Gluttony?

[bookish]

How does one determine if one has committed gluttony? I overeat often, and I am munching some Doritos right now. I probably shouldn’t joke, since it is a capital sin, so I am honestly curious. Where do you draw the line between enjoying food and committing gluttony?

 

[LilyM]

Well, let’s think about it for a bit. What’s the purpose of eating? To sustain life and health, primarily. Pleasure is secondary although not forbidden of course.

So - does what you eat do what it’s supposed to? Are you at a healthy weight or more-than-a-little overweight? Do you have any health conditions such as diabetes which require a particular diet? If so, are you avoiding or limiting foods that you need to avoid or limit?

Is the type of food you eat generally healthy, with only the occasional treat such as Doritos or what have you, or the other way around?

I find that I lose weight and feel better all round when I concentrate on putting decent quality food into me rather than focusing simply on overall amount or calorie count.

 

[Maynoothman]

I always found CS Lewis on gluttony in teh Screwtape letters very interesting. In it he talks about the peron who has to have food prepared perfectly to their standards, not the excess of it, nor the standard. He is kinda saying that a person who rejects a roast in favor of toast, sending one back and requesting the other is also as glutonous as the person who has the roast to themselves.

Its about wanting more and more and more.

Also as an aside for those who are contemplating this, please remember that gluttony isnt the remit of food only. think about the resources that we in the western world dominate, the oil we use in cars and heating houses, the clothes we buy and food we eat, even in moderation, and then consider how many people could be fed, clothed and given medical attention on what we spend on telephone bills.
Then there is the whole question of the gluttony of resources from a specifically envronmental persoective, do we need to drive the SUV;s and such? or is it we want to??

apologies for rambling!

 

[gardenswithkids]

How does one determine if one has committed gluttony? I overeat often, and I am munching some Doritos right now. I probably shouldn’t joke, since it is a capital sin, so I am honestly curious. Where do you draw the line between enjoying food and committing gluttony?

I just finished up some chocolate when I saw this thread. Why are we having such personal discussion with strangers? Can’t we just write about *other *peoples sins? Joking aside, you ask good questions.

There is nothing wrong with enjoying food and drink, but eating or drinking beyond a certain point becomes gluttony. The Catechism doesn’t say much about gluttony. The CCC glossory defines it as “Overindulgence in food or drink. Gluttony is one of the capital sins. (1866.)”

Gluttony is the opposite of the virtue of temperance. The CCC glossary defines temperance as: “The cardinal moral virtue that moderates the attraction of pleasure and provides balance in the use of created goods. It ensures the mastery of the will over instinct, and keeps natural desires within proper limits.”

It’s about keeping the proper balance and mastering the will over instinct. Eating beyond what you need on a particular day may or may not be, depending on the circumstances. Feasting on special occassions probably isn’t gluttony, (unless purging follows.) If overeating becomes a daily event, it crosses the line. Overindulging can refer to *quality *also and not just quantity. If a person thinks they simply must always indulge in the best quality foods or specific picky requests, that person might be not show outward signs of excess body fat, but may still be overindulging. (as the above poster referred to in CS Lewis’ Screwtape Letters.)

There is a line from a song by Marie Bellet, “Everyone talks about his drinking, but not about his thirst.” People drink when they are thirsty and eat when they are hungry. However, hunger and thirst can point to something deeper, like spiritual hunger, spiritual thirst. If struggling with gluttony, ask yourself why? What are you *really *hungry or thirsty for? We call Jesus the Bread of Life and Living Water.

 

[Schultzz]

How does one determine if one has committed gluttony? I overeat often, and I am munching some Doritos right now. I probably shouldn’t joke, since it is a capital sin, so I am honestly curious. Where do you draw the line between enjoying food and committing gluttony?

Many people overeat for a variety of reasons. Boredom, escape, comfort from uncomfortable thoughts or experiences. A need for fulfillment for something unknown yet substituted through food. Some foods are fun to eat. Some foods offer a certain “entertainment” level. Some of us are addicted to food, and other things. There is help available if you really want it. But most people do not want this help, as they would rather “medicate” themselves through food, drink, drugs, sex, and other behaviors.

 

[Hastrman]

But most people do not want this help, as they would rather “medicate” themselves through food, drink, drugs, sex, and other behaviors.

I wanted to make a joke about porn addiction and self-medication, but I fear I would offend.

But more seriously:

Gluttony is that degree of overeating, or indulgence in the pleasure of eating, that is out of proportion to the health of the body, the standard of society, and the good of one’s own and the community’s resources.

 

[gardenswithkids]

I wanted to make a joke about porn addiction and self-medication, but I fear I would offend…

Sorry if my joking about chocolate earlier offended anyone. Chocolate is my personal “vice”. I believe gluttony is serious problem today in our society, and as a member of this society I am not exempt from the struggle.

…Gluttony is that degree of overeating, or indulgence in the pleasure of eating, that is out of proportion to the health of the body,** the standard of society**, and the good of one’s own and the community’s resources.

I generally agree with what you wrote but I want to point out that a society’s standand can be gluttonous. Just as those involved in culture of porn may not recognize lust as abnormal, those in a gluttonous culture may not recognize their eating habits are abnormal. For example, I understand some in Ancient Rome built special rooms to vomit following feasts, which sort of “normalized the abnormal”. The standard of society may be out of proportion with health of the body and the good of the person and society.

In American culture today, “super-sizing” and over-eating are common. Yet on the other extreme, some people diet obsessively to the point of starvation and other health risks. Our obsession with eating–and not eating–and what we eat–seems different than the past norm of simply eating to obtain nourishment in an enjoyable manner with other’s in the community.