Chewing gum and mints

[BLB_Oregon]

I don’t know of a dietician that would classify anything made primarily of sugar as “nutritious”, but that is what most desserts are. Yet the Catholic Church does not teach that dessert, by definition, is gluttonous. That is preposterous.

It might be best, however, to keep dessert in the context of a celebration shared with others, and not something you just wolf down merely to keep your jaw moving. Gum once in awhile is a treat. Gum in your mouth all of the time… that might be an oral fixation. When you visit your parents, is the pattern to hug your mom and ask how she and your dad have been doing, or is it to go straight to the 'fridge and stick your face in there before the conversation even starts? In general, “Eat to live, don’t live to eat” is the idea.

Mints, on the other hand, were invented to keep the user from knocking others over with his or her breath. Some of us might consider it a sin to avoid them, if they are available.

 

[agname]

Brown10985:

would chewing bubble gum or eating a mint be considered sinful? The Catholic Encyclopedia says that eating for the sake of eating is a sin. Would suckers fall under being sinful too?

No.

See: Gluttony.

newadvent.org/cathen/06590a.htm

Thomas Aquinas wrote, Gluttony is about “…not any desire of eating and drinking, but an inordinate desire …leaving the order of reason, wherein the good of moral virtue consists.”

 

[asquared]

what is the preoccupation in these forums with examining the most trivial actions of daily life to determine if they might possibly be sinful? Virtually every Catholic democrat in politics is spitting on the Eucharist, 4 million babies are murdered each year, the world watches Joe Whosis and other reality shows while Africans practice genocide on each other and you are obsessing about gum and mints? Don’t you watch CNN?

If anyone chew gum in church and then proceed to receive communion, let him be anethema
If anyone remove that gum and stick it under a pew, let him be anethema

 

[LaVada]

asquared - Amen!!!
Folks, there is a real world out here! Real problems! Real sin!!! Real disobedience by Bishops, Priests AND the laity!!! May God have mercy on us all!!!
How about “everyone” devoting five minutes each day asking The Holy Spirit for “real” renewal in ourselves and the Church.?
Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us.
Peace on earth to men of good will.
LaVada

 

[baltobetsy]

asquared:

What is the preoccupation in these forums with examining the most trivial actions of daily life to determine if they might possibly be sinful?

Asquared, I’m with you - this drives me nuts!

People have not learned the distinction between a human act, which carries with it moral significance, and an act of man, which does not. Do you remember that from your theology or Christian ethics class?

People have this idea that God has a rule for absolutely everything, when in fact there are lots and lots of things which are morally neutral. I realize this is the flip side of the point you were making about proportionality - so many things are more important than whether we chew gum or eat a mint! But it is so important not to impute to God ridiculous attributes like making every little thing a moral issue. That’s how the idea of “Catholic guilt” got started. That’s one thing that keeps people away from the true faith - the idea that there are ridiculous, miniscule requirements for everything.

Mini-rant complete.

Betsy

 

[credo]

I thought this thread was going to be about chewing gum and mints during Mass. I have a pet peeve about this and children eating dry cereal and graham crackers, etc. during Mass.

I love it during the eucharist when I hear some little tyke say, “Mommy, more crackers!!” in a shrill voice.

Hey, I was a child too 35 years ago but we did not act like that during Mass. Our parents would not let us. credo

 

[BLB_Oregon]

asquared:

what is the preoccupation in these forums with examining the most trivial actions of daily life to determine if they might possibly be sinful? Virtually every Catholic democrat in politics is spitting on the Eucharist, 4 million babies are murdered each year, the world watches Joe Whosis and other reality shows while Africans practice genocide on each other and you are obsessing about gum and mints? Don’t you watch CNN?

If anyone chew gum in church and then proceed to receive communion, let him be anethema
If anyone remove that gum and stick it under a pew, let him be anethema

I think that this is a forum where people go to find out what Catholics really believe. It is an excellent place to relieve our brothers and sisters of scruples that might dog them in their pursuit of holiness.

Really, what if someone started a post asking the value of praying before meals? It isn’t genocide, but it isn’t choosing toothpaste flavors, either. Lighten up, give them credit for wanting to live well, and if the thread is too light-weight for you… well, move on!

 

[CD4]

<<<If your only reason to chew gum or have a mint is because it’s there, then I think you’re bordering on sinning,>>>

For Pete’s sake…

 

[CD4]

Andreas Hofer:

It sounds like you’re describing addiction. Which is sinful in all its forms.

**You can’t be serious…I drink my coffee every morning…half decaf and helf regular…I need it to wake up…enjoy sitting in bed sipping it…Why should I give up that simple pleasure? **

Humans do all kinds of things from WANT, rather than NEED, and that is Ok…Just as long as our WANTS don’t take over our lives…