Can doing something I believe is damaging to my health be a sin?

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Angel7

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I recently heard that Splenda, an artificial sweetner, can be bad for your health.
I plan on not purchasing any more water with splenda, but I don’t want the water I still have to stay there and go to waste.
But more importantly I don’t want to sin.

So, if I did drink the water, knowing that it COULD do me harm, is it a sin (venial or mortal?)

Also, this can apply to smoking, and to alcohol.

What does The Church say about drinking and smoking?
Is doing harm to my health a sin? (venial or mortal)

I assume it would be.

Thank you.

And

May The Lord Our God Bless You All!
 
Angel,

(a) No it is not a sin to drink drinks with Splenda in them even if it were “bad” for you.

(b) You would have to eat tons of it to make a difference anyway and whatever you read is probably far from conclusive. There are always these types of articles coming out. One day it’s bad for you, the next it’s OK. Try not to obsess on these things.

(c) The Church doesn’t teach that smoking or drinking are necessarily sinful.

(d) The Church teaches temperance. So unless you are going to eat a ton of Splenda a day, you are fine.

(e) This is really your scrupulosity talking and you should be working with a spiritual director/priest directly, not asking questions on the internet.
 
Go for it.

Remember that studies change-what they say is a wonder food now might be dangerous later, and vice versa.

As for the smoking and drinking-while I think smoking cigarettes is a dumb idea, I don’t think it’s immoral. Drinking is fine, and might even be healthy for you in moderation.
 
The Church teaches moderation when it comes to alcohol: it is not a sin to drink alcohol but one should exercise caution and self-restraint. The abuse of alcohol is sinful but just because a substance can be abused does not mean it’s proper and appropriate use is sinful. I believe it is drunkenness that is the sin.
 
Chocolate is unhealthy
Soda is unhealthy
Hormone induced meat is unhealthy
Coffee is unhealthy
Ice cream is unhealthy
Ketchup is unhealthy
Pizza is unhealthy
Cheeseburger is unhealthy
Candy is unhealthy
etc etc etc etc etc etc etc…
etc etc etc etc etc etc etc…

If you think drinking/eating anything at all that is the least bit unhealthy for you is a sin, you’d have to live in an entirely different world to go to heaven.

You need to speak to a priest about your scrupulosity ASAP.
 
But please explain to me why it isn’t a sin to do these damaging to your health/body.

Our bodies are Altars to The Holy Spirit.

So, by not taking care of our bodies, wouldn’t we be sinning?
 
Angel7 said:
But please explain to me why it isn’t a sin to do these damaging to your health/body.

Our bodies are Altars to The Holy Spirit.

So, by not taking care of our bodies, wouldn’t we be sinning?
Click to expand...
I thought our bodies were the “temple” of the Holy Spirit, not the “altar”. (1 Cor 6:19) There is a difference.

What precisely is “not taking care of our bodies” and what is your definition of sin? Are you looking for the Church to publish a list of “approved” foods and drink for everyone (similar to kosher)?

To summarize the previous replies, what doesn’t “damage” your health or body? Just because something *could *or might be harmful doesn’t mean that it IS harmful. However, medical research over decades has proven that smoking IS harmful. There is no “could be” or “might be”.

You should discuss what your definition of sin is with a priest…
 
I can’t believe there’s any discussion necessary about smoking. Everyone knows it’s very harmful to one’s body because it’s the cause of many illnesses. And of course there’s the issue of second hand smoke which harms others! When we absolutely know smoking is harmful to ourselves and others, how can one say it isn’t a sin? It’s a sin against the 5th Commandment, : “You shall not kill”. Smoking kills. Period.
 
RichP said:
I thought our bodies were the “temple” of the Holy Spirit, not the “altar”. (1 Cor 6:19) There is a difference.

What precisely is “not taking care of our bodies” and what is your definition of sin? Are you looking for the Church to publish a list of “approved” foods and drink for everyone (similar to kosher)?

To summarize the previous replies, what doesn’t “damage” your health or body? Just because something *could *or might be harmful doesn’t mean that it IS harmful. However, medical research over decades has proven that smoking IS harmful. There is no “could be” or “might be”.

You should discuss what your definition of sin is with a priest…
Click to expand...
Well It’s more complicated (how I see it) then I will explain here.

but.

Killing is wrong.

Hurting another person is wrong. (self defense is okay though right?).

Killing yourself (suicide) is wrong.

Why isn’t hurting yourself wrong?

Alcohol and smoking is damaging
 
Angel7 said:
Well It’s more complicated (how I see it) then I will explain here.

but.

Killing is wrong.

Hurting another person is wrong. (self defense is okay though right?).

Killing yourself (suicide) is wrong.

Why isn’t hurting yourself wrong?

Alcohol and smoking is damaging
Click to expand...
Well then let me ask you this, Angel. How do you plan on going about your life without ever doing anything that is harmful to your body?

Are you planning on living off of organic fruits and veggies with protein supplements, and drinking nothing but purified water for the rest of your life?

What about the air you breathe? Are you going to move to some remote deserted island with no pollution or impurities in the air?

I ask these questions only to prove a point of course, although I am curious as to how you plan on going about your life here on this planet if you obsess so much over “something harmful to the body” being a sin.
 
Yes, but I assumed it to be a sin.

so why isn’t it?

Say someone involved in a sport that has a probable risk of injury.

Football and Boxing, don’t they have risks for concussions?

I believe I heard that added up concussions, in time results in negative effects to your brain.

1 football player I heard about has trouble remembering.

The basic question is "Why" is doing damage to yourself not a sin?
I don’t get it.
 
Angel7 said:
Yes, but I assumed it to be a sin.

so why isn’t it?

Say someone involved in a sport that has a probable risk of injury.

Football and Boxing, don’t they have risks for concussions?

I believe I heard that added up concussions, in time results in negative effects to your brain.

1 football player I heard about has trouble remembering.

The basic question is "Why" is doing damage to yourself not a sin?
I don’t get it.
Click to expand...
Because it is impossible to live on this planet and never do anything that might possibly be damaging to ourselves in any way.

You ask if sports are a sin, because there are risks of physical harm.

Think about that for a minute. What about crossing the street? What about driving a car? What about riding a bike? (I once knew someone who fell off his bike and had a concussion)

All of us here are telling you that it is not a sin. If you are not satisfied, why don’t you try asking a priest in the confessional? He’ll tell you it’s not a sin, and then you can trust his answer. You should also talk to him about your scrupulosity. Start taking care of it now before it gets worse.
 
what about aviodable risks to your health?

smoking
dangerous stunts
inhaling or absorbing small amounts of unhealthy material and doing nothing about it (not worrying about it)

I think the best way to describe my way of thinking would be like,
“we are obligated to maintain our bodies in the best condition it is possible for us to reach”

is this an incorrect mentality? why?
 
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