Do you maintain your 'temple'?

[seeker63]

Someone was once berating a smoker friend of mine, saying, “You really shouldn’t smoke. You know your body is a temple.”

My friend replied, “Yeah, well, I’m burning incense!”

 

[csr]

False religions have to invent a lot of hocus-pocus to make up for the implicit dearth of truth that characterizes their theology and worship. It is true that perfection is attained to the extent that one abandons attachment to strong flavors and strong physical sensations; some saints never touched drink other than water, for example, simply to deny themselves some pleasure and give all their attention to God, avoiding anything that might divert their attention to themselves. State of life is an important consideration; a layman can be too much of a pest, perhaps, around others, avoiding all drink and all spices, etc., but there is a valid role for avoiding things which, in excess, can actually be unhealthy.

Fortiterinre:

…I am inevitably irritated when I hear about this “metrosexual” trend where one acts as if massages and thousand dollar cosmetics were basic necessities of life.

There is a wonderful article about the “metrosexual” trend in the latest copy of New Oxford Review, by Michael Rose: “Effeminacy in the Service of Capitalism”.

 

[randall_brown]

YinYangMom:

Something struck me two lents ago…well, I suppose it was the Holy Spirit…because since then I’ve just been on this whole kick to get my behind in gear - as if I’ve been missing the boat all along.

Spiritually I found it interesting how Relevent Radio hit my geographical area last year, and then these boards - and with every program I listen to, every thread I read, that longing to know more grows inside -

and it spread over to my health and that of my family so we switched to the South Beach Diet way of eating which has made a big diference for us. I have done better about exercising on and off - just haven’t made a habit of it yet.

I guess I’m just curious if anyone else’s spirituality has flowed over to their physical well-being.

Absolutely !
The deeper I have explored my faith, the calmer I get.
See, I have a problem with negative emotions, and can’t seem to get a grip on myself. . . . The more I’ve prayed recently, the better I’ve felt . …

I guess what I’m trying to say is you have to exercise the inner part of you, as well as the outside !

Prayer’s like a muscle, too. . .If you don’t use it you’ll get flabby !
:bounce:

 

[batteddy]

I don’t drink, or smoke. Im not old enough, and don’t plan on it.

I think I’m in pretty good shape. I don’t specifically excercise that much simply for excercise’s sake, but I’m planning to start, and I get a fair amount in the course of my day walking to a lot of places.

I eat somewhat more than I should, and some junk food…but I ultimately have good meals…its the snacks in between that get you.

I also don’t drink much caffeine. I never have coffee, rarely have tea, and generally have caffeine free sodas. I also don’t really like chocolate all that much.

I’m thinking of giving up caffein completely. The coffee and tea wouldn’t be hard…and I almost always have caffeine free sodas anyway. The chocolate would be the hardest part. Not because I particularly like chocolate or eat a lot of pure chocolate candy…but because chocolate is an ingredient in so many cookies and granola bars and trail mixes and cakes and cupcakes and stuff that might be for treats sometimes. But oh well…

 

[dream_wanderer]

Don’t drink, don’t smoke…exercise moderately and eat too much chocolate…

I do try to eat right most of the time…

The ‘metrosexual’ thing is nothing new. Its been around in various forms over the years. Now while I like men who are well groomed and nicely dressed…they SHOULD NOT spend more time and money on how they look than their girl friends…and their girl friends shouldn’t be spending an excessive amount of time on themselves either!

dream wanderer

 

[ATeNumquam]

MichaelTDoyle:

Marketing and portions in America for old single guys who don’t cook is way crazy!

.

I don’t want to get too far off the thread theme, but this comment caught my attention. I’ve never yet visited the States, and I don’t want to sound critical, but friends who’ve holidayed or lived in the US go on and on about the huge portion sizes at restaurants, eateries, or for takeaways. About 2-3 times what we’d get served here. Can anyone suggest a theory as to why this is?? I suppose it’s what one comes to expect, and then there’s no going back 'cos of competition? It’s interesting!!

And yes, I do maintain my temple without going overboard (pardon the mixed metaphors!) I eat three times a day,(i.e. not between meals, but I make exception for social niceties and workplace “shouts”!!); cook all my own food (plenty of veges and fruit, nothing fried); bike or walk to work (because I only live 4 blocks away!); go walking for an hour or two in the local hills in the weekend, weather permitting, because it’s a chance to think and pray, rather than to “get fit”. I’ve never set foot in a gym, and never will.
I’m not at all preoccupied with how I look, or about being fit,
but I do believe my sense of physical well-being and good health (which I count as a great blessing from God) does carry over into my spiritual life. I confess that if it was otherwise, I’d be too easily distracted from God, because I’m such a wimp and basically self-preoccupied. Maybe that’s why God blesses me with good health. Totally devoid of heroism!

---

A Te numquam separari permittas - never let me be separated from You

 

[Sir_Hubert]

Good question. Without getting into the long story, I’m someone who has lost 90 pounds and am now quite healthy. I’m in my 40’s and actually lost the weight when I was in my late 30’s. Trust me, it can be done; and you don’t need any “magic” diet plan.

Our body, our very life, is a gift from God. Funny how we will take better care of our possessions than we will of God’s supreme gift.

Next time you reach for that smoke, or that second piece of cake, or that third beer during " The game", or the car keys to drive 1/4 mile to get a 1/2 gallon of ice cream; reflect a moment on the catch pharse of the last few years …

What Would Jesus Do?

Try to put Jesus in the center of all you do, and things will fall right into place.
In His Peace!

 

[Toni]

Scott Waddell:

I would suggest that drinking or smoking in moderation does not violate the body/temple principle. The much bigger temptation imho, is getting caught up in the cult of the body.

Scott

Excellent point I see far to many workout nazis adoring there body. But I do work out not as often as I should. Smoke my two cigarettes a day and sometimes eat a little to much sugar. But I continue to work on making my body the temple of the Holy Spirit.