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Is being overweight a sin? - 10/21/2008 2:40:25 PM
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backrowbaptist
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I recently heard a pastor say that "the only sin a congregation will forgive it's pastor is gluttony". He was once overweight and is now a vegetarian. With all the threads on the questions tabacco, alcohol, etc., I thought I'd throw this in for discussion. I've never smoked or drank much, but I was overweight as a kid. The Bible talks about the body being a temple of Christ. Is neglecting it a sin, and if so, do we treat this sin differently than other sins against the body?
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RE: Is being overweight a sin? - 10/21/2008 2:57:41 PM
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solo_soprano22
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Being overweight is not a sin. Being a glutton is. One can be overweight and not a glutton; one can be rail thin and be a glutton.
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RE: Is being overweight a sin? - 10/21/2008 2:58:53 PM
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elastic
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being overweight itself is not a sin. you can be thin and overeat. i suppose that by being fat, it appears that you are sinful because you must have done 'something' to get that way. however, there are multiple factors behind what causes one to be fat. overeating is just one way to get there. some have a genetic pre-disposition to hang on to every fat cell, some have a sickness or disease and becoming fat is a symptom of that. you just can't really look at a person, and by looking at them determine that they are sinning. also, gluttony is more than just eating too much food. it is too much of anything, too much money, too much alcohol, too much surfing the internet. if it is something you have to do that overshadows all else, i would say it is gluttony. of course, there will be people who will post here that will say that being overweight itself is sinful...and to that person i would say...."i hope you greet me with a hug when i see you in heaven, because fat or not, that's where i will be one day"....all the skinny people will be shocked, for sure
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RE: Is being overweight a sin? - 10/21/2008 3:02:50 PM
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crankius
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Good post, elastic. How are we going to define "overweight"?
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RE: Is being overweight a sin? - 10/21/2008 3:03:32 PM
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solo_soprano22
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quote:
ORIGINAL: elastic being overweight itself is not a sin. you can be thin and overeat. i suppose that by being fat, it appears that you are sinful because you must have done 'something' to get that way. however, there are multiple factors behind what causes one to be fat. overeating is just one way to get there. some have a genetic pre-disposition to hang on to every fat cell, some have a sickness or disease and becoming fat is a symptom of that. you just can't really look at a person, and by looking at them determine that they are sinning. I have learned that many in the forums believe that being overweight is due solely to laziness, overeating, eating the wrong things, or a combination of all of those. Don't see too many who actually give biology a thought. :) Perhaps that's part of the problem (I think it is).
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RE: Is being overweight a sin? - 10/21/2008 3:15:16 PM
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elastic
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quote:
I have learned that many in the forums believe that being overweight is due solely to laziness, overeating, eating the wrong things, or a combination of all of those. tell me about it. over my few years here, i have heard (read) it all on what people think about us fatties...especially in the men's folder. boy, over there the truth comes out. i have learned that i am: lazy gluttenous unmotivated alone stupid disgusting etc, and just a miriad of other things. people on the board, and just in regular life in general, are always judging before they meet somone or get to know them. "oh look, that girl is fat. she must be lazy and she probably eats constantly. she obviously doesn't take care of herself or respect herself at all" yeah, well, that couldn't be further from the truth. they don't see that i am some sort of anomaly. i eat healthily, i work out at least 3 times a week, i teach fitness classes, i walk pretty much everywhere (no car here in the city)...even in the subway i am bombarded with steps that make even the skinniest of minnies winded....but i do it. i am not afraid to sweat, i am not afraid of gyms...i just do what i do and yet i am fat. i don't lose weight, but i don't gain weight either. i have been at the same weight for the past 5 or 6 years now. most people are so intent on dieting that they lose the weight and then eventually put it back on...not me. i feel like i have more important things to focus on than calorie counting. i DO NOT just eat whatever i want or as much as i want, so don't say that that is the problem. i just choose not to obsess over everything. i drink lots of water, eat lots of vedgies and get plenty of exercise. even my doctors are stunned. they keep telling me that i will have high this and high that, but my BP and sugar levels are normal....everything is normal except that visually, i appear larger than the average human. do i overeat sometimes? you betcha. you would be lying if you said you never over eat. all of us would. anyway, off my soap box. there will always be those people who will call me names and make judgements.....i guess that is their opinion. as for me, i am happy in my own skin. God loves me, i was created in His image, and my DH loves me, and as far as i'm concerned, that is all i need
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RE: Is being overweight a sin? - 10/21/2008 3:31:37 PM
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Qtman
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quote:
ORIGINAL: elastic quote:
I have learned that many in the forums believe that being overweight is due solely to laziness, overeating, eating the wrong things, or a combination of all of those. tell me about it. over my few years here, i have heard (read) it all on what people think about us fatties...especially in the men's folder. boy, over there the truth comes out. i have learned that i am: lazy gluttenous unmotivated alone stupid disgusting etc, and just a miriad of other things. people on the board, and just in regular life in general, are always judging before they meet somone or get to know them. "oh look, that girl is fat. she must be lazy and she probably eats constantly. she obviously doesn't take care of herself or respect herself at all" yeah, well, that couldn't be further from the truth. they don't see that i am some sort of anomaly. i eat healthily, i work out at least 3 times a week, i teach fitness classes, i walk pretty much everywhere (no car here in the city)...even in the subway i am bombarded with steps that make even the skinniest of minnies winded....but i do it. i am not afraid to sweat, i am not afraid of gyms...i just do what i do and yet i am fat. i don't lose weight, but i don't gain weight either. i have been at the same weight for the past 5 or 6 years now. most people are so intent on dieting that they lose the weight and then eventually put it back on...not me. i feel like i have more important things to focus on than calorie counting. i DO NOT just eat whatever i want or as much as i want, so don't say that that is the problem. i just choose not to obsess over everything. i drink lots of water, eat lots of vedgies and get plenty of exercise. even my doctors are stunned. they keep telling me that i will have high this and high that, but my BP and sugar levels are normal....everything is normal except that visually, i appear larger than the average human. do i overeat sometimes? you betcha. you would be lying if you said you never over eat. all of us would. anyway, off my soap box. there will always be those people who will call me names and make judgements.....i guess that is their opinion. as for me, i am happy in my own skin. God loves me, i was created in His image, and my DH loves me, and as far as i'm concerned, that is all i need You left out unattractive. Well according to the men's only folder. May I say Bless your heart for your post it was an excellent one. Far to many people look only at the exterior of other people without a clue as to what is on the inside. I wonder if they would look at houses the same way. But then again maybe they do. And to stay on topic no being overweight is not a sin.
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RE: Is being overweight a sin? - 10/21/2008 3:39:20 PM
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Peter_Gunn
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Q. Is being overweight a sin? A. Only if you aren't Baptist.
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RE: Is being overweight a sin? - 10/21/2008 3:45:27 PM
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rcjames
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Being overweight by whose standards? I am consider myself a pretty good Bilbe student and I have not as yet found a fat index figure that if one passed it, then it would constitute a sin? Thanks RC
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RE: Is being overweight a sin? - 10/22/2008 2:11:12 PM
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solo_soprano22
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Hislittleone quote:
i have heard (read) it all on what people think about us fatties...especially in the men's folder. boy, over there the truth comes out. Yeah, unfortunately I read that thread. It was really discouraging to hear brothers in Christ speaking that way. Elastic, I admire your outlook. Thanks for sharing. quote:
I am consider myself a pretty good Bilbe student and I have not as yet found a fat index figure that if one passed it, then it would constitute a sin? LOL! Our society is so focused on being thin it's ridiculous. Look at all the health problems men and women are encountering in their quest for the perfect size (anorexia, bulimia etc.). I mean, there's even new trend called pregorexia! How scary is that?! Women are going to end up harming their babies in an effort to stay thin during pregnancy. I think being glutonous is sinful. Being large doesn't always equal glutonous. We should take care of our health but as it has already been stated not all people who are "overweight" are unhealty just like all "thin" people aren't necessarily healthy either. I knew someone who gained weight with pregnancy and ended up taking diet pills to get rid of the extra weight. She got hooked on those things and it changed her personality. So even though she may have appeared healthier on the outside, she really wasn't. I was reading about some study (probably sociological or psychological study) where women said they tried to eat well/diet/exercise, or do whatever it was they were doing, NOT to be healthy, but to be skinny. Only a few said they were actually concerned about being healthy.
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RE: Is being overweight a sin? - 10/22/2008 8:57:52 PM
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Prairiehiker
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I have 10 sisters who are all about 30 lbs heavier than me. We're all relatively the same height, maybe one or two inches difference. They all claim to eat healthy, and most of them own a treadmill. Me, I lead a very active lifestyle, exercise regularly, and I eat whatever I want but know my limits. I'm thin. I'm athletic looking, and I look 10 years younger for my age, maybe more. When we get together, they all say they hate me because I remain forever thin and young, and they say they do everything right but they can't lose weight. They all blame me fro having a higher metabolism, for being small boned, for having worms in my stomach who eats all the fatty stuff from my food, lol, for anything that they can blame on me. Yeah, right. If they want to be thin, then do what I do. Use their treadmill, don't snack all the time (for a lot of people, snacking isn't considered eating, which is a big mistake) and good grief, stop being a couch potato. (sorry, this is a rant, because it's an issue that's starting to bug me!) Is being overweight a sin? If one is not taking responsibilty, one is not being honest about themselves and their lifestyle, one is overly jealous and envious of thin people, one is blaming everyone and everthing for their "fatness", then, yeah, they are sinning. Not because they are overweight, but because they are not admitting to how they are contributing to their misery.
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RE: Is being overweight a sin? - 10/22/2008 10:19:26 PM
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gaylel1
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quote:
Is being overweight a sin? If one is not taking responsibilty, one is not being honest about themselves and their lifestyle, one is overly jealous and envious of thin people, one is blaming everyone and everthing for their "fatness", then, yeah, they are sinning. Not because they are overweight, but because they are not admitting to how they are contributing to their misery. But what about the "thin" people who are forever starving themselves, skipping meals and not "eating and killing themselves just as "fat people" are? It goes both ways. Then again and especially some Christians on this fourm every time this kind of thread come up, those of us who are not of "normal size" are looked down upon and even to the point that they "never amount to nothing", even if we try to lose weight and try to get healthy, we are still looked down upon because men and women want the '"perfect sized" person-- And when I read a thread about this subject, I bought into those things because this is what the enemy wants those negative thoughts about yourselves, especially from Christians. Ladies and gentleman, there is no such thing as perfection. And don't get me started talking about this here. We buy into this junk about visual and vice versa and not knowing that the spirit inside them, which is the holy spirit will attract a person, not physical attibutes, because we all know that we are a bunch of earthly tabernacles which can fade away at any time. We are not to live forever. It is not to say we are to take care of ourselves. I'm starting to go into the gym. I'm not doing this to get a man, but I'm doing this now because I want to and for me.
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RE: Is being overweight a sin? - 10/22/2008 11:09:01 PM
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1love1God1way
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What defined "gluttony" and sin when the Bible was written? Did they take in account genes and all this then, or was fat just "gluttonous" back then? We need to make sure we are interpreting Scripture within its context, so what is it that Scripture is saying?
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RE: Is being overweight a sin? - 10/23/2008 12:07:52 AM
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Ezra
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quote:
ORIGINAL: 1love1God1way What defined "gluttony" and sin when the Bible was written? Did they take in account genes and all this then, or was fat just "gluttonous" back then? We need to make sure we are interpreting Scripture within its context, so what is it that Scripture is saying? Both gluttony and sin are well-defined in the Bible, and the "context" is not just "back then" but "here and now". The Bible is written for all men in all ages, so let's not get off on this tangent. If gluttony leads to being overweight, then the whole package is sinful. And every "fatty" should know whether they are overweight because of gluttony. Those who have a genuine medical problem may be few and far between. The average American eats far more than necessary to maintain and sustain oneself. Therefore we do have a gluttonous society. The problem is honestly admitting it and dealing with it. Also, overeating is a way to relieve stress for many. That too could be considered a sin, since we are to relieve stress through prayer and fasting, and "whatsoever is not of faith is sin". Since the Bible is very clear about moderation in all things and denial of "the flesh", then this issue cannot be simply dodged with "when the Bible was written" and "were genes different then" than they are today. The human race hasn't changed genetically since Adam.
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RE: Is being overweight a sin? - 10/23/2008 1:33:33 AM
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J_Michael80
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Ezra If gluttony leads to being overweight, then the whole package is sinful. This is an excellent post. The question we should be asking ourselves is not whether being overweight is sinful. Rather, why are you overweight? Are you overweight because you are a gluttonous eater? If yes, then you need to CORRECT your lifestyle...... If no, then I respect your medical condition or any symptom you have.
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RE: Is being overweight a sin? - 10/23/2008 11:19:59 AM
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1love1God1way
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Ezra, Yes, I agree. What I meant was, we tend to more and more and more attribute some medical cause to people to justify their condition. Just like the rampant amount of people who are "ADD" now, so too are people being told that their overweightness is not their fault. I wasn't sure if the Bible writers even gave room for someone who was "fat" but not necessarily "gluttonous" as we have today, or back then if you were "fat" then you were automatically considered a "glutton." Although, I also imagine during those times, it was harder to get fat, given their diet and their work-lives. Maybe those that were fat then, really did have a problem, because the lives that they had to live demanded more out of them (even down to the little things of having to walk so much more than us). Perhaps gluttony went more hand-in-hand with laziness than it does today. Today one can be really "busy" but still not use much physical excursion. And they didn't have McDonalds back then. That probably helped too. Well, I'm just thinking outloud here. . .
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RE: Is being overweight a sin? - 10/23/2008 11:31:08 AM
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Tinkerbell_
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I think the food back then makes a HUGE difference. I read an article a while back about a woman who lived like the Amish for a week. She walked EVERYWHERE, baked her own bread, cooked the large meals like they ate...stuff like that. She ended up losing 15 pounds and she was eating much more than she normally did. Merriam-Webster's says a glutton is: one given habitually to greedy and voracious eating and drinking. With that in mind, I picture a large king sittting at a buffet table doing nothing but eating large amounts of food while his people starved.
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RE: Is being overweight a sin? - 10/23/2008 1:57:20 PM
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IonMoon
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Biology can be the problem, even if someone does not have a "medical condition" that causes obesity. Studies have found that for most people who are overweight, they got that way eating the same foods in the same amounts as everyone else. But different people's bodies process those same calories in different ways. So... to look at someone who is over weight and assume they are more or less gluttonous than someone of average or under-weight is judgemental. My ds and his friend are good examples. They spend a lot of time together. Their activity levels are equivalent & they are almost exactly the same height. My ds is a bit overweight, his friend is quite a bit underweight. But, the friend eats nearly double what my ds does. We took him to a pizza buffet once and he ate more than the three other people there combined. Also- when someone changes their habits, the results take quite a while to show. I weigh 200lbs. To look at me, you would not know that I just lost 24 lbs, that I don't eat junk food/fast food/restaurant food, etc AT ALL, that I exercise 60-120 mins/day including jogging. But... I am sure there are people who look at me and think I must be lazy and gluttonous. Tara P
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RE: Is being overweight a sin? - 10/23/2008 2:16:46 PM
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Child4Jesus
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No being fat is not a sin. However I think the pendulum swings both ways. I think some people can be too quick to see a fat person and think they are a glutton. On the other hand I also think blaming genes alone is also not the answer. I don't know much about biology and such but I don't think someone who gets up to 800lbs is just eating like everyone else and his/her body is just holding on to fat cells.
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RE: Is being overweight a sin? - 10/23/2008 3:00:18 PM
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elastic
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luckily, the majority of fat people aren't 800 pounds. that is a very small segment of the fat population. i don't know what goes on in a person's life that would allow them to grow to that size. i have personally known one SSW (super size woman) who was at a normal weight, living a very active lifestyle when she had a car accident that threw her all out of balance. she became disabled and basically lived her life in one of those hoveround type vehicles. within three or 4 years, she had balooned to SSW status. gaining a tremendous amount of weight due to inactivity ( i would guess). her eating habits didn't change, but her activity level did. it went down. i'm sure there were other things at work in her body that helped her gain the weight, but she was not in a happy place at all....distraught would be the word. i still can't judge her because i don't know what it's like to go from being perfectly healthy one minute, to being SSW just a few short years later. i have always been fat. i don't blame anyone. i don't blame genetics or my parents. i don't think i have a reason to blame anyone because i don't see my fat as something that is in need of an excuse. i am fat, it is what i am, and it is most likely what i will always be, barring direct intervention from God. i have embraced the fact that i am larger than most other people. i don't lie to myself about how much i eat....i DO count snacks as food. everything that goes in has some sort of calorie attached to it...and more than that, it has a dollar sign attached to it. I am very budget conscious so i don't eat out at places a lot. i might order lunch with ladies in the office once a week...i haven't had McDonald's in months. I don't drink sodas often...perhaps once or twice a month. I'm a water drinker. even if i have coffee, it's decaf (don't stone me coffee drinkers, a lot of caff gives me headaches. i still love coffee, really i do ) sadly, people don't know me or care about how i treat my body, or care about what i put into it...they only LOOK at me and assume that I am not a good steward of my temple. i know i said earlier that there are times that i overeat. but my skinny, skinny husband does as well. but i know there have been times when everyone posting in this thread, even the active, active, active prairie hiker has overeaten. it's just that fat people don't have permission to overeat, since they obviously do it everyday. that is just not true. my husband makes all my lunches for me and he cooks dinner for us as well. we eat the same things. when we order out, we order 2 meals and share them......he doesn't gain an ounce,,,in fact, he loses quickly. people's bodies are different. it's just a fact. and like it or not (it's not an excuse at all) genetics does play a role....not everyone can have a full head of hair, not everyone can be exactly 5'8, not everyone can have green eyes....we are all wonderfully made. and since everyone can't be the same height, with the same hair color and hair thickness, then it just goes to show that not everyone can be the same weight. it's common sense really.
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"Let's get something straight, kid. The only reason you're still conscious is because I don't want to carry you. " Jack Bauer I Stand with Israel!
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RE: Is being overweight a sin? - 10/23/2008 4:08:18 PM
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phosadaud
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Anyone who thinks they can make value judgements about another individual simply by how heavy they are needs a serious reality check and should be on their knees repenting from their attitude. There is a reason the Bible doesn't tell folks they are sinning if they don't lose those excess pounds. THAT is not the issue. The fact is, there are many reasons for where we land in the body size arena. Age, health, activity level, eating habits, biology, etc. It's not a simple equation like people seem to think it is. I was fairly underweight when I was younger and got the opposite end of the spectrum when it came to judging by body size. People would assume that I must be anorexic or obsessed with my weight. If I wasn't particularly hungry because I wasn't feeling well, people would judge that as being "proof" that I had an eating disorder. If I ate a huge meal, people would judge that as proof that I was "lucky". It was all so hurtful - and at least I had great friends who stuck up for me and knew the truth. The facts: I had a naturally high metabolism at the time, I had some stomach problems and I was always doing something. But, people thought they could make value judgements about me because of my size. Then, I turned 30. I had started a medication that helped my stomach which in turn resulted in weight gain. My metabolism slowed because of my age (this is typical for women in my family at this age). I never was "technically" overweight, but I was right there on the edge. I didn't gain the weight because I started "sinning" or "became" a glutton. In fact, as I have gotten older, I actually eat less than I used to when I was underweight and in college. Then, I went off the medication and at the same time started running to help with a career change. I started losing weight again because my stomach started giving me troubles again and I was doing a ton of running & working out to prepare for this career change. I wasn't losing weight because I had "stopped" sinning or because I had turned from my "gluttonous ways" (didn't have them). Now I am back at a very good weight and feel great (back on the meds for my tummy) and I love running now so I've kept up at it. Does that make me "better" than my co-worker who is overweight but running too and eating sensibly? Absolutely not! How absurd that we think how many pounds you weigh is a spiritual barometer! That isn't anywhere in Scripture and there's a reason for that. Gluttony and sloth CAN result in weight gain, or you can be a glutton and slothful and be as skinny as a stick. One's weight is not evidence of those sins (or the lack of those sins). And seeing a heavy person eat a single piece of cake is no more evidence of their spirituality than seeing a skinny person eat a single piece of cake. So, stop judging folks by standard the bible doesn't use and no matter WHAT your size, look into your heart and ask the Lord to help purify it from sin. In some cases, that may actually result in weight loss or better health - but that is between God and the individual NOT some stranger on the street and the individual. To be honest, I find that the sins I am quickest to judge in others are often the ones that have taken the deepest root in my heart. So, if you find yourself wanting to slam overweight people, maybe the sin issue has more to do with you and your heart than it does with their weight.
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