Why Is Obesity Not A Sin?

[djones]

Ok, this is going to offend a lot of people! But seriously, think about it! Why is obesity not considered a sin? How is it that a 400 lb food addict/emotional eater can be considered perfectly "worthy" to get a temple recommend and can march right into the celestial kingdom when they have just as little self control over their body as the porn addict, the alcoholic, and the drug addict?

 

If you rationalize that obesity is anything other than a full blown addiction then you are in denial. It has all the same signs and symptoms, is just as damaging to the body if not worse, has the same addiction cycle as any other, etc. etc.. The obese person has no self control, no mastery of the flesh, isn't taking care of their temple, is shortening their mortal life from bad choices, and the list goes on and on. How is that any different from any other addiction that is considered a "sin"?

[stemelbow]

Ok, this is going to offend a lot of people! But seriously, think about it! Why is obesity not considered a sin? How is it that a 400 lb food addict/emotional eater can be considered perfectly "worthy" to get a temple recommend and can march right into the celestial kingdom when they have just as little self control over their body as the porn addict, the alcoholic, and the drug addict?

 

If you rationalize that obesity is anything other than a full blown addiction then you are in denial. It has all the same signs and symptoms, is just as damaging to the body if not worse, has the same addiction cycle as any other, etc. etc.. The obese person has no self control, no mastery of the flesh, isn't taking care of their temple, is shortening their mortal life from bad choices, and the list goes on and on. How is that any different from any other addiction that is considered a "sin"?

Everyone sins. Its simply been decided that obesity itself doesn't qualify one from exclusion from the temple.

[Sevenbak]

But it will get your school lunch menu changed by the First Lady.

[Jeanne]

I always thought it would be a great idea economically that if you tax cigarettes/booze then tax those people who weigh over 350 pounds for the 2nd or 3rd bag of chips/candy.  Have them show a blood pressure card or something that says it is okay.  Their health problems cost the tax payers just as much for health care and other issues.  Temple recommend aside, one should treat his body as a temple right?

[ERayR]

I always liked this scripture: 

Matthew 7:1-3King James Version (KJV)

7 Judge not, that ye be not judged.

² For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

³ And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

King James Version (KJV)

 

It be best to work on our own sins before condemning someone else.

[strappinglad]

I can see it now. The new TR question, Is your BMI under 30 ? All bishop offices will be equipped with a scale and height measuring device. No bishop or SP will be set apart if the BMI is over 25. They will have to grandfather this policy in , otherwise half the stakes in Utah will take a hit.

[MorningStar]

Obesity is a much more complex issue than a drug or alcohol addiction.  Your body does not ever need alcohol, cigarettes, etc. Everyone has to eat.  It would be rather unfair to label an obese child as a sinner because of what their parents are feeding them or for the lack of activity they do with them.  Sometimes it comes down to finances.  If you're poor, you're going to choose the bag of 99 cent white breads rather than the $3-5 whole grain bread.

 

Some people are obese due to health problems, injuries, or medications.  If you can't exercise, you're still going to be just as hungry as before when you could exercise.  Some skinny people can eat anything they want and can't gain weight, which is something my sister's best friend admits to.  She eats fast food all the time and is just as skinny as she was in high school before she had 5 kids, including a set of twins.  I knew a guy whose doctors couldn't figure out why he couldn't gain.  He can eat so much, his jaw hurts from chewing before he can ever get full.  He can eat an entire large pizza by himself and still not feel full.  They even tried putting him on a doughnut diet. 

 

I know skinny people who eat worse than obese people I know.  A relative of mine is super skinny, but she nurses a Coke all day and will sometimes grab a handful of chocolate chips for lunch.  She has high cholesterol, high triglycerides, and the C protein that indicates inflammation in the arteries.  No one would guess that she's at high risk of having a heart attack.  Then there's me.  I was skinny until put on a certain medication and I had very rapid weight gain.  I haven't had fast food or pop for four years, I exercise, have great cholesterol, perfect blood pressure, etc., but it is extremely difficult for me to lose weight now.  When I had my first appointment with that doctor, she asked me if I was anorexic.  I would like to go back and ask her if she still thinks I might be.    I have to completely deprive myself to lose weight except for when I'm pregnant.  Weight just falls off when I'm pregnant, even when I'm eating more.  At 7 months people were still asking me this time, "Have you lost weight?"  Since last September, I lost 50 pounds by depriving myself, usually only having a treat of any kind once a month or once every other month.  That also meant no crackers, chips, I ate whole grain everything, only water except for a little bit of skim milk every day, etc.  I didn't even have any sweets on Christmas.  I decided I would have to choose between Christmas and New Year's since they are a week apart.  When I have my one day with sweets, it sets me way back (when I'm not pregnant). 

 

I have a friend whose whole family is obese. She feeds her family healthy food and her daughter is one of the most active children I know, but she is overweight.  They have tried everything, but that seems to be the way her metabolism is.  She's healthy and active though. 

 

There are too many health issues that are genetic to decide that a person is sinning by what they eat.  Should we not allow people with high blood pressure to have a temple recommend?  How about Type II Diabetes?  Certain types of Cancer?

[Storm Rider]

Ok, this is going to offend a lot of people! But seriously, think about it! Why is obesity not considered a sin? How is it that a 400 lb food addict/emotional eater can be considered perfectly "worthy" to get a temple recommend and can march right into the celestial kingdom when they have just as little self control over their body as the porn addict, the alcoholic, and the drug addict?

 

If you rationalize that obesity is anything other than a full blown addiction then you are in denial. It has all the same signs and symptoms, is just as damaging to the body if not worse, has the same addiction cycle as any other, etc. etc.. The obese person has no self control, no mastery of the flesh, isn't taking care of their temple, is shortening their mortal life from bad choices, and the list goes on and on. How is that any different from any other addiction that is considered a "sin"?

 

Back up.  Who said it was not a sin or that they could just traipse into celestial kingdom?

[Mola Ram Suda Ram]

Oh no, not this thread again. It's not a sin because it is not a sin. Simple as that.

 

And don't assume that people are fat because they are "eating their 2nd and 3rd bag of candy or chips". 

[thesometimesaint]

Obesity isn't a sin just get rid of it as fast as you can. 

[bluebell]

It's also important to remember that being obese can also be caused by emotional issues.

People would probably be surprised by the number of obese women who were molested or raped as a child. Any kind of attention from men can be extremely frightening and being obese is a good deterrant from male attention, even if it happens subconsciously.

All of the issues mentioned is probably why being obese isn't considered a gateway issue in the church. Weight is not a good indicator of sinfulness in regards to our bodies.

[Mola Ram Suda Ram]

It's also important to remember that being obese can also be caused by emotional issues.

 

There are also medical issues at hand. My aunt, who is probably the nicest person I know, has a medical condition that makes her really really really large. She literally has no control over it. I think she could starve her self and still gain weight.

 

Is she sinning because she is so big? No way. No one who knows her could or would ever say that.

[LOSTONE]

Obesity is a hard thing to avoid these days. Not impossible, but hard. With the mass advertisements of easy, fast, ‘comfort’ foods in your face constantly everywhere you go. To the financial inabilities of most people to afford the high cost of healthier food choices. There are health reasons to motivate one to eat healthier, but not so much the financial resources to support such choices. It’s not that surprising that obesity is such a growing issue these days. Exercise is a if sometimes cause people live busy lives full of needs from work to family to just needing a moment to rest from life. And yes, food can be an emotional comfort addiction. The wrong choice for emotional comfort, but it does happen.  It’s hard to be weight minded and successful. Not impossible, but hard.

Is obesity a sin? No. No, I don’t see obesity as a sin, but I do see it as a threat to the health of people. I think if we approach obesity as a sin rather than a life problem than we won’t find a solution that helps, but rather add more guilt to those who suffer from obesity. Calling obesity a sin is only adding fuel to the fire that needs to be put out. Treating obesity as a life problem will open up solutions, options, and promote support to change. If we label obesity as a sin, I worry what else will be labels as a sin and how far this ‘sin labeling’ will go.

Obesity isn’t a sin. It’s a health and life problem needing to be address with practical thinking and support.

[Tacenda]

It's also important to remember that being obese can also be caused by emotional issues.

People would probably be surprised by the number of obese women who were molested or raped as a child. Any kind of attention from men can be extremely frightening and being obese is a good deterrant from male attention, even if it happens subconsciously.

All of the issues mentioned is probably why being obese isn't considered a gateway issue in the church. Weight is not a good indicator of sinfulness in regards to our bodies.

But overeating is right there with tobacco and alcohol abuse, often it's because of an abusive past, it's a crutch. I wish we could just not call any of it sin. But it can account for most sin. Those that are abused as children turn around and either abuse others or themselves, very sad & vicious cycling there.

[Thinking]

If you think that everybody has the same metabolism, then you are in denial. It would be very difficult to judge who was actually trying to lose weight and who wasn't. Keeping members out of the temple would encourage weight loss pills, poor eating habits, which would lead to eating disorders. Do you really want that?

 

I think you are forgetting that in a temple recommend interview the candidate judges himself. Although the bishop may happen to learn something about the candidate that disqualifies him, the bishop does not put on his investigative hat to try to catch the sinners sinning. The bishop asks questions and the candidate declares his worthiness.

 

Besides, do you really want one more thing for us critics to criticize?

[Kenngo1969]

Bottom line, yes, we'll all be accountable before God for how we (mis)use our mortal tabernacles, and people should eat a healthy, well-balanced diet, get plenty of rest, and get plenty of exercise.  It's easy for us to sit in judgment of our brothers and sisters, especially for visible and otherwise-apparent sins and shortcomings.  On the other side, perhaps we'll all be clamoring in judgment of one another, "You should have seen the way he pigged out at [fill-in-the-blank-with-establishment-here]!"  Whereupon Christ might say, "I see.  I agree; perhaps you're right that he should have taken better care of his mortal tabernacle [or fill in the blank with other pet sins for which we are fond of trying to judge one another here].  I wonder, though, if you know as much as you should know about the burdens he was carrying.  I know about those burdens, because I helped him carry them, and suffered their weight in the Garden of Gethsemane.  [see Alma 7:11-12, Doctrine & Covenants 45:3-5]."

 

We should all weed our own gardens and tend our own yards before attempting to look after our neighbors' property, no matter how ill-kempt we think the latter looks. 

Edited October 31, 2014 by Kenngo1969

[Avatar4321]

It's quite simple. I thought about it. Sin are improper thoughts or actions. Obesity isn't a thought or action. It's a state of being. How exactly can the adversary tempt you to do obesity? He can't.

now obesity can be the result of sin such as gluttony, sloth, or hate for oneself. But in those cases obesity isn't the sin, it's the consequence.

but we shouldn't conclude that someone is sinning simply because they are obese. Obesity can be the result of hormone imbalances, medications, or other completely unrelated issues that are common as a result of our fallen state.

It's because of this we should take Christ's counsel to "judge not by appearances, but judge righteous judgments" to heart

[USU78]

There are also medical issues at hand. My aunt, who is probably the nicest person I know, has a medical condition that makes her really really really large. She literally has no control over it. I think she could starve her self and still gain weight.

 

Is she sinning because she is so big? No way. No one who knows her could or would ever say that.

 

Lipedema?

 

It's in 11% of the population and would, along with diabetes, account for a very high percentage of all "obesity" diagnoses.

 

And you inherit both, for the most part.

 

Let's not get carried away and call the overweight obese and, therefore, sinful.

[Kenngo1969]

Obesity isn't a sin just get rid of it as fast as you can. 

Easier said than done, my friend.  Easier said than done!

[Avatar4321]

I'd rather fellowship with obese people who keep the commandments then skinny people who dont

[Kenngo1969]

Morningstar,

 

Your only problem is that you're not eating enough celery!

[bluebell]

But overeating is right there with tobacco and alcohol abuse, often it's because of an abusive past, it's a crutch.

Yes, but thin people can over eat as well.

Unless you are suggesting that eating a whole pizza and living on fast food and pop isn't a sin if you are slim but is if you are fat, how would you suggest the church recognize those people who are actually abusing their bodies with food?

[Kenngo1969]

"Burden"-related issues that may factor in to why people are larger than perhaps they should be:

 

"Fallen-world" issues:

• Metabolic issues
• Other conditions that affect one's physical activity level

Emotional issues

• Depression
• Side-effects from psychoactive medications
• Side-effects from abuse
• Plain, old, run-of-the-mill, garden-variety insecurity, boredom, et cetera

[JLHPROF]

Obesity is only a sin depending on the cause.

 

Greed is a sin - if that leads to obesity then obesity is a sin.

Gluttony is a sin - if that leads to obesity then obesity is a sin.

Illness is not a sin - if that leads to obesity then obesity is not a sin.

Genetic disposition is not a sin - if that leads to obesity then obesity is not a sin.

 

We are all stewards of our bodies.  As long as we do the best we can to maintain them there is no sin.

Think of it as murder - where you choose to hit someone with your car versus some idiot jumps in front of your car.  Only one is sinful.

Edited October 31, 2014 by JLHPROF

[KevinG]

If God didn't want me fat he wouldn't have sent me a good cook for a wife.