Gluttony The Church Approved Sin?

[angels4u]

14 minutes ago, Fidei Defensor said:

I see you are coming from angle that Christ has paid it all and that is true; and we are under Grace. I am not saying gluttony keeps you out of heaven (I can't find it in the lists like Revelation 21:8). I am saying however, it can prematurely send you home to heaven, just as suicide does. And that this struggle with food is something many battle. Another side of this to look at is not just premature death, but rather quality of life. Does it help or hinder Jesus' call on our life to be overweight? What if he says go and hike in Congo to reach a tribe for Him? But you are then 400lbs? Worse, how does it look to world when we are preaching the Word (Jesus) and we overweight and they are not? Does this hinder our ministry? I think it does, and I say so from a place of struggling with food. 

By the way the verses you quote about all food goes through intestines and Jesus made all food clean (Mark 7:13-23, Romans 14:3) is in direct context of Levitical Law, and that Jesus and Apostles said we no longer have to observe strict laws about what we can or cannot eat to be holy [and shun the Gentiles and their food is no longer necessary because everyone can come to God through the God Man Jesus Christ Acts 15:9-11]. That was not free license to destroy our bodies with endless feasting and binge eating. In context, I am talking about overeating where it effects your health, and marginalizes your ministry to others; lets be honest are you going to approach a person who has unkept hair, torn clothing (like a Hobo) and is overweight or are you going to approach someone who has kept their hair in good order, wear modest but good clothes, and is not obese nor is skeleton weight anorexic? This isn't a question to demean, but to discern the heart. We say "its alright come as you are," and yet what do we surround ourselves with or expect? Perfection. Hmm.. discrepancy that. 

I can tell this topic is uncomfortable, but you know what Jesus sometimes makes us uncomfortable, "Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent." (Jesus, Revelation 3:19), "5And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, or lose heart when He rebukes you, For the Lord disciplines whom He loves, and He scourges (chastens, punishes) every son whom He receives," (Hebrews 12:5-6), "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. But I have this complaint against you. You don't love me or each other as you did at first!Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place." (Revelation 2:1,4-5), "⁴⁸ But if that servant is evil and says in his heart, ‘My master is taking his time [he will not return for a long while],’ ⁴⁹ and begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards; ⁵⁰ the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour of which he is not aware, ⁵¹ and will cut him in two and put him with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping [over sorrow and pain] and grinding of teeth [over distress and anger]," (Matthew 24:48-51), gnashing/grinding of teeth is hell, "and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 13:42). 

I appreciate you are trying to emphasis we serve a loving (1 John 4:8) and merciful God. I totally agree. I do not want to represent Christ as severe, especially with so many being enslaved to severe baal named Allah. However, there is tension in Scripture. There is we are saved by Grace and Faith (Ephesians 2:8-9, Philippians 3:9), and when Jesus says to those who think they are saved by works and who did all this good in His name but did not know Him, "Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. ²² On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ ²³ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws," (Matthew 7:21-23), which is Ginosko (know God in person experientially way), " And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth." (John 17:3). So from what you are trying to do is avoid anything from becoming the law and salvation in it because then a person gets cut off from Christ (Galatians 5:4), however, I am not saying Gluttony (overeating, spending lots of money of expensive foods instead of helping those who need food), is a sin that is harming people's lives, but is not going to keep you out of heaven. 

I preface again, from what I can tell gluttony is not sin that leads to hell, but can prematurely kill you or at least hinder your life and ministry. 

Hey Fidei

This topic does not make me uncomfortable , I probably could lose a few pounds but I'm not overweight as I always try to eat healthy, my husband growls sometimes that my cooking changed too much over the years   But I like to see him healthy too and he is not overweight at all either.

God gave us a brain to choose what we should be eating and He gives us a free choice of what to eat ,we can't shorten our days before we die but  we can try to live in such a way that we feel our best until the day we die ,we are the ones who put the food in our own mouth lol and for me that shall be omega 3 oil soon,want a spoon? Open your mouth ...lol, its good for you

Our days are counted but up to a certain point, we can control how we live those years..

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom Psalm 90;12

[Fidei Defensor]

55 minutes ago, angels4u said:

Hey Fidei

This topic does not make me uncomfortable , I probably could lose a few pounds but I'm not overweight as I always try to eat healthy, my husband growls sometimes that my cooking changed too much over the years   But I like to see him healthy too and he is not overweight at all either.

God gave us a brain to choose what we should be eating and He gives us a free choice of what to eat ,we can't shorten our days before we die but  we can try to live in such a way that we feel our best until the day we die ,we are the ones who put the food in our own mouth lol and for me that shall be omega 3 oil soon,want a spoon? Open your mouth ...lol, its good for you

Our days are counted but up to a certain point, we can control how we live those years..

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom Psalm 90;12

You are echoing the "Jesus tasted death for everyone. ¹⁰ God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation," (Hebrews 2:9-10), "Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death," (Hebrews 2:14), and "I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades." (Revelation 1:18). You are right that Jesus holds keyes to death and hades, but we do live in perishable bodies under sinful world (though our Spirit, Soul, and New Body is perfect in Christ). I argue that it is possible to prematurely die because you were so irresponsible or suicidal that you did something that killed you, " Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'" (Matthew 4:7). The LORD made laws like gravity, and that certain things kill us (unless you are supernaturally protected by Him for special reason and yes Jesus can decided to resurrect you and keep you from staying dead as He did Lazarus). Everyone says, "you cannot die because you have prescribed date God knows you'll die, that's true and you can change the date with choices, and God will be right, because He can see ahead that you would chose that and so takes you home then."

 God can have His mind changed: 

"But Moses tried to pacify the Lord his God. “O Lord!” he said. “Why are you so angry with your own people whom you brought from the land of Egypt with such great power and such a strong hand? ¹² Why let the Egyptians say, ‘Their God rescued them with the evil intention of slaughtering them in the mountains and wiping them from the face of the earth’? Turn away from your fierce anger. Change your mind about this terrible disaster you have threatened against your people! ¹³ Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.^[a] You bound yourself with an oath to them, saying, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven. And I will give them all of this land that I have promised to your descendants, and they will possess it forever.’” (Exodus 32:11-13). 

You can change God's mind with pleading, but It's His decision to show mercy. One could argue this passage about Moses is foreshadowing, that Jesus who replaces Moses pleads our case before the Father (1 John 2:1-2), and is our Intercessor. On the other hand, it could also be that you really can negoatie with God, and I argue by commiting suicide or doing something that makes you die sooner than you would have is the same deal as this, that God intended anger for Israelites, but showed Mercy: 

"¹⁶ Then the men got up from their meal and looked out toward Sodom. As they left, Abraham went with them to send them on their way.

¹⁷ “Should I hide my plan from Abraham?” the Lord asked. ¹⁸ “For Abraham will certainly become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him. ¹⁹ I have singled him out so that he will direct his sons and their families to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just. Then I will do for Abraham all that I have promised.”

²⁰ So the Lord told Abraham, “I have heard a great outcry from Sodom and Gomorrah, because their sin is so flagrant. ²¹ I am going down to see if their actions are as wicked as I have heard. If not, I want to know.”

²² The other men turned and headed toward Sodom, but the Lord remained with Abraham. ²³ Abraham approached him and said, “Will you sweep away both the righteous and the wicked? ²⁴ Suppose you find fifty righteous people living there in the city—will you still sweep it away and not spare it for their sakes? ²⁵ Surely you wouldn’t do such a thing, destroying the righteous along with the wicked. Why, you would be treating the righteous and the wicked exactly the same! Surely you wouldn’t do that! Should not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?”

²⁶ And the Lord replied, “If I find fifty righteous people in Sodom, I will spare the entire city for their sake.”

²⁷ Then Abraham spoke again. “Since I have begun, let me speak further to my Lord, even though I am but dust and ashes. ²⁸ Suppose there are only forty-five righteous people rather than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?”

And the Lord said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five righteous people there.”

²⁹ Then Abraham pressed his request further. “Suppose there are only forty?”

And the Lord replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the forty.”

³⁰ “Please don’t be angry, my Lord,” Abraham pleaded. “Let me speak—suppose only thirty righteous people are found?”

And the Lord replied, “I will not destroy it if I find thirty.”

³¹ Then Abraham said, “Since I have dared to speak to the Lord, let me continue—suppose there are only twenty?”

And the Lord replied, “Then I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty.”

³² Finally, Abraham said, “Lord, please don’t be angry with me if I speak one more time. Suppose only ten are found there?”

And the Lord replied, “Then I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.”

³³ When the Lord had finished his conversation with Abraham, he went on his way, and Abraham returned to his tent." (Genesis 18:16-33). 

I hold to God's Word, Jesus holds keys to death and hades (Revelation 1:18), and I believe my time to go is when Jesus decides, but this isn't dictatorship, we are partners and co heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17), and so I think we can change the date of death by our choices, and God already knew that date was changed by you before you were born, and so the date someone commits suicide or dies from heart disease is the date Jesus chose, because its when you die, but you could have had a different date He foreknew and lived longer on the earth. Its kinda a Calvinism Armenianism hybrid, you make the choice and anyone can, but God already knew what you would do and so that is date on His watch. Unless of course He intervenes and decides to raise you from dead like Lazarus. 

That being said I want to make it clear, Jesus does Kill us (like some Final Destinaiton movie), He receives us Home and sends those to Second Death who are wicked (Revelation 20:15, Revelation 21:8). To die in the LORD (faith in Jesus, knowing him John 17:3, John 6:40) equals this: 

I love that Jesus actually uses the word "repose, sleep" instead of death, "After he had said this, he went on to tell them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up." (John 11:11), because as Jesus told the Sadducees God is the God of living, "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of the dead but of the living," (Matthew 22:32). If you think about this planet is death, because sin actually translates "death, separation." But your husband has gone to Author of Life, "I am the Way, The Truth, and the Life," (John 14:6), and, "You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this." (Acts 3:15). Death in Greek is only separation, "we are separated from those we love who are in Heaven," but death in secular world's view is wrong, those of us believers go to source of Life, and so if we are with the very Source of Life, aren't we alive? 

Don't mean to preach while you are in sorrow, but the LORD Jesus revealed to me through His Scripture that we have it backwards, Life is with Him, and death is only on this earth that is fallen and the Second Death for the wicked (Revelation 20:15, Revelation 21:8). 

Edited October 3, 2017 by Fidei Defensor

[Neighbor]

 from John Piper on the subject 

                                      How Can I Conquer Gluttony?

Resource with 

John Piper

 

•  
• Topic: Fasting

The following is an edited transcription of the audio.

How can I conquer gluttony?

There are a lot of reasons for obesity in our culture. It's not just that we eat a lot of bad food. We're also pretty inactive and don't do a lot of walking, running, biking, etc. Oftentimes obesity issues are connected as much to activity issues as they are to what goes into our mouths. Muscles are designed to burn food, but if they aren't being used then any amount of food is going to result in obesity.

But "gluttony" is a better word to use in this context rather than "obesity," because overeating is where the problem is, not how much you weigh. There are all kinds of reasons why a person might weight too much or too little that is not a result of gluttony.

Gluttony is having a craving for food that conquers you. 

The text of Scripture that holds out the challenge to me on this issue is 1 Corinthians 6:12 where Paul says—specifically in regard to food and drink—that he will not be enslaved by anything. He is saying, "I have one master, Jesus Christ, and I don't want any other master." Then in 9:27 he talks about pummeling his body: "I pummel my body lest I be disqualified."

I think we need to recover a large appreciation for the biblical disciplines of self-denial and fasting. That is the discipline side of this issue: "I will not be enslaved by anything," "I pommel myself," and "I take up my cross daily." I think we should esteem, extol, and cherish the biblical teaching that the Christian life is one of confronting our cravings and saying no to them.

But easier said than done, right?

So how do you fight the battle? I think it must be fought mainly not with the word "No" but with an alternative "Yes." 

It is very interesting to me that there are so many food and taste analogies in the Bible for God himself:

• "Taste and see that the Lord is good." (Psalm 34:8)
• "Desire the sincere spiritual milk of the word." (1 Peter 2:2) 
• "I am the bread of life. Come to me and you will not hunger." (John 6:35)
• "Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food." (Isaiah 55:1-2)

The implication here is that if we give ourselves to being satisfied with spiritual bread, wine, and milk, then physical hunger will lose its supreme power.

The main way to fight cravings that we don't want is to experience higher cravings and have them master us.

Here's where the rubber meets the road. Say you're sitting down at the table, and you're very hungry. You know that if you give yourself free reign then you'll eat two or three helpings of everything, get up stuffed, gain weight, and feel guilty. Why are we tempted to do that?

One very practical reason is that we are bored, and nothing is happening after supper that is more exciting than supper. Therefore staying at this table and eating feels really good, whereas leaving the table to do whatever is next on our agenda feels boring. Very practically then, I would plan something after supper that you want to do. It can certainly be something spiritual, but it can also be a type of exercise or a visit with a friend.

A lot of gluttony is born of boredom. Life is not satisfying or stimulating, relationships feel empty, and work is boring, but food is always there and tastes so good.

So we need to cultivate a range of appetites for great and good things, things like good literature, people's fellowship, reading the Bible, nature, work, etc. Discover these other appetites so that things other than food can satisfy you. Then pray earnestly and cultivate and nurture these satisfactions.

John Piper (@JohnPiper) is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College &

 

Edited October 3, 2017 by Neighbor

[4LdKHVCzRDj2]

11 hours ago, Fidei Defensor said:

Gluttony The Church Approved Sin?

I cannot remember of a time when a preacher talked about gluttony in the church.

I believe most of the gluttony is due to ignorance or lack of discipline of the individual.
We often see people who eat every time at irregular intervals, sometimes they are not even hungry or in need of energy but they can't resist that piece of food which is tempting and go buy or pick it.

It seems the occurrences of gluttony have increased with the highly addictive foods we have nowadays, making easier to eat without measure.

Not falling in gluttony is much easier for the poor individual who have just the basic to survive every day.
But for the people who have resources and every kind of food in abundance, it is much harder.

I believe the secret to both is discipline, we can eat different things at regular intervals at sufficient quantities, not to the point of stretching our stomach daily or getting too much of the wrong thing.

[Fidei Defensor]

43 minutes ago, 4LdKHVCzRDj2 said:

I cannot remember of a time when a preacher talked about gluttony in the church.

I believe most of the gluttony is due to ignorance or lack of discipline of the individual.
We often see people who eat every time at irregular intervals, sometimes they are not even hungry or in need of energy but they can't resist that piece of food which is tempting and go buy or pick it.

It seems the occurrences of gluttony have increased with the highly addictive foods we have nowadays, making easier to eat without measure.

Not falling in gluttony is much easier for the poor individual who have just the basic to survive every day.
But for the people who have resources and every kind of food in abundance, it is much harder.

I believe the secret to both is discipline, we can eat different things at regular intervals at sufficient quantities, not to the point of stretching our stomach daily or getting too much of the wrong thing.

Thanks for sharing this, inacitivity and the food itself (how its processed) is part of gluttony problem. But as you said discipline is key. I say disicipline and disciple are close for a reason. 

[Jam2b40]

2 hours ago, Neighbor said:

 

John Piper (@JohnPiper) is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College &

 

There are some things John Piper has taught that I don't agree with, but this article by him on this topic is very helpful.

[Reinitin]

10 hours ago, Jam2b40 said:

This is a huge area of weakness for me. I find that when I am most likely to eat unhealthy foods impulsively or over eat is when I am emotionally distraught, in physical pain, or struggling spiritually. My assumption is that I am self-medicating with food, rather than seeking God's comfort and healthy, righteous solutions to my problems. Also my sons and I have some difficulties in our lives, both as a family and as individuals. There's not a lot I can do about it, but I can get food for us; food is a lame compensation that I fall back on when I don't know what to do. 

I think that gluttony is a hard thing to deal with within the church because food is so much a part of our culture. There's lots of things we can't fix, but we can eat and we can feed others. It's also a social thing. When one is doing something others are compelled to also, either directly or indirectly. We live in a society that has easy access to food, and an abundance of it. It also feels very uncomfortable to confront a sin that is being committed by loving and kind people, whom you respect and are told by scripture to love and defer to, especially when so many of us struggle with the same thing or something similar. LIke, how can the nicotine addict tell the glutton to not eat so much? How can an alcoholic tell a smoker to kick their nicotine habit? How can the glutton tell a druggie they are defiling the temple of the Holy Spirit? How do we stop the madness as a group, when most of us are failing as individuals?

 

I think the solution is this:

We all need humble spirits and accountability and a realization that we are all in this together. We can help each other without harshly criticising each other or getting offended when we ourselves are confronted and held accountable, or we can all fail together. 

I'll pray for you. Alot of foods we eat have no nutrition. So we are still hungry after we eat. Also so many foods have addictive additives so I will also pray the Lord guide you in what to eat and what not to eat. He is good He will help. I'll pray for comfort for you in your time of need and people in your life that love you and pray for you. Sometimes food is bordom. So I'll pray the Lord blees the work of your hands and give you more opputunities to minister and less time to focus on hunger.

[Reinitin]

14 hours ago, Fidei Defensor said:

When it comes to sins in the Church, sexual immortality, idolatry,  gossip, stealing/defrauding, and others sins seem to get prime place (and for good reason). But there is a sleeper sin that almost unamously gets ignored or passed over in comparision, that is gluttony. Obesity is becoming a major problem on the West and partly because its considered venial or not as bad as others sins. From pastors to plump movie stars like Queen Latifah )who actially now lost tons of weight) to a barrage of commercials designed to manipulate your taste buds and mind to eat, gluttony is the sleeper sim with a sycthe that is slaying people. 

Gluttony really became a concern in 3-6th centuries as ascetics wanting to master their passions decided to add the sin to Seven Deadly Sins. The problem with gluttony or food based overeating sin is that it is a sin attatched not only to a need on life which is to eat to stay alive but it is pleasurable. Food realses chemicals in the brain like dopamine that make people feel relaxed and peaceful, that is why stress eating (eating while under duress and stress) is common which leads to gluttony and obesity and premature death if not kept in check. 

Part of the prpblem is the Church doesn't widely dissaprove of overeating. Obesity and gluttony is usually met with pity or it os totally ignored. The problem is gluttony isn't much different to alcholism, cigarettes, and even certian drugs on the body. Over indulging on food can fill the blood vessels and artieriws with plaque which can lead to heart attacks, stroke, and massive coronary.  

Before anyone says there is not Biblical evidence of mastering gluttony let mecdraw your attention to these verses: 

"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

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

"For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags." -Proverbs 23:21

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

"But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires." -Romans 13:14

"Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own." -1 corinthians 6:19

"No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church." -Ephesians 5:29

"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.’" -Deurtronomy 21:20

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship." - Romans 12:1

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." - Galatians 5:22-23

"Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. They were haughty and did an abomination before me. So I removed them, when I saw." -Ezekiel 16:49-50

"But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:4)

"One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” - Titus 1:12

"Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work." - John 4:34

"Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God." -  2 Corinthians 7:1

"That no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal." -Hebrews 12:16

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

"Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things." -Philippians 3:19

"But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap." -Luke 21:34

"What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”" -  1 Corinthians 15:32

"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.’ Then all the men of the city shall stone him to death with stones. So you shall purge the evil from your midst, and all Israel shall hear, and fear." -Deuteronomy 21:20-21

Article to read about the origins of gluttony and thoughts: 

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2000/september4/3.62.html

There are times for feasts and times to fast but our desire for Christ should never be over shadowed by a desire for food. Seek yee first the kingdom of God and His righteoussness and all else will be added unto you. such as victory over the flesh.

I'll pray for anyone with this battle to overcome.

[Fidei Defensor]

1 hour ago, Reinitin said:

There are times for feasts and times to fast but our desire for Christ should never be over shadowed by a desire for food. Seek yee first the kingdom of God and His righteoussness and all else will be added unto you. such as victory over the flesh.

I'll pray for anyone with this battle to overcome.

Amen. Food like anything can become a coping mechanism  for the emptiness, hurt, lack, loneliness, loss, and stressors in life. The holes we feel insode are meant to be healed by the holes in Christ's hands, feet, and side (Isaiah 53:5). Help those of us who battle this bread to remeber you made us to live on every word that proceeds from The Word's mouth. (Matthew 4:4). Amen. 

Edited October 3, 2017 by Fidei Defensor

[Justin Adams]

I read all of this with great interest. Thanks people for some good thoughts.

Where I live at present still has some of the small withered elderly that I remember as a child. But the Americanization of this country has also given it the fast-food-fetish. Now, there are many, many hamburger fed youngsters that make me feel quite small. Additionally, though I hate to seem judgmental, the average size of most 30-40 year olds has increased dramatically in my estimation. The older cars are way too small, so it is more like little USA today complete with larger cars. There is much government pressure to curtail the intake of poor lower nutritional foods as this is widely recognized.

Then I just looked it up: [http://www.nhs.uk/livewell/loseweight/pages/statistics-and-causes-of-the-obesity-epidemic-in-the-uk.aspx]

"One in four British adults is obese, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, prompting fears that the UK has become the "fat man of Europe".

The UK has the highest level of obesity in Western Europe, ahead of countries such as France, Germany, Spain and Sweden, the 2013 report says.

Obesity levels in the UK have more than trebled in the last 30 years and, on current estimates, more than half the population could be obese by 2050."