Do Christians hate their bodies?

Question

Jesus taught this.

Remember what he said about if your eye, hand, leg or whatever cause you to sin. He also said that thing about eunuchs.

Paul echoed this in his letters saying that it is preferred that people are celibate but if they can't prevent themselves from sinning then they should get married.

Christians also talk about giving up their sinful bodies for glorified uncorruptible bodies.

Does Christianity teach you that you should hate yourself?

Answer 1

Remember what happened when Janet Jackson's breast appeared for 1/millionth of a second? Now come one? Who has not seen a female breast before? How is it offensive?

There was more damage done to children to see how the fanatics freaked out over one breast. What message did that send to children? That their bodies are dirty? IDIOTS!

Answer 2

no, christianity dosen't teach you to hate yourself. When it talks about if any part of your body is causing you to sin, it is like a metaphor. It is actually telling you that if . . . for example: you like to watch lots of TV and because you don't want to miss an episode of your favorate series, you stay that sunday morning at your house watching it, instead of going to church. That is causing you to replace something material over God which is what really matters. So what do you have to do? Watch less TV, "cut" the Tv time and separate some time for God. Not everything in the bible is literal. Most of you have to relate to everyday life. Keep reading the bible, that's good, and ask God for wisdom and understanding, and you'll be fine.

Answer 3

Yes. Emphatically.

As usual, the "Christians" who disagree are simply ignorant of their own supposed religion.

The whole doctrine of "Original Sin" teaches that we are infected from birth with the "disease" of sin, transmitted carnally via the semen. I don't think it's possible to make the point any clearer. Loathing of the body is the salient characteristic of virtually ALL Christian saints, martyrs, and mystics. Actual physical mortification is commonplace. Whoso doubts that there was ever a more sex-negative religion ought to go read himself some Augustine. You thought Paul was a morbid sexual degenerate!

Answer 4

Did that scare you to believe???
thank you for pointing out just how silly those books are.
Do you remember the health conditions back then??
Life expectancy,, about 30,, unless you lead a clean life and prepared food with cleanliness and care.
The books of religion of the day were excellent guides.
GUIDES and JUST guides until the authorities and leaders, kings and Prophets raised the taxes or ties.
our laws are drawn from them

Answer 5

You really have to take things literally? I mean people can use a flower to represent a woman and does that mean that people hates women because of such representation; because the women are represented by weak, thorny, scented, soft flowers?

Poking your left eye when it causes one to sin only means that we should stay away from temptations. (for those who really cannot comprehend) The staying away is represented by the poking and the temptation is represented by the eye.

however, if we look at the literal meaning of "If your eye causes you to sin, poke it out!" I'd say this does not make me say i hate my body. It is a mere sacrifice that should be done to prevent further body disorders. Take diabetes for example. People would let doctors amputate wounded parts of their body. Does that mean they hate their bodies? Absolutely not.

Answer 6

With the way some of them abuse their bodies, I'm sure they do. After all "the flesh" is only a shadow of things to come, it's only temporary.

It's a very unhealthy attitude to have. I'm aware that not all Christians have that attitude towards life, but some do.

Answer 7

Reading comprehension and context should always be in the front of someone's mind when reading scripture.

Christ was obviously speaking metaphorically and was trying to drive home the point of how bad and serious sin is.

If he was speaking literally about cutting out eyes and limbs etc, we would see the Apostles and early Christians doing such.

Since we don't we can know that he was speaking metaphorically.

Answer 8

Christianity teaches us to take control over our bodies, and not let our bodies control us. The teachings you cite are more about stewardship over the gifts (bodies) that God has given us, rather than being irresponsible wasters of them.

Ephesians 5:29
For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:

Answer 9

No actually it doesn't it teaches the exact opposite. It teaches that God loves you for who you are and while we were still messing up then, now, and in the future, He loved us enough to die for us. When it comes to that scripture it has been misinterpreted many times. What that verse means that it is better for us to lose something on this earth (or our body) than to spend a eternal death in the fires of Hell.
But that is a good question. A question many have asked even myself.

Answer 10

I would give up any part of my flesh to save my soul! If I lied, I wouldn't cut out my own tongue but I would ask my Father to take it from me, so that I not sin against Him when I speak. Hate the sins flesh yes, but love yourself. Be the self God created you to be.