Can not exercising be a sin?

[lissa70]

It would be my guess that not exercising is generally not a sin. Exercise is a modern phenomenon of the last two centuries. Were all those before sinning? I think that if the daily labor that you do is sufficient to keep you physically fit then exercise is not necessary. Of course these days exercising is physically beneficial because most people in the US and other developed nations live a passive lifestyle. If exercising and eating healthy go hand in hand then the question is are both a sin? Many saints certainly did not eat healthy, some living on only water and the Eucharist for days. Wouldn’t we consider this act a pious exercise to deepen one’s spirituality?

Perhaps it depends on one’s spiritual reasons for not exercising.

 

[Shin]

Scripture in fact commands us to exercise, to the point of muscle failure:

Philippians 2:12b-13 "…**work out **your salvation with fear and trembling…

Now that was a good one!

 

[RMW]

This always happens,someone endorses a common sense approach to body exercise and right away that person is attacked for frankly silly and un-realistic reasons.

oops,time for a workout at the ole gym…I will sneak in the back so that my body worship is not noticed…

Please don’t misunderstand or misconstrue me. I myself am an avid exerciser - I was even on the elliptical on the day before I went into labor with my son!

Perhaps I didn’t make my point clearly enough. I did not mean to imply that everyone who is fit has made an idol of their own body - but certainly some people do. I think the temptation to do this can be strong in our culture, especially given its emphasis on youth and outer beauty (the latter often being measured by one’s slimness – at least for women and increasingly for men, too, as evidenced by the rise of male eating disorders).

My point is that it is possible to get carried away and neglect your spiritual life, and in fact, backtrack spiritually. I agree that exercising is something that can be good to do - I myself do it because it makes me feel much better, in terms of giving me more energy, etc. However, I do not accept the blanket statement that it is a sin not to exercise. (Lissa70 makes the argument for why quite nicely, so I won’t repeat her points in my own post.)

Furthermore, I wanted to make the point that spiritual laziness is not necessarily eradicated by exercise. While exercise is one way to introduce discipline into one’s life, if we do not engage in it with the right motives and inclinations, then it will not help our spiritual life.

Lastly, there are many ways to interpret the phrase that the “body is a temple of the Holy Spirit,” and we should not limit our understanding of this phrase in terms of taking care of ourselves physically. We must not interpret this phrase so literally. It has much more to do with not defiling ourselves through sin (which, again, does not necessarily include lack of exercise) and with loving one another and ourselves as co-heirs of God. Additionally, given the kinds of arguments that have been presented in this thread for why lack of exercise is sinful, then many practices which have the potential for physical harm would be sinful. As we see with physical mortification, that is simply not the case.

Sorry this post is so long, but I just wanted to clarify my points lest my words be (mis)used against me again!

 

[RMW]

Now that was a good one!

Agreed - loved this!

 

[eecyaj]

Under which category is the sin classified. To be declared a sin it must be an offense against God. Not everyone can exercise so we must be careful about passing judgement. God who alone is the judge and the searcher of hearts, forbids us to pass judgement on the inner guilt of others. If one is a glutinous eater and does nothing to correct this distructive action then it is a sin, since “gluttony” is part of Capital sins which engenders other sins. If our only reason for exercising is to look good then that is a sin of vanity(pride). We all exercise in some shape or form everyday. Some of us exercise excessively which can be an addiction. Exercising is good, don’t add it to our personal guilt

 

[John_Pascendi]

Just came back from a graduation party…host of friends and relatives…sad how many are overweight…they bulge out of their clothes,look like they are about to burp each second and yet when the food is wheeled out off they go like chow hounds! What is so funny is that I can eat more then average yet dont show it.the poor dears have knee problems,heart bypasses etc. and altho one cant know what they think,does this chronic health insult take up too much time and so they cant think of that poor kid in India who is waiting for my lumpy oatmeal…(remember that one).As a teacher of creative writing I have many stories of valiant people who had health problems yet helped others. I called one…The Margaret Malone tenacity award. I delivered this to the local school board and town boards…its the story of a school sec.who was crippled and yet everyday for 40 years she made it upstairs to the office to work…no elevators in the school at the time! She was a valiant lady and I tried to introduce her example in the form of an award given each year to graduationg seniors who ,in spite of home or health reasons came to school daily and did their best! This of course never made it for the heart tugging lefties in control of my village must always be the one to do such humanitarian gestures…sad isn’t it?

 

[pinctor]

Respecting the body as ‘the temple of the soul’ does not mean worshipping the temple

 

[Brandanism]

Well, See lets say if you are sick and the doctor asked you to exercise to TAKE CARE of your SICK body then you should exercise and if didn’t do so, is it a sin or not, depends on your INTENTION! Well to me if you’re sick of Physical, then try to do some activities that can make you healthy if you are fat but if you are sick spiritually, just FAST and receive God in the Eucharist.

 

[Gloria1]

Exercising is like repairing the leaking roof of the temple of God. Exercising could be a blessing because you are keeping the temple of God in good shape and God is going to reward. Going fatty is not healthy but I don’t think it is a sin to go fat because some people were born to be fat. Don’t be lazy though. Get up and exercise!

 

[iamPopza]

Reflect on the nature of yuor bodies need.
If ordered to exercise for one’s health, then it may be a sin of disobedience not to do so.

If one knows that they have failing health due to a lack of exercise, then it may well a sin.

Someone mentioned sloth as being a spiritual rather than a physical issue; that is not correct. It can be both.

Don’t be scrupulous. But do recognize what you need to do to be healthy in mind, body, and spirit. There is much in life that damages our ability to reason rightly. Health is dependent upon mind, body, and soul. They are integrated parts not independent components.

What effect does most entertainment sources have on you? If it moves one toward God GREAT; If nuetral movement – take care; if you realize it is drawing you toward your passions being in control – flee from it!

Someone mentioned wasting time in a sense of it not being sinful? While there is legitimate usage of downtime just wasting it in boredom is an issue. I 'm not sure that anyone is truely able to fully honor the command to love God with all our mind, body, spirit, and strength. However, we can do our best to use all that we are by offering all we do to God while striving to be mindful.

Be ever on guard against the enemy. In the military sleeping on guard is a serious offense. How much more dangerous is lapsing on spiritual guard duty? To lose ones temporal life is bad; to lose ones soul is eternal catastrophy.

 

[RMW]

Reflect on the nature of yuor bodies need.
Someone mentioned sloth as being a spiritual rather than a physical issue; that is not correct. It can be both.

I don’t remember someone saying that in this forum, but in any case, I hope you don’t mind, but I’d like to build upon what you’ve written. In one sense, what you say is correct. The effects of acedia (sloth) can be both spiritual and physical. However, according to Catholic tradition and interpretation its source is clearly spiritual:

Catechism 2094:
2094 One can sin against God’s love in various ways:

• acedia or spiritual sloth goes so far as to refuse the joy that comes from God and to be repelled by divine goodness.
  Source: scborromeo.org/ccc/para/2094.htm

Summa Theologica:
Sloth, according to Damascene (De Fide Orth. ii, 14) is an oppressive sorrow, which, to wit, so weighs upon man’s mind, that he wants to do nothing; thus acid things are also cold. Hence sloth implies a certain weariness of work…
Source: newadvent.org/summa/3035.htm

Therefore, a symptom of sloth may be physical weariness, but the cause of this symptom is a spiritual one.

 

[John_Pascendi]

I talk to people about this every day, as I work in Disease Management.
Exercise is highly encouraged by health providers, but many people are working 2 jobs to support their families, or dealing with physical problems that just don’t allow for many kinds of exercise, such as amputations, or spinal cord injuries, or severe respiratory illnesses (COPD). I would hate to think such people think they are sinning by not exercising. When you have several small children and little relief, it’s super hard to find a way to exercise.
Most people do the best they can, and many people live sacrificial lives for others. While I encourage everyone to get as much exercise as they can manage, I would never fault anyone for having other priorities such as caring for their children or other relatives.

Not quite…I used to get up at 5am to work out…then at 630 go to my Catholic HighSchool to teach all day…go home at 3,change clothes and go to work at my second job,landscaping…till dark,then go home and have dinner,play with my children.I had seven correct papers etc…I did this for 30 years teaching and now with just one job and my children grown I also teach ,for free,a fitness class at the local senior center…I just really dislike these excuses people have then when they limp along,cough,wheeze and just never lead as an example for their own children…well…the human bodly is made to be used not neglected…Jesus was one tough hombre,if He were a hippy type the sick and infirm would have whined.heal thyself first doctor…bodybuilding is the toughest sport in the world for there are little instant gains…just a steady dedication to a sound mind in a sound body concept…and its fun to go to the beach and kick sand in other weaklings faces…like I got as a skinny kid of 12…all the best…suck in that gut…as Barney used to say…

 

[Viki63]

Not quite…I used to get up at 5am to work out…then at 630 go to my Catholic HighSchool to teach all day…go home at 3,change clothes and go to work at my second job,landscaping…till dark,then go home and have dinner,play with my children.I had seven correct papers etc…I did this for 30 years teaching and now with just one job and my children grown I also teach ,for free,a fitness class at the local…

That’s splendid for you. What if you were an elderly woman looking after her husband who has Alzheimers and can’t be left alone for half an hour? Or a single mother of young children who can’t leave them alone except at the sitters to go to work?
I also try to work out, but I suspect you had help – a wife, maybe?-- somebody to cover your bases while you went to work, to teach, etc. All too many people have no relief, nobody to come in for them while they take a walk. Or they may have serious health problems that prevent much exercise.
I’m just saying that not everyone is as fortunate as you and I, and I would never fault anyone who can’t muster the time or resources to exercise. That would be uncharitable.
If our society worked together more, it would be more possible, but there are a lot of people barely hanging on.