A weighty issue

They were all Israeli Baptists crossing?

Cheers,

Jim

 

:thumbsup: :laugh: :laugh:

 

Global warming?

 

Hi Thinkingstuff

You said........

May I have that Scripture reference please?

 

This holds a certain weight of comedy. arf arf. Seriously, some of you are cracking me up!

Let me use my husband and me for examples here. I am not thin (though many would say I am). I work hard to keep weight off. During the holidays, though I don't gorge myself, I can easily gain 5-10lbs. I'm sensitive to weight gain. Dh on the other hand, though not a glutton, can eat anything he wants and never gain a pound. He's thin as a rail and super tall.

However, if you look at our health, I am healthier. He has blood sugar issues and has for years. The stereotypical diabetic is overweight, no? Not my man. He's far from overweight, but he still struggles.

As far as a Pastor goes, I think it would be a good one to assume that the Pastor is doing a lot of visiting and is being overfed by his people---and that means he loves them by visiting and they love him by being hospitable.

That's my theory of the day

 

For those who are overweight, or even obese weight is a serious issue, most have tried to 'do something' about it, addiction is serious and difficult to overcome, especially when you have to have the addictive substance in your life(in your mouth) daily, not like cigarettes, or alochol or drugs, most have suffered through torment of other laughing at them, ridiculing them and the shame of having to be seen to the point some withdraw so no one can see and make fun of them to try and protect themselves,, and here on this christian board you get a good belly laugh. I hope your having fun now. Is this how you treat drug addicts, alocholics?

 

For me, I have a genetic condition that caused me to stop growing at the age of 15.

If I were 8' 5" instead of 5' 8", I would have perfect proportions.:tongue3:

peace to youraying:

 

Compared to commonly-used standards like the BMI, the Army's standards are reasonable for most people.

I am out-of-shape because of a sedentary lifestyle promoted my my long work hours behind a computer. However, when I was in top shape with almost no body fat about 15 years ago, I was within the U.S. Army standards... but by less than 10 pounds. And during that time I was doing anti-kidnapping security work, approaching potential bad guys, so I had to be in top shape to intimidate and overpower any potential problems.

I'm 6'05" and built like a defensive lineman... not just a stretched out regular-sized person. I have very wide shoulders and have a large frame. So staying within the military size guidelines would be a lot more challenging for me than a more normally-sized person. Now the U.S. Army would almost certainly grant me a waiver because of my fitness level, but an inflexible standards like that would be ridiculous for the pastor of a church unless you expected the pastor to spend long hours training each week as part of his job.

 

A bit touchy huh.

So fasting is taken as something that you will do. Also in order to cast out demons Jesus indicated that some required prayer and fasting and as a Pastor you may be called upon to do such for you're flock. Also it seems that God wants us to fast when we repent in Joel.

 

Up to the late 80's my waistline was an even 34, just right for my height of 5'8" (height in inches divided by 2=good waistline, according to some experts), I could do 5 miles at an easy pace, and walk 20 miles with a fully loaded backpack, non-stop, and at the end of either the run or the walk, get my heart beating back to 60 per minute, under a minute's rest.

Weight gain came with a change of lifestyle here in the States, where you ride a car and drive to the mall to buy yourself a 12-inch zipper, or get yourself a new pair of briefs, and where the supermarkets are stocked with food and fruits only the rich can buy in the country I come from.

Not to mention diabetes and its medication that puts on weight.

 

My Wife had Gastric Bypass Surgery to control her weight several years ago. She too 'tried everything" to lose weight including medically supervised weight reduction plans. The surgery helped her to regain and maintain a healthy weight.

She too knew the shame and ridicule of people who would mock her because of her struggles with weight. Today she is healthy and happy because of the weight loss surgery and the daily discipline it takes to maintain it.

It it always easier to laugh at somebody than it is to try to understand or to help. To those who struggle with weight issues you have my sympathy and understanding of what you deal with daily. You are in my prayers as you deal with this issue.

To those who laugh at and mock a person with weight issues would you mock somebody with cancer, or AIDS? Of course you wouldn't. It's all in the perception of the individual and the accepted view of society.

I heartily agree...judgement of others is a weighty issue.

 

While I agree with you (and personally lost over 80lbs), I hope you remember your own words the next time you criticize and say that a true Christian can't continue to live in a drunk/drug lifestyle.

 

Fasting is not always of food and drink.

 

The bible does not specify anything else as fasting.

 

So you are saying that the biblical qualification of a Pastor is to constantly be malnourished?

 

I don't think that's what he said, but does the Bible ever state someone who fasts is "malnourished"? Will God ask you to do something He cannot equip you to do?

 

Fasting has more to do with prayer than it does with "no food". I fast on Sundays, but as a diabetic, I must have certain foods and caloric intake. All none essentials are denied in favour of prayer and reading the Bible. I am not by any means malnourished.

Cheers,

Jim

 

You're funny. Of course I'm not saying that but I am saying fasting is part of the Christian life. And that the bible doesn't indicate anything else as fasting apart from being absent from food. If you think giving up bon bons for a day or two is fasting fine. I just don't think it is what the scriptures is talking about.

 

No, but Thinkingstuff was suggesting that unless a Pastor was thin, he must therefore not be a fasting Pastor. Judgment by appearances does not become godly saints. Fact is he even disparaged C.H. Spurgeon whom he has never even met but has judged his whole life because of his stature. Not that I am sticking up for the great preacher but to judge like that is just wrong.

 

If you would have seen me just 10 months ago, you would have judged me as a fat glutton. I had just undergone surgery of both of my feet. My Dr gave me a prescription that caused me to gain weight. I purposely did not eat much of anything yet I gained weight and my blood pressure went through the roof. The surgery on my feet was a result of gout which in and of itself is not a just a problem of the overweight. C.H. Spurgeon was afflicted of the same condition and if left untreated can and does affect the kidneys. Kidney disease does affect weight and in his day they had no known treatments for it. To make the statements you have made are plain and simple judgments that you have no basis for.

Now that I am back at work and off that drug I am back down to fighting weight and thank God for these wash board abbs. :thumbs: Hard as iron, they are. :smilewinkgrin: And my blood pressure is back down to that of a 25 year old athlete. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: