Is overeating mortal sin?

[HelenRose]

I have never confessed overeating, and today I was wondering if it is mortal sin.

I think that it would be helpful to go to confession about this just like one would go to confession with any addiction. Whether it is a mortal sin depends on many factors. Sins are sins because of the harm they do to us. I don’t think God set up a bunch of rules to follow in order to trip us up. I t think gluttony is the extreme enjoyment and lack of restraint of food or any other physical pleasure but there again, it is not something that you or I could make that determination by looking at someone else.

I am of the opinion that this becomes a serious sin when we cease caring and give over to the pleasure of eating without restraint, knowing full well the harm it does.

It is good for us who struggle with this sin, to recognize that we are not without blame and the we must continue to strive to overcome the hold that food has for us. I know that I would go to confession about this more often if I didn’t feel so foolish about it. “Father I have sinned again. I ate more than 1200 calories AGAIN today” sounds so silly.

For those who do not struggle with this problem, it is not helpful to sit in judgement and make assumptions about the degree of sin another person is in.

 

[HelenRose]

I just want to add that the “flip side” of overeating is, for many of us unfortunates, body hatred and a fierce drive to diet. I don’t want to sin, nor do I want to be overwieght, nor do I want to obsess about my dreadful body, but I often feel that I am a pinball, rebounding off of all the sides in the pinball game. I believe that this is my particular cross to bear, my burden to carry, and I know I need to offer all these inappropriate responses up to God, who alone can cure me of all my misguided longings. I just wanted to add this view, that some of us regret our overeating, both the sinful nature of it and the physical result, but the opposing actions, dieting and restriction, can also become sharp weapon and painful habits.

I have been on both sides. There are names for both. Anorexia Versus Gluttony. I am familiar with both. It is not easy to follow the path between these two very powerful enemies. It may be helpful to learn that they come from the same source.

 

[MichelleP12]

I went to Olive Garden with its “Never ending pasta bowl” and deliberately ate all of my plate of fettucine so that I could get the next round. I’d say that is gluttony. It didn’t matter that I was going to be full with the pasta on my plate. There was a special and I wanted to show my Mom how small the next round would be. I am not starving. Mom said (when she saw the small bowl that came) that “it could have been served in that size of a bowl from the beginning,” which is true.

Nevertheless, I came on this page last nite doing a search of gluttony—mortal or venial from google. Even though I didn’t decide from reading the entries here, I made the decision based on how I felt at the time I ate. There was a moment of decision, like my conscience, and I’m sure my guardian angel trying to tell me “DON’T DO IT!” and I did it ANYWAY." Just before I posted, I read more of the entries, especially one at the bottom, which referred to “greed” and I felt that that hit the nail on the head. I wanted MORE food—even though it proved a point to Mom…I wanted to do it…even though before in my life, for a few years, I didn’t have any money for food and I WAS in terrible want and lived on what others would give me—that is no excuse for now. I am doing very well now. Indeed, Jesus has blessed me quite well to overflowing. So I went to confession anyway and I am glad, very glad I did.