Is overeating a sin?!

[crimsonxbeauty]

I'm overweight and I've always had a problem with overeating... it is such a struggle and I've always wondered... is this addiction I have sin?! Is eating more than I need a sin?

 

[Jenna]

I would say that any time a person allows themselves to overindulge and harm their bodies, it is sinful. Gluttony is definitely not the way to properly care for our bodies, but like all sin and addictive behavior, it can be overcome.

Here is a resource that has been amazing in changing the way that I look at food. I hope that it can be of some help to you. http://www.settingcaptivesfree.com
They have an online course called "The Lord's Table" that is absolutely wonderful. I recommend it highly.

 

[chaelsworld0o]

Like Jenna said, Overeating = Gluteny ( 1 of the "7 deadly sins") If it replaces spending time with God then it definintly is.

 

[mandapanda445]

i dont think i overeat, but i definetly feel more comfortable eating something. i do overeat once in a while. i am a healthy weight now, but i did have a bad bout of anorexia nervosa and i always scared that i will lapse into that again.i would rather be overweight then go through anorexia again. it just comforts me to eat, but i dont overeat i think. thank you for that link, that was quite helpful.

 

[crimsonxbeauty]

I dunno.... I don't think its getting in my way when it comes to my relationship with Christ at all.... I dunno I've gotten it a lot more under control than when I was younger... now it comes down to more the choices I make when eating... but I also break all the promises I make to myself when it comes to eating though... like if I promise that I wont eat any cookies or something I break after 10 minutes of temptation.

 

[Nikolas222]

I say eat what you need, but dont eat so much food that it limits the consumption of others so that they get a tiny meal when you eat a feast.

Being overweight doesnt matter too much when dealing with sin. I think that most of the time, it really all depends on metabolism. I eat fast food and fatty and sugary foods almost every day and I am 5' 3" and weigh 103.5. My metabolism works very well, where as some have a slow one, like my dad, who eats a normal plate of food, but he is a bit overweight.

 

[Oblivious]

Yes, Gluttony is a sin as mentioned in the Bible.

 

[crimsonxbeauty]

Thank you SOOO much Jenna for that web site... I started the program today and I hope and pray I can stick to it for the 60 days. I'm so stoked that this program will bring me super close to Jesus as I'm going through it and help me to not be addicted to eating. Its the first day and it has been a struggle but I'm being more aware of things. Today is a "half day" where I eat half portions and its a lot easier than only being able to eat certain things... Today I went to starbucks and got a Tall instead of a venti.. and I ate half a bagel for breakfast. That web site is really a blessing. Thank you.

 

[Flock of Mine]

Would you really consider over eating gluttony if it is truely an addiction, though?

 

[Jenna]

*nods* I would consider over-eating gluttony, if it is an addiction. I don't see the difference between a person who commonly gets drunk and a drunkard either. Still, we all have areas that we struggle, so no one is any better than another. What is easy for one person in their walk of faith is a struggle for another. Addiction is a dangerous thing, since we allow ourselves to be controlled when we know that it is unhealthy for us and is against what God would want from us. So, in a manner, gluttony is a matter of putting food before God, idolatry. Because you can't just abstain from eating, it can be a very hard situation for many people to get a handle of. Thank God that through Him all things are possible! Addictions come in all types, but God is stronger than all of them, even if we feel that we aren't.

http://www.settingcaptivesfree.com

 

[Miss Molly]

WOW! I had to look! I have had it said to me that over eating is a sin and I can refer to the Word of God where it talks about gluttony but like you I have many questions in my mind about what constitutes as glutton and want constitutes as an illness? When I have vitamin/mineral deficiencies and I don't realize it, I cram certain kinds of foods in me just can't get enough and finally will realize that I am in excess and call my MD and we do blood work and will find certain defeciencies and so sometimes when I eat past full and I am craving food it is actually be unwell. But I am also guilty of filling voids in my life by eating junk food and in excess. So I read the responses and it gives me food for thought.

Blessings,

Love,
Miss Molly

 

[crimsonxbeauty]

So I read the responses and it gives me food for thought.

Haha food for thought... I found that entertaining....

 

[Jenna]

As always, if you feel that you are really lacking something that dramatically, you might want to check with your doctor.

As for the overeating, there are times for feasting, and admittedly we are more likely going to eat a bit much then. During a time of celebration, there doesn't seem to be as big a deal over portion control. I mean, Jesus turned water to wine, well aware that folks were going to live it up. He gave them wine, not a tirade against drunkeness. I think that it goes to show a little that there are times when it is more acceptable to indulge a bit, but there is a big difference between having an extra helping of pie at a wedding celebration versus packing on 15 lbs. through horrible eating from November through December, or any time throughout the year really. lol

Crimson, I am so glad that you are enjoying the course so far. Let me tell you, when I hit a true fast day, I was pretty shaky. However, with getting my mind where it is supposed to be during fast (God), I found it to be a great experience. I love how the focus isn't on weight loss, but on the spiritual aspects of treating the body well and keeping the heart, mind, and soul focus on the Lord.

 

[sunnyshine]

Make sure whatever you do to change your weight is a long term lifestyle, not just a diet. Diets don't work in the long run.

When I was 13 (and about 20 pounds overweight) my church focused for awhile on gluttony being a sin. I used eating as a way to cope with negative feelings and memories, but I didn't want to be wrong in God's eyes, so I basically started starving myself and found that numbed my feelings away, and over the period of a few months devloped anorexia -- which later lead to bulimia -- something I still struggle with today. Point being there are REASONS that you are overeating, emotions inside that need to be brought out and dealt with. If not, then you could simply eat when you are hungry and stop when you are full. If something else is driving you to overeat then it IS an addiction. God loves you just the same and you are forgiven through Jesus his son, so don't focus on the fact that it makes you a "bad person" -- a high number of eating disorders in churches these days come from that way of thinking. Sadly enough, anorexia is deemed as something "holy" and "pure" while other eating addictions involving overeating are deemed as "sinful" -- in reality they are all harmful to your body and to your spirit. Think of it as not healthy spiritually or physically and have faith that God can heal you!

The fact that food is literally EVERYWHERE in huge portions doesn't help. A large fry from McDonald's in 1960 contained 200 calories. A large fry in 1980 contained 450 calories. A large fry in 2000 - 610 calories! The normalization of excess has tended to erase almost all the signals that tell us, "that's enough! in fact, that's too much!"

It can be a long and difficult journey, normalizing eating behavior. Realizing that over-idulgence is wrong and repenting is the first step! Followed by a modified lifestyle, directed by God. Don't avoid accountability. Best of luck to you!

I also find this interesting...

It was not until the sixth century that Pope Gregory the Great classified gluttony -- along with pride, greed, lust, envy, anger, and sloth -- as one of the gravest perils to the soul. Theologians have come up with some rather odd justifications for this. One of them is that since the glutton worships his belly instead of God, he is guilty of a kind of idolatry. A second is that gluttony, though perhaps not so bad in itself, leads to other evils.

St. Thomas Aquinas -- a hefty fellow himself, as it happens -- declared that gluttony had "six daughters": "excessive and unseemly joy" are the first two, followed by "loutishness, uncleanness, talkativeness, and an uncomprehending dullness of mind." Others have claimed that gluttony paves the way to lechery. "When the belly is full to bursting with food and drink, debauchery knocks at the door," wrote the medieval German monk Thomas a Kempis. Now, there may be some validity to the "drink" part of that: After seven Cosmopolitans, people will do just about anything. But does a gargantuan repast really put one in the mood for fornication? More likely it conduces to slumbrous chastity.

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/articles/2003/11/23/the_deadliest_sin/

Google "is gluttony a sin" and you'll find all kinds of interesting info

 

[crimsonxbeauty]

Sadly enough, anorexia is deemed as something "holy" and "pure" while other eating addictions involving overeating are deemed as "sinful" -- in reality they are all harmful to your body and to your spirit.

I really don't think anorexia is deemed as 'holy' and 'pure' it is harmful to the body as you said and God said himself that the body is a temple. Of course there is fasting, but I don't think he meant that in an anorexic sort of way. He wants our hearts to be right. Most people whom are anorexic don't have their hearts in the right place, just like overeaters. It saddens me though that anorexic people get hospitalized and given tons of help for their eating disorder, but overeaters have to fight it on their own. (I'm thinking in a worldly sense... of course we have our Lord and Savior Jesus)

 

[sunnyshine]

I really don't think anorexia is deemed as 'holy' and 'pure' it is harmful to the body as you said and God said himself that the body is a temple. Of course there is fasting, but I don't think he meant that in an anorexic sort of way. He wants our hearts to be right. Most people whom are anorexic don't have their hearts in the right place, just like overeaters. It saddens me though that anorexic people get hospitalized and given tons of help for their eating disorder, but overeaters have to fight it on their own. (I'm thinking in a worldly sense... of course we have our Lord and Savior Jesus)

Well, if you take a look throughout history, depriving yourself of food was seen as a very holy thing to do, I'm too tired to look up links atm lol, but society definately sees this in a different light ("glamorous" -- "someone with a strong will") than it does overeating... (I was referring to society thinking of anorexia as 'pure', not God, just to clarify, I'm not sure how you read into that...) there is definately a HUGE difference between fasting for GOD and denying yourself food because you want to lose weight or numb your feelings -- the first is totally selfless; the second is selfish in ways...

 

[crimsonxbeauty]

Day 04 of The Lords Table and I quit. I'm over it. The past 4 days have been the worst days of my life. I've been unhappy, all I could think about the whole time was how fat I am and how much I hate myself. I prefer living in the "sin" of eating... I'd rather eat myself to death than confront this ****. I've had to confront it before and I don't want to do it again. It just sends me into a fricken suicidal rage. I'm done!

 

[crimsonxbeauty]

Ok..... I'm sticking witht he program. Yesterday was oh man. I've talked with people and prayed about it all. I've come to realize my flesh is fighting what I"m doing and the devil has been attacking me because I'm trying to come closer to the Lord and having realized that it has been easier. I just need prayers and I need to remember to focus on God and pray myself. This really is a good program I'm just very stubborn. Thank you all! God Bless!

 

[LiberatedChick]

I would say that any time a person allows themselves to overindulge and harm their bodies, it is sinful. Gluttony is definitely not the way to properly care for our bodies, but like all sin and addictive behavior, it can be overcome.

Here is a resource that has been amazing in changing the way that I look at food. I hope that it can be of some help to you. http://www.settingcaptivesfree.com
They have an online course called "The Lord's Table" that is absolutely wonderful. I recommend it highly.

Thank you for giving this web address. Whilst I do not over eat I do binge drink and have found a course on there which I hope will help me.

 

[crimsonxbeauty]

Yeah... binge drinking isn't good. I really hope the program helps you! I'll be praying for you. God Bless!