IS BEING OVERWEIGHT A SIN?

[Scott R. Newman]

Since everything it seems like is a sin on BPN and since in our community obesity is the norm what say you?

This might just strike a sensitive nerve with some people but I must confess that it is not intended to be just provocative just for the sake of pointing fingers. I take the subject very serious and I hope it causes us as reader of this to take a deeper look into our actions, behavior, excuses, and finger pointing at others. Most people do not have a problem with the reasoning behind illegal drugs and alcohol being a sin in the eyes of God. In I Corinthians 3:17 “If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are”. We can whole heartedly come up with reasons why things that are not specifically named in the bible are a sin and feel good about our stand. We come to the conclusion that any conduct that destroys the temple of God is sin (I personally agree). Wouldn’t the same scripture apply to any substance that is harmful to the body? How about foods that is high in saturated fats? It is not new information that excessive weight increases the risk of heart disease, high cholesterol, and diabetes. No one can argue that this is not damaging the body (temple of God). Why do you suppose that Christians make such a big issue over illegal drugs and alcohol being a sin but not being overweight? We challenge the drug addict and the alcoholic to get the Holy Ghost and the Spirit of Christ will remove their desire for these harmful substances. Why doesn’t the Holy Ghost remove the desire for his people to stop eating at fast food restaurants or cooking foods at home that are unhealthy? I have been in and around church all my life and one of the most noticeable things I have come across obesity among church folks. I’m not casting stones at anyone I struggle with saying no to the dish of ice cream with chocolate syrup topped with chopped nuts as a bed time snack. I struggle to not over eat, to not eat just because it is time to eat, to not eat excessively between meals. I lose more often I want to admit publically. One thing it has caused me to do is to not be as critical of people trying to get their lives together without having the Spirit of God to help. I struggle daily with food and I have his Spirit to help. I fail often with his Spirit. I have never been addicted to drugs; I have never drank alcohol, and never smoked a cigarette. I can’t imagine what it is like to be physically addicted to any substance or can I? If I can be allowed to steal a couple clichés: A spade is a spade, a sin by any other name would stink as bad to God. I have not stopped condemning sin when it is sin but I have stopped telling people how easy it is to kick a habit once you get the Holy Ghost. Now I tell them if you allow God to help you can resist the temptation. I tell them that it will not be easy but you can do it. I tell them that they will have to talk about their desires for harmful substances and seek encouragement from others that know what they are going through. With the rate at which the people of God are failing to kick the habit of over-eating there should be no shortage of people for recovering addicts to talk to.

[Evangelist Lisa Kyles]

This is a great topic to discuss,

Been there... I've been losing weight and right now I lost close to 20 pounds...


Proverbs 23:2 states "And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite"

Over-eating has really taken over... people used Food for comfort...we have to get to the root of the problem of why we over eat....if we can deal with the root.. People can conquer this overeating!!!..

I feel Gluttony is a sin why do harm to your natural body which can lead to death....having Diabetes, High cholesterol..etc..etc... is bad for you...and can lead to a .. HEART ATTACK!! my best friend past away two month ago the doctor said it was a massive heart attack...because her heart couldn't take it no more.. she was over 500 pounds (true).. and yes we talking about loosing weight and walking .....in the begining we were going to the Gym..But she said the addiction of food is so bad... she was thinking about having Gastric bypass...But it was too late.. :( it still bring to tears to my eyes.....just thinking about her

We have to take care of our body the Lord didn't give our body to us so we can do what we will.....


will reply more later

[Evangelist Lisa Kyles]

Rev Luckett no you didn't talk about the Collard Greens ...LOL


Don't forget about the all you can eat buffet I'm not even going to talk about that one... Oh my Gosh...


So Colon Cleanse Does really Work.... I'm glad you said that...i'm going try it also... i was at 260 now i'm at 240..... 5"4" weight is hard on a short person...I want to lose about 100..



Rev Luckett ..You can reach your goal..... Stay encourage!!!

[Rev. Kelvin "Besodeiah" Broadus]

Brother, I would not say being overweight is a sin, in an of itself, but depending on how you got into the condition, there is definitely room for consideration. I'll explain. Overindulgence is sinful, and this applies to anything, not just food. If we love anything more than we love the Lord, we are not worthy of Him. And what is sin but that which separates us from God?

How do we know if we love it more? Consider fasting from it (pray for God/YHWH to reveal how long) to focus on God/YHWH and see if you are willing to give it up for Him. If not, it has too much weight in your life.

Even the Bible tells us that we should eat enough. ENOUGH, as in, enough to satisfy hunger and be full, not to get so stuffed (as in overstuffed, you're full but because you have more food on your plate you just have to finish it) that you have to lay down and go to sleep afterwords. We must learn to be content with ENOUGH.

Phillipians 4:11-12 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

This scripture provides a great example for us, that we be both full but also understand contentment.

Proverbs 25:16 If you find honey, eat just enough— too much of it, and you will vomit.

Proverbs 23:2 and put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony.

In the above scripture, honey is used as an example, but it warns us that overindulging will make us sick. It is a basic principle. We have to also even consider that what we are eating... which is another full topic of itself that I'm not going into.

To summarize though, I'm not saying that being overweight is a sin, per say, but I am saying that the Bible teaches us a principle with food (or rather overindulgence) that we have a lot to learn from. And yes, our body is the temple, so in respect of this being the home of the Spirit, I believe we should put great care into it, just as we (hopefully) keep our physical house clean and put great care into it, so that we can demonstrate excellence in our representation of Yeshua.

There are weightier matters of the faith than this, but it is definitely something to take to heart.

Bless you

[Scott R. Newman]

Eze 16:49 Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom: pride, fulness of bread, and prosperous ease was in her and in her daughters; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.

Eze 16:50 And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.

Weaver and Sanders-Butler are on the front lines of those who are trying to reduce obesity among blacks, a group that is disproportionately affected by obesity and the deadly diseases it spawns.

Eleven years ago, Sanders-Butler — who was raised in Mississippi on a fat-filled diet of soul food — was overweight and suffered a stroke. As she recovered, her doctors told her to either change her eating habits or start making plans for her funeral. She changed her life. Now she's trying to change the lives of her students. "I saw students at my school who were on the same path as I had been, but accelerated," Sanders-Butler says.

She responded by taking sugary candy and soft drinks out of her school's vending machines, getting the cafeteria to serve more nutritious meals, and instituting a daily fitness program for students. As a result of these changes, the principal says, her school in suburban Atlanta has seen a dramatic reduction in discipline problems and a sharp increase in the academic achievement.

"You can't run a Mercedes off of regular gas, and if you fill kids up with junk food, they are not going to function well either," Sanders-Butler says.

Weaver, co-author of the first cookbook aimed at blacks for the American Diabetes Association, wants to change the way blacks eat. She uses her cookbook to teach blacks healthy soul food cooking.

"Physical activity is at an all-time low, and eating is at an all-time high" for blacks who too often "make food the center of our focus," Weaver says.

Anyone who has ever attended a black church knows what she's talking about. The Sunday service is usually followed by a soul food meal that is full of calories and fat. "I'm the food Gestapo at my church," says Weaver, who has set up a non-profit organization in Orlando to teach blacks how to cook healthy soul food. She got her church to cut back on fried and starchy foods and to put choices such as baked chicken and fresh fruit on the menu.

While soul food has long been a cultural root of black America, the food African-Americans eat and an increasingly sedentary life have swelled the number of black kids with bulging waistlines. Nearly 36% of 6- to 11-year-olds are overweight, and 19.5% are obese. About 40% of blacks 12 to 19 are overweight while 23.6% of them are obese, according to the American Obesity Association.

Many overweight kids grow up to be overweight or obese adults with significant health problems. These weight problems give rise to asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, heart disease, stroke and some types of cancer.

[Evangelist Lisa Kyles]

In the city where I live all our Public Schools took out the snack and soda pop from the vending Machines, and not only that.... they change the way of how the cafeteria worker cook the food....My children came home talking about the food doesn't like it use to....No more fried fish.. It's baked now...LOL...

But on the serious tip.. I'm glad about it.. we do have to change the way we eat it starts at home...I use my George Forman Grill often,,, it's amazing to see all of the grease/fat the comes out of meat...as it drips.... I see why we are so full of Grease and it's really hard to digest...

The problem really is.. after we eat.. ..later on......we don't take a walks or even excerise.. we are not active....we have become couch pototoes with the TV remote in our hands.....

The Eat and Sleep symdrome....has grip us African American(No offence intended) but it's the truth...