Re: committing suicide with a fork
 

This is very true. There are thin people who are thin because they are anorexic/bulimic. There are overweight people who have poor metabolism. The bottom line is, we cannot judge.

Okay, that's fine, but if someone is, say a female born with male chromosomes (a medical fact), and they want to mate with a female, maybe they are not homosexual except to the eye??

Agreed.

Agreed.

The bottom line is that genetics do matter and lifestyle also matters. But the question begs to be asked about the church judging one sin (or life??) more harshly than another, when genetics can play a part in one just as the other???

Re: committing suicide with a fork
 

My belief in regard to any sin is that genetics don't excuse it, simplistically, but whether or not something is truly genetic can be hard to untangle.

I do agree that the church has a huge wart on its proverbial nose in regard to gluttony, and it needs to be addressed openly and directly like anything else that damages our bodies and souls.

Re: committing suicide with a fork
 

In order to be consistent, the church needs to address gluttony in the same way it addresses other things or it needs to be more compassionate to things in people's lives in the same way it is compassionate towards gluttony. Because the basis of the statement from the man that was quoted in the beginning of this thread is an imbalance of judgment from his overweight wife, no doubt coming from the influence of her church which supports her gluttony (in a manner of speaking) but judges him.

Re: committing suicide with a fork
 

A bit of a sidebar of my own: My personal (and unqualified) opinion of addiction is that there are some personality types that are more prone to addictive behaviors of any kind. I believe this is what makes it look like particular addictions are genetic, when in fact it's inherited personality traits and learned behaviors that lead to addiction.

Observations within my own family, both extended and immediate, and my observations while teaching drug/alcohol recovery classes at the Tulsa jail have led to my loosely formed theory. It seems that people who overcome a terrible addiction often trade it in for another, and sometimes a more socially acceptable one (such as food).

Re: committing suicide with a fork
 

Yes, I think people often trade one addiction for another. I do think addictive behavior might be genetic though. I don't know for sure.

Re: committing suicide with a fork
 

Yes, but ideally the approach would be to address all sinful behaviors compassionately, out of concern for the person whose body and soul is subjected to it. I'm not interested in uncompassionate preachers who scream about homosexuals splitting hell wide open from the pulpit, and I'm not interested in self-righteous sorts who screech about inconsistent gluttons, either. Forcing consistency if consistency means being cruel to people isn't going to truly help anyone. The approach, which should always be for the good of the person who needs the help, is everything.

Christians generally seem to turn a blind eye to gluttony for these reasons: They don't want to hurt feelings, they don't know how to address it, or they are already a glutton and can't speak about it.

The church has definitely missed the mark in failing to address this as a sin. Not because that makes the church inconsistent, but because that leaves saints who are still struggling with something that destroys them.

I love the way The Message interprets Galatians 6:1-5:

"Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived.

Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life."

Re: committing suicide with a fork
 

It SEEMS to me that women are more concerned about being over weight than men. Some of the woman's concerns are probably because of what other women think about them than what men think..

Re: committing suicide with a fork
 

Perhaps cosmetically speaking, this could be true. I don't know. I don't know of many men who enjoy having morbidly obese wives....

What are your thoughts on the sin of gluttony and its effect on the modern church?

Re: committing suicide with a fork
 

Well, maybe I was wrong, wouldn't be the first time. :D

First. Gluttony would damage a person's body that is the temple of the Holy Ghost and God could/would destroy that person.

Second. Gluttony would effect a person's ability to fast.

Third. As was stated gluttony would effect the person's ability to effectively witness.

There are no pluses in gluttony.

Re: committing suicide with a fork
 

It not only misses the mark in failing to address it, but appears (and is) blatantly hypocritical to those who struggle with the sins/lifestyles that are being preached against while those who are accepted in the church are possible gluttons.