The fact is, if you are obese, and are not doing anything about it, you are living a sinful lifestyle. But I never hear anyone speak about this. Gluttony in America is so bad, I hear people talking about all the other sins that are normalized, but gluttony is so normalized that even Christians do it, and they’re even proud of it. I hear people say things like “I’m a foodie”, or “I’m a big eater”, when it’s all just sin.
We need to start treating these people the same way we treat drunkards. If someone says that they just really like wine, and that’s why they drink several bottles per night, you’re not gonna take that excuse of they just really enjoy it, are you? The truth is that they need help, and like any other sin , they should repent.
Yes, gluttony is a sin . So is greed and the love of money. So many things we don’t even realize we’re doing are sinful. I had a friend who was constantly criticizing a colleague who smoked , yet that friend was obese and addicted to food. We’re all guilty of sinning. What bothers me so much about your post is the way it comes across. The comment “We need to start treating these people the same way we treat drunkards” comes across as cruel to me. Self righteousness is a sin also. Take care. “These people” ? We can speak the truth in love. Gently. And who of you have never been a glutton and overseen at a special event or holiday at some time. I know you mean a lifestyle, but it still comes across badly . Yes , it’s a sin. But so is pride.
So is adultery and fornication, but people often ignore that because the world says it’s ok to have sex whenever they feel the urge because it’s “healthy” or it’s just how we are made.
I don’t think any christian would say that glutton isn’t a sin, but you are being too simplistic in your comments about obesity. Yes overeating can be a factor. However the much more prevalent issue is that Western (and especially American) society has largely become sedentary and much of our food is low quality. Most of us can’t go anywhere with out a car. I cannot walk to the stores less than a block from my apartment because there are no sidewalks and the roads are high speed stroads. Many jobs stick people behind desks for a minimum of 8 hours per day and often more than that. I worked 10 hours yesterday and didn’t even have time to tear away to take lunch. Some of my coworkers had to go in today. Then the most accessible foods are low volume/high calorie. I grabbed a sandwich out of the vending machine at work a few weeks back because I forgot my lunch and it was 600 calories. Just a chicken sandwich with cheese. These factor combine to make it very easy to gain weight without really registering you are consuming so many calories while simultaneously not being active enough to burn those calories.
And as for your “we should treat” line. The only thing any sinner should be treated with is grace.
Some people are gluttonous but the fact that so many people are clinically obese these days is much more because of the content in our food and sedentary lifestyles. Most people work all day and most people have low-activity jobs like desk work, they come home and typically have to take care of kids and by the time they get a moment to themselves it’s 10 pm. There are a lot of factors that lead to obesity, you cannot just assume gluttony. Don’t be a sinner of Pride by looking down on obese people.