If the body is the temple of the Lord then wouldn't it be safe to assume then that doing things that harm the body would be a sin. Things like eating disorders for example? Anyone have any thoughts or teachings that they can pass along to share with some young women about this?.
with care
rdg
I don't really have a black or white answer, but consider this; if a person serves and loves food to the point that they receive pleasure and fulfillment from it, it can very well be idolatry(seeking pleasure, peace etc. from something other than God).
However eating disorders can stem from many things, and I am not naive enough to just slap the Jesus will fix it badge on it. It may be the outworking of many other issues going on in that person.
I've seen people go overboard with not eating because they were worshiping the idol of beauty. But behind that was also the idol of acceptance with man, and a desire to want to be wanted due to previous abuse and neglect from a parental figure.
We could go to illogical extremes with this view of not damaging the Lord's temple. For example, too much caffeine is not good for you, too much sun is not good for you, heck even sitting in front of a computer monitor isn't really good for you for long periods of time.
So, if you are the one struggling with this, you might want to see someone who is trained to handle it. Pastors are not doctors, and often they give some very poor advice.
thank you for your thoughts. To answer your question, no I am not the one who struggles with this. It is a family member of mine, she does not even try to hide it. She does not believe that it is sin, she see this behavior as an acceptable form of dieting.
with care
rdg
I really wish I could help you more, but not knowing the details(not that you need to share them) it is too difficult to come to a firm answer.
As I said earlier, there are so many different reasons that go into eating disorders that it is hard to determine the cause of you sister's problem.
Pray for her(you probably already do), but pray that she would see the idols behind it, that are causing her to do it., and if it at all appears to be a medical condition, pray that she would not hesitate to get medical advice.
By the way, I am glad it's not you.
Hey roaringlamb
Thanks for your replies. My sister will skip meals for days at a time to drop a few pounds then she will eat like crazy. IF she feels like she is gaining weight then she will make herself sick and the whole process starts all over again. No one seems to want to say anything to her since she has not gotten seriously ill. I still think the cycle of what she is doing will take a toll on her body and is sin on her part. She thinks it a great diet. Not sure how to share with her about this.
Anyway thanks for sharing your thoughts. I am praying about this and will keep praying.
with care
rdg
The following link will bring you to some teaching that will help expose the root of the problem and bring healing...
In Christ,
Ron
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