The Bible says your body is a temple of God, so being Obese is a sin?

Question

The Bible also says to keep yourself clean and healthy, in mind and body. So, if you do not exercise, or if you smoke, etc...are you committing sin? You are not treating your temple of God adequately.

Answer 1

Think of it like this..
Waif-thin people - Little country church that seats about 5.
Average sized people - Your basic church that seats 100 or so.
Super sized mamma jammas - A cathedral that seats 1000.
Super sized mamma jamma with tattoos - A cathedral with stained glass windows.
Super sized hairy mamma jamma with tattoos - An ivy covered cathedral with stained glass windows.

To explain what I'm saying: it doesn't matter what the outside looks like. It's what's in a person's heart that matters.

Answer 2

I wouldn't say being obese is a sin, but yes, we're to take care of our bodies and live healthy lives. I know obese people who are otherwise very healthy and connected with God. Being obese doesn't necessarily indicate gluttony, which is a sin. There are at times other factors that come into play, including genetics.

Answer 3

Christians are admonished not to actively sin so as to avoid defiling the Temple of our bodies. The Bible describes sin as the transgression of God's law -- and there's no law against obesity.

However, if a person were to be obese because they worship food and place the pleasures of eating above their respect and worship of God -- then it's a sin. So it's the person's motivations which determine sinfulness.

Answer 4

No not necessarily obesity. If you are obese because of a genetic predisposition, a disease, or environmental factors such as pollution, then no. Obesity isn't a sin unless it's an indirect result of "gluttony." Gluttony is one of the 7 deadly sins which means eating everything and having to "have everything".

With that said, anytime you wilfully cause harm to yourself, your body or others that is definitely a sin. Smoking is a sin because it is harmful. Especially to people like me. I'm allergic to tobacco and I will die from second-hand smoke. My throat will swell closed and I'll suffocate to death. Seriously, I almost died like that once. Keep that in mind when smoking in front of entrances to public places. I'm sure there are other people with the same allergies as me.

Answer 5

Actually, yes. Not taking care of your body adequately is a sign of disrespect for the precious gift of life God has given us. It is much worse when 1 defiles their body by means of drug/alcohol abuse (and I'm including tobacco with drugs). Obesity . . . well, I'm aware that some people are born with tendencies to be heavier, but gluttony is a sin.

Answer 6

I dont feel obesity is a sin although it is unhealthy. And i think what this actually means is that our body is the carrier of God. Think of a glass as your body and water in the glass as God. If you have a dirty glass the water will definitely not be as clean as you would want it to be.

Answer 7

The temple of god idea is nothing more than a ruse to keep you from the good things in life sex, drugs, alcohol and rock n roll. So don´t worry about temples you probably have never visited a real one anyway. You are the keeper of the temple so do whatever you want in it.

Answer 8

Obesity and lack of exercise is not a sin, Sin is doing what is wrong in the eyes of God.... That's why God loves the blind, the lame, the dumb and the deaf...

Answer 9

gluttony and sloth will result in obesity. in my case i am obese because i lack a thyroid gland. i had cancer and it is very hard for me to maintain a decent weight. i do excersise and eat right unfortunately I am stuck with an obese body. I guess I could try to do more. So I must be evil.

Answer 10

From a different angle, the bible also says it is not what goes into your body that defiles it but what comes out. Thoughts, words, deeds, attitudes, actions,etc,etc....