Should the weight of pastors be addressed?

[Ascetic X]

https://manhoodjourney.org/is-gluttony-a-sin/

The sin of gluttony is the over-indulgence and over-consumption of food or drink. But there is a bigger idea at play. It is a desire for more that cannot be quenched, not unlike greed. The point is that food becomes a god for you. In Genesis 25, Esau trades his entire birthright to his brother Jacob for a bowl of stew. One meal. His appetite cost him everything his future held, and it is one of the clearest pictures of gluttony in all of Scripture.

So, is gluttony a sin? Yes. And it is one that rarely gets called out from the pulpit. We tend to treat it as a respectable sin, something to laugh off while we go back for seconds. But it is not all that different from the deadly sin of lust. Both are rooted in appetite overriding obedience. Both cause real damage to the man and everyone around him.

In the 4th century, Christian teachers tended to list eight especially damaging sins, and gluttony was usually near the top of the list. John Cassian is an example:

[W]e now propose, being strengthened by God through your prayers, to approach the struggle against the eight principal faults, i.e. first, Gluttony or the pleasures of the palate; secondly, Fornication; thirdly, Covetousness, which means Avarice, or, as it may more properly be called, the love of money, fourthly, Anger; fifthly, Dejection; sixthly, “Accidie,” which is heaviness or weariness of heart; seventhly, κενοδοξία which means foolish or vain glory; eighthly, pride.

 

[atpollard]

I suspect “gluttony” is not about food or being overweight when the Bible talks about such things. Y’all are pastors (by and large) and I am not … but sin and I are no strangers.

Starting with Adam and Eve and the fruit in the garden, it was pleasant to look at, delightful to the senses and good for becoming like God. Those are the three areas that all sins draw us into the trap:

”lust of the eye” = seeing and wanting; including lust and coveting.
”pleasures of the flesh” = physical self indulgence; hedonism.
”pride of life” = desire for control; the need to be master of our destiny; refusal to submit to God.

I suspect Biblical warnings about “gluttony” are not about food, but about the attitude of the heart that feeds the “flesh”.

 

[Ascetic X]

I suspect “gluttony” is not about food or being overweight when the Bible talks about such things. Y’all are pastors (by and large) and I am not … but sin and I are no strangers.

Starting with Adam and Eve and the fruit in the garden, it was pleasant to look at, delightful to the senses and good for becoming like God. Those are the three areas that all sins draw us into the trap:

”lust of the eye” = seeing and wanting; including lust and coveting.
”pleasures of the flesh” = physical self indulgence; hedonism.
”pride of life” = desire for control; the need to be master of our destiny; refusal to submit to God.

I suspect Biblical warnings about “gluttony” are not about food, but about the attitude of the heart that feeds the “flesh”.

Gluttony is most certainly about food. Your suspicions are wrong.

Gluttony is over-indulging in food. It is lust for more food than you need, which leads to disease and wrecking your body, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit,

Proverbs 23:20-21 - Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat, for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags.

Proverbs 23:2 - And put a knife to your throat if you are given to appetite.

Deuteronomy 21:20 - And they shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This our son is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.’

1 Corinthians 3:16-17 - Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.

Proverbs 25:16 - If you have found honey, eat only enough for you, lest you have your fill of it and vomit it.

Psalm 78:18 - They tested God in their heart by demanding the food they craved.

1 Corinthians 10:31 - So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Philippians 3:18-19 - For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.

 

[Ben1445]

Y’all are pastors (by and large)

 

[Ben1445]

Gluttony is most certainly about food. Your suspicions are wrong.

Gluttony is over-indulging in food. It is lust for more food than you need, which leads to disease and wrecking your body, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit,

Proverbs 23:20-21 - Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat, for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags.

Proverbs 23:2 - And put a knife to your throat if you are given to appetite.

Deuteronomy 21:20 - And they shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This our son is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.’

1 Corinthians 3:16-17 - Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.

Proverbs 25:16 - If you have found honey, eat only enough for you, lest you have your fill of it and vomit it.

Psalm 78:18 - They tested God in their heart by demanding the food they craved.

1 Corinthians 10:31 - So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Philippians 3:18-19 - For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.

The flesh profits nothing.

Colossians 2:20-23
Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
(Touch not; taste not; handle not;
Which all are to perish with the using after the commandments and doctrines of men?
Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

 

[Deacon]

Can a person be obese and not gluttonous?

Obesity does not necessitate gluttony.
Gluttony is a state of mind, an attitude, a trait.

The only obese person I can think in Scripture is Eli, Samuel's tutor and the father of the wicked Hophni and Phinehas (1 Sam. 4:18). He wasn't condemned for his obesity but for the neglect of aggressively disciplining his sons.

HALOT supplies translations of contemptible, of low value, weak; mean, thoughtless, rash
(Dt 21:20; Pr 23:20-21; 28:7...), not fat.
I think obese is a meaning added by our modern society.
So a person can be gluttonous and not obese.

In this time of abundance, obesity may be a sign of blessing.
When obesity is accompanied by these other undesirable traits, then it becomes a sin.

Rob (I've been blessed)

 

[Jerome]

The only obese person I can think in Scripture is Eli, Samuel's tutor

Hello?

[Judges 3]
12 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the Lord. 13 And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees. 14 So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years. 15 But when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, the Lord raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab. 16 But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh. 17 And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man. 18 And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the people that bare the present. 19 But he himself turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him. 20 And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat. 21 And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly: 22 And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out. 23 Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked them. 24 When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlour were locked, they said, Surely he covereth his feet in his summer chamber. 25 And they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not the doors of the parlour; therefore they took a key, and opened them: and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth. 26 And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirath. 27 And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them. 28 And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the Lord hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over. 29 And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and all men of valour; and there escaped not a man. 30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.

 

[Ascetic X]

Can a person be obese and not gluttonous?

Obesity does not necessitate gluttony.
Gluttony is a state of mind, an attitude, a trait.

The only obese person I can think in Scripture is Eli, Samuel's tutor and the father of the wicked Hophni and Phinehas (1 Sam. 4:18). He wasn't condemned for his obesity but for the neglect of aggressively disciplining his sons.

HALOT supplies translations of contemptible, of low value, weak; mean, thoughtless, rash
(Dt 21:20; Pr 23:20-21; 28:7...), not fat.
I think obese is a meaning added by our modern society.
So a person can be gluttonous and not obese.

In this time of abundance, obesity may be a sign of blessing.
When obesity is accompanied by these other undesirable traits, then it becomes a sin.

Rob (I've been blessed)

Gluttony is making food an idol. It manifests itself in obesity.

Over-eating is sinful indulging of the flesh.

While obesity can be caused by a medical issue, it is mostly due to food lusts.

Obesity is not a sign of blessing, it is a sign of a lack of self-control.

Our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. Obesity is disrespectful toward this temple.

I Corinthians 9:27

but I strictly discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

 

[Ben1445]

How does certain cultures of mothers and mothers in law standing over you and forcing you to eat, fit into the doctrine of skinny Christians?

Do we turn to them as they bring you more food and say “Get thee behind me Satan?”

Just wondering how other people’s forceful generosity fits into this.

 

[Ascetic X]

How does certain cultures of mothers and mothers in law standing over you and forcing you to eat, fit into the doctrine of skinny Christians?

Do we turn to them as they bring you more food and say “Get thee behind me Satan?”

Just wondering how other people’s forceful generosity fits into this.

Blaming obesity on other people forcing food on you?

You can decline the surplus food with a “Thank you, but I’m already full, I’m completely stuffed, and cannot put more into my stomach.”

I had to stubbornly resist food forcing when a Muslim friend invited me to a post Ramadan meal at a halal restaurant where he was the chef. His friends kept trying to get me to eat more, and to take several wrapped sandwiches home with me.

I politely declined their urging to keep eating, telling them that I had enough.

Later, my Muslim friend told me I had offended them by rejecting their food.

I don’t ever want to offend anyone, but people should respect your boundaries, and not try to force things on you.

 

[Ascetic X]

“We harp on certain sins in sermons, like drunkenness, and completely ignore similar sins, like gluttony. These two in particular are even associated together frequently in the Bible.

Maybe it’s just that we are so commonly guilty of gluttony, we would just rather ignore it. Christians are called out of darkness and into Christ’s glorious light. We are called to be holy. Different, distinct, set apart. Yet in this area, we often look just like most Americans. We satisfy every desire we have and rarely if ever deprive ourselves. This is true of things like entertainment, social media, and sexual lust. But also of food.

If we cannot deny ourselves regularly, at least to moderation–be it entertainment, social media, food, whatever–we live like the world instead of living holy.

Biblical Fasting Is the Opposite of Gluttony ​

Sometimes in Christianity, moderation is even too much. At times, we do without things like food completely. Hence, fasting.

And there is a strong connection in the Bible between how much our appetites rule us and how little we care about the things of God. Paul was adamant in 1 Corinthians 6 that nothing should master us apart from God himself. And in Philippians, he even claimed some people’s stomach was their god.

But perhaps nowhere is this seen more clearly than the contrast between Ezekiel 16:49-50 and Isaiah 58:1-7. Written at similar times in Old Testament history, the former passage says God’s people were worse than Sodom and Gomorrah in that they were “overfed, arrogant, and unconcerned”. And didn’t care at all for the poor and needy. The latter instructs God’s people to fast so they would care about justice for the poor. The type of fast He desired.

The correlation is clear and meaningful. If we constantly feel the need to satisfy every appetite we have, we will be less inclined to know our need for God. And our hearts will not reflect his heart. The only way, sometimes at least, to know God’s heart is to deny our stomachs completely.”

Gluttony Is Sin, So Why Do Christians Frequently Ignore It?

Gluttony is a sin, biblically, yet we often ignore it. Today we discuss why that is and why it shouldn't be.

ramblingeveron.com

 

[atpollard]

How many of Jesus’ sermons addressed “gluttony” and how many addressed the hard heart of “judging others”?
Perhaps we have the “accent” on the wrong “syllable”.

 

[Ascetic X]

How many of Jesus’ sermons addressed “gluttony” and how many addressed the hard heart of “judging others”?
Perhaps we have the “accent” on the wrong “syllable”.

It is not judging others when you warn people about the dangers of obesity.

But obese pastors who preach against addictions and the lusts of the flesh are hypocrites, because they succumb to the lust for excessive food.

The many published articles on pastor obesity points how this is a serious problem. Yes, gluttony/obesity is a sin that has been ignored and laughed at, like it’s just a joke. But lots of health problems come from over-eating. If we care about people, we will face this situation soberly.

 

[David Lamb]

It is not judging others when you warn people about the dangers of obesity.

But obese pastors who preach against addictions and the lusts of the flesh are hypocrites, because they succumb to the lust for excessive food.

The many published articles on pastor obesity points how this is a serious problem. Yes, gluttony/obesity is a sin that has been ignored and laughed at, like it’s just a joke. But lots of health problems come from over-eating. If we care about people, we will face this situation soberly.

Only if the pastors are obese through over-eating, rather than some medical condition such as hypothyroidism. We cannot just assume, "That pastor is obese, so he must be a glutton!"

 

[Ascetic X]

Only if the pastors are obese through over-eating, rather than some medical condition such as hypothyroidism. We cannot just assume, "That pastor is obese, so he must be a glutton!"

Only a small fraction—less than 5%—of obesity cases are strictly caused by primary medical conditions or genetic disorders.

 

[Ben1445]

Realistically, gardening is a great option, but in the case of pastors who are paid low wages, they are going to default to over processed foods that are shelf stable and for the most part, not healthful. If you have a bi-vocational pastor, time for gardening will be more difficult. None of these are excuses for anyone. Just things that you should be considering before you start your crusade against your well rounded minister. And again, the same goes for anyone else.
As always…

James 3:1
My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.

 

[Jerome]

Remember this?

"And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head. And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them. And he went from thence to mount Carmel, and from thence he returned to Samaria."

 

[Ascetic X]

It’s time for pastors who are obese due to over-eating to think about how they can become a better example of self-control.

Lusting after food, being greedy over it, having no control over our appetites, these are sins according to Scripture. In one sense gluttony is evidence of being enslaved to our appetites. Paul spoke of this to the Corinthians. Mentioning food specifically in verse 13, he states in verse 12 of 1 Corinthians chapter 6, that he “will not be dominated by anything.” The Proverbs too speak very harshly about gluttony, saying:

Be not among drunkards
or among gluttonous eaters of meat,
for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty,
and slumber will clothe them with rags. (Proverbs 23:20-21)

The one who keeps the law is a son with understanding,
but a companion of gluttons shames his father. (Proverbs 28:7)

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

The Lord does not delight in self-indulgence. After all, a fruit of the Spirit is self-control (Galatians 5:22). Gluttony, then, is a sin and we can identify that sin in ourselves.

This is not a call to shame your obese pastors. This is a plea for obese pastors to be honest, stop over-indulging, and seek ways to improve their health.

 

[atpollard]

Many common prescription medications list weight gain as a known side effect. This weight increase typically happens because the drug alters metabolism, increases appetite, promotes fluid retention, or impacts how the body processes sugars.
The most common classes of medications associated with weight gain are listed below, categorized by their primary medical use.

Psychiatric Medications & Mood Stabilizers
Psychiatric drugs are among the most common culprits for rapid or long-term weight gain, often due to their direct impact on brain chemistry and appetite signals.

• Atypical Antipsychotics: Olanzapine (Zyprexa), clozapine (Clozaril), risperidone (Risperdal), and quetiapine (Seroquel).
• Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs): Amitriptyline (Elavil) and imipramine (Tofranil).
• Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs): Paroxetine (Paxil), citalopram (Celexa), and sertraline (Zoloft).
• Other Antidepressants: Mirtazapine (Remeron).
• Mood Stabilizers: Lithium (Lithobid).

Diabetes Management Drugs
Several traditional diabetes treatments lower blood sugar levels by forcing excess glucose into cells, which your body may then store as fat.

• Insulin: Both short-acting and long-acting injectable insulins.
• Sulfonylureas: Glipizide (Glucotrol), glyburide (Glynase), and glimepiride (Amaryl).
• Thiazolidinediones (TZDs): Pioglitazone (Actos).

Corticosteroids
Steroids mimic cortisol, a natural hormone that triggers appetite changes, stimulates fluid retention, and alters how body fat is redistributed.

• Prednisone
• Methylprednisolone (Medrol)
• Hydrocortisone

Blood Pressure & Heart Medications
Some anti-hypertensive drugs reduce metabolic rate or energy expenditure, leading to minor weight changes.

• Beta-Blockers: Metoprolol (Lopressor), propranolol (Inderal), and atenolol (Tenormin).

Anti-Seizure & Neuropathic Pain Medications
These nerve-calming medications can influence metabolic pathways and increase food cravings.

• Valproic Acid / Divalproex Sodium: (Depakote).
• Gabapentin: (Neurontin).
• Pregabalin: (Lyrica).
• Carbamazepine: (Tegretol).

Hormonal Treatments
Hormone fluctuations caused by synthetic hormones frequently lead to bloating, water weight, or fat storage.

• Contraceptives: Injectable medroxyprogesterone acetate (Depo-Provera) and certain oral birth control pills.

Better to die than be judged lacking in "self-control" and a "glutton" (sinner) by the Body of Christ [always in LOVE and never in a spirit of Judgement brought on by a LOG in the eye that makes the SPECK in the eye of others seem so large.] Those already struggling don't get enough CRAP from the world and the voice inside without the Church needing to make it a spiritual deficiency as well.

 

[Ascetic X]

Many common prescription medications list weight gain as a known side effect.

Better to die than be judged lacking in "self-control" and a "glutton" (sinner) by the Body of Christ [always in LOVE and never in a spirit of Judgement brought on by a LOG in the eye that makes the SPECK in the eye of others seem so large.] Those already struggling don't get enough CRAP from the world and the voice inside without the Church needing to make it a spiritual deficiency as well.

Too Many Pastors Are ‘Digging Their Graves With Their Teeth’ - Lifeway Research

Jeremy Atwood, a Kentucky pastor, has lost 240 pounds over the past two years on a quest to restore his physical and spiritual health.

research.lifeway.com

An overweight pastor knows if his problem is due to gluttony or something else.

If gluttony is the real problem, this is a spiritual deficiency, but nobody is perfect. We need to help and pray for obese pastors, not condemn them. But we also must not ignore this serious issue.

Because gluttonous obesity has been tolerated in the church, while most other forms of addiction and lack of self-control are harshly condemned, this issue must be faced.

Obese pastors must realize that if they can exercise more, improve their diet, and eat less, they should do so, for their own health and to be a good example for their church.

When was the last time you heard a sermon on fasting?

American Christianity has for too long held a pampering ideology that jokes about food lusts and spurns self-control.

Pastoral obesity is a widely recognized occupational hazard, with studies showing that clergy members have significantly higher rates of obesity and related chronic illnesses than the general population. Research from the Clergy Health Initiative and Lifeway Research indicates that more than 60% to 75% of pastors are overweight or obese.

Again, the point is not to shame and ridicule overweight pastors. We want them to find deliverance from any addiction that might be harming their health.