant available for almost everyone all of the time. Hunger was a very real part of many people's lives. Malnutrition and starvation were real threats. Overindulgence in something that is somewhat scarce but necessary for sustaining life is going to leave even less for others to have and lead to increased suffering.
 
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