Discussion Board

Do you ever notice that gluttony is never or very rarely mentioned in sermons? I always hear about drugs & alcohol, pride, anger, lust, laziness, but never gluttony. I even sometimes hear junk food/chocolate/coffee/fast food anecdotes weaved into the sermon like it's a good thing.

As Dr. McD has said most people "feast" every day. But it seems a lot of people are feasting daily and feasting extra on holidays and Holy Days.

You are so right, Soliver. It's as though gluttony has become a secret sin, or something. No one wants to admit it's a sin, because, well..., we'd have to change!

Blessings,
Jubilee

It's interesting that you should mention this. There is an article in this month's Atlantic Monthly by B.R. Myers, 'The Moral Crusade Against Foodies' about gluttony.

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc ... dies/8370/

Great topic. Thanks for that article, too, Rob. Eye-opening. Never thought of Food Network and its ilk as feeding the gluttony of junkies. But, how else could we explain Paula Deen? LOL

Yes, this is a great topic and one that, along with greed, is often neglected.

Actually, I think the two are intimately connected...because when I eat more than I need (what is healthy for me) in terms of both food and money, I am using more than my share of valuable resources...and I can think of several ways I could use the resources to bless others.

The two reasons that many of us have done that with little thought is that it is considered normal ("You have to live (meaning to "enjoy" eating all manner of rich food)!") and because of food addictions. I have repented and know there is really no good argument one can make to defend living to eat (gluttony). There is no doubt in my mind that Paula Dean and many others like her contribute to the obsession with eating poorly and excessively.

pinkrose:

Wonderful points. I am just coming around to the idea that my own excesses with food are morally wrong. I truly never though of it that way in the past. As for TV, can you imagine a network glorifying the excesses of drug abuse? I once saw a special on "competitive eating!" Goodness. I doubt "competitve free-basing" would fly.

I had not thought about the shows about intense eating as condoning gluttony. Just avoid them as they are sickening.
Really the shows that glorify huge amounts of meat. It is a new slant on it all
THat said , it is also a new slant on my own excesses. Past and Present. Must improve myself. Then maybe some will take me for an example.

We had an interesting debate at work the other day. The question came up as to whether one had a moral obligation to take care of one's health. One side of the debate was that yes. You are morally obligated to not spend other peoples' money to take care of your health. In the same way one would not waste water or gasoline, one should not waste tax dollars for Medicare or Medicaid to treat illness that can be cured through a proper diet. The other side of the debate is that you pay money into the system and have a right to get it out again. Let the government pay for your prescription drugs - it is after all your money. Except, of course, that it isn't. What goes into paying for medical expenses, especially near end-of-life, can far exceed what was paid in during working years. And that's if the person worked at all. So are you morally obligated to not just medicate, but to 'cure' your obesity, type-two diabetes or heart disease?
Kate

Good points everyone made. I never thought that my actions were sinful when I'd buy a chocolate bar at the store and eat it on the way home, but I sure did hide the wrapper in the trash bin before I came into the house!

I did the same thing with my candy bars, Soliver, for way too many years of my life.

Very interesting article, Rob.

I think any time we feel ashamed of something we should examine what we did and why we did it, and that includes eating. I am an utter failure when it comes to food, I'm as addicted as a person on meth. I've learned by making healthy choices the cravings become less and less so I do think there's something physiological about overeating. However, we still need to control our impulses, no matter how strong they are. Unfortunately constant exposure to temptation through the media doesn't help!

Katydid, what was your take on that discussion... are we morally obligated to take care of our health? The Good Book says our bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit, and if that's true I'm pretty sure He doesn't like living in my temple one bit.

I don't know how guilty I feel toward society in general. Hope I feel like being a good steward.
But I do know how I feel about taking the best care of myself for my children. I mean they are all grown. BUT I don't want to be a burden in any way that I can avoid.
I feel , since I have been given this imformation, I really am obligated to use it wisely.
Some things cannot be avoided. Or some damages may not be reverseable. But I feel, I should do all I can.
I am helping care for a friend who has brain cancer. I do not know if she could have avoided it with the McDougall plan. I mean I only shared it with her about a year ago, and probably the cancer had been there for a long time?? At any rate, if any action of mine can spare my loved ones from dealing with a situation similar to hers, I will certianly try for it.
And the cost. She is getting treatments that are 10,000 a dose!!
And the results --if any --cannot be seen except possibly by MRI.
I think I am sort of ranting or rambling here.
Sorry.

Great points, Merriweather!

If we tried to make a list of all of the people affected by our health (or diseases), we would be unable to list everyone! So as I think about what you wrote, I think about those who are closest to me. I want to be the best I can be FOR THEM spiritually, mentally and physically.

This is one reason that when I was recently in the USA, I strictly followed the MWL program. Nobody else I was with over there ate the way I did but at least I was giving them the best example I could give them in regard to eating...and hopefully in regard to a few other things. The fact that others will not follow our examples must not deter us from making the best decisions we can. If we fail to try, we know we will fail.

I also mentioned to others in the USA (where many are financially pressed) that I can eat well for about $5/day there while many there will spend much more than that on food...unnecessarily. This is the part related to greed. Should I really feel entitled to spend 2x, 3x or 4x as much on food as necessary (in terms of the best nutrition) while others do not have enough money for food or other necessities?

"16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 19 This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence 20 whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything." (1 John 3, NIV)

There is so much about food that is tied to nurturing.
We show our love to our family by cooking.
It is funny, right now I am listening to Dr. Neal Barnard.
He said he had written several books before his mother would even try his plan!! So I guess we all have problems sharing our idea.
I just remember my journey to Christ. I met so many people who shared with me. It was a long journey, before I was ready to make a complete change in my life.
So when I share about our woe I remember that maybe I am just one of the building blocks that will lead some one to the eventual enlightenment

That is a beautiful way of sharing, no matter what the subject is.