Quote:
Originally Posted by HeavenlyOne
My daughter is extremely overweight. Her problem began soon after she turned three, after being in the 10th percentile. She started gaining weight and I was glad. She was almost 3 and weighed 26 pounds.
By the time she was 5, she weighed 69 pounds. I kept track of her eating habits and took her to a dietician who said she wasn't even getting what she was allowed for daily caloric intake, which at the time was 1800 a day. She was averaging 1300 a day and very active, as she was also in daycare and went to dance classes and swimming.
Today, she's 15 and extremely overweight. She doesn't overeat, is active as much as her body allows, but the doctors have no idea why she continues gaining weight. She is having more bloodwork done next week, which has been a routine most of her life. Nothing is ever wrong with it.
But go ahead and judge her. Let her know that her witness to her friends is flawed by her appearance. Tell her what a turn-off she is to you. Suggest to her how she should follow your ideas about a godly approach to this National Health crisis.
What you don't know is that people aren't as judgmental to her as you are. She has lots of friends, is involved with church and her school community, is popular, and loves God very much. People aren't leaving the church because of her appearance, even when she's speaking in the front of the church.
Love is a wonderful thing.
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My swan song on this topic:
Hmmm. Now I see why you are so passionate about this you Registered Nut. Your daughters condition is unfortunate, I'm sorry to hear of it. It is really the first case of ever heard of where weight gain is unexplainable. I won't lie or cling to my lines, I tell you that you've opened up a world to me who's existence I doubted (Have you consulted alternative medicine? There's some good stuff in there). While I empathize with her condition, I still cannot believe that this is a common occurrence, but I can see where my worldview might cause misjudgement.
To AQuietPlace: I believe you are right that most people don't think about fat the way that NotforSale and I do. Most of the time, because they lack self-control in so many other areas of their lives they feel they are in no position to pass judgment. However, the Bible does instruct us to edify one another.
Given the passionate responses that the question raised in this thread has generated, I would say that this issue seems to be somewhat polarizing. And it also seems to be a hot button one. I agree we must show the maximum love and patience with weaker brothers and sisters, but I also believe that it is the duty of prayerful, thinking saints to push buttons the church doesn't like to be pushed, to ask questions we are afraid to answer based on Biblical imperatives. Though it may cause temporary pain, it shall, in time, cause good things to happen. Yes, we should inspect our eating habits and how we treat our bodies. This spirit of self-searching was embodied in King David's prayer "search my heart O Lord and see if there be any wicked way in me!" When we ask this, and look into ourselves, how do we view excess? What excesses are permissible? I will be the first to say that a slice of pizza "ain't gonna' kill ya'!" But what happens when that slice becomes a whole pie every time, or part of an unbreakable daily routine? The Bible tells us to "let our moderation be known to all men" (
Philippians 4:5). Whether we skinny people are observed liberally
gorging ourselves at a pot-luck church function, or when our bodies reveal the damage of private eating indulgences, can we justify ourselves in light of the holy scriptures?
No one is saying taste not, touch not here. What we're saying is, as Christians, we are so concerned about the many aspects of how we live our lives, and still, how many will still allow their belly to be another god in their life (
Philippians 3:19)? We can't act like a lack of self control in consumption isn't there. We've all seen discretion go out the window at church picnics where the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life rear their ugly head in a display of unbridled food worship-- of both the fat and skinny alike, RN.
There is one more thing I'd like to address if I may. I read a disturbing post about spelt bread, fruit/veggie toxins, etc. I've been down that road to. I've even made my own spelt bread with home-ground grain, and refused to eat non-organic produce! Only the best nutrition for my body was my motto. But as with everything, I found that, as people, we can go into unsustainable extremes (which can also be sources of pride, one thing healthy eater's must look out for. Food worship works both ways!). I found the supply of these things so hard to come by at the time, that I was starving myself by refusing the "better" foods that
were available to me. So pesticide toxins, mercury-laden fish and food distributor conspiracies aside, we can't let these things make us throw our hands in the air and say, "hang it all!", and eat like it's our last meal. There
are better alternatives to Wonderbread, cold-cuts and Kraft dressing. (Disclaimer! Yes, I do: shop at Whole Foods; think that arugula makes an cool insanely cool salad if you add walnuts, raisins flax-seeds and apple-cider-vinegar; and I do buy fair-traded organic chocolate.):
What I come away with, is, however we view food or fat, I believe we can all agree that never in the history of the world have ordinary folks (on a daily basis) dined like American's have for the past 100 years. I also believe we can agree that most of the church could stand to take
some starting measures to make their diets healthier.
Thanks for a fascinating conversation everyone, and have a great weekend!
@Peace