By Patricia Backora One Deeper Life heresy is that Gods daughters are only attractive to Jesus if they get

(and manage to stay) skinny !othing is said a"out #hristian males needing to get rid of that "eer gut to prove their love for Jesus $any #hristian %omen stop eating and call it &healthy eating' to honor the Lord (asting for %eight loss is one of the pillars of modern )omens Discipleship *s the scale drops+ ladies %ear tight+ sleeveless dresses to sho% off their "ony "od and toothpick arms+ &to glorify Jesus' )hat a testimony to ,is almighty po%er+ that ,e (allegedly) gave some %oman the grace to suffer long enough to s-uee.e into si.e / 0eans But flesh and "lood humans have deceitful hearts+ capa"le of underlying motives that oppose the pure 1pirit of God (Jer 23456 Gal 7423) 1elf8o"sessed #hristian %omen have made a religious devotion out of depriving their "odies of food 1atan can appear as an angel of light (/ #or 22 429) But fe% %ill search their soul long enough to grasp that their real diet goal is to look se:y so theyll arouse men and get "lessed in "ed Dont tell me that cant "e true "ecause the #hristian diet cra.e is a"out Christians. #hristians often act like sinners+ at least in their o%n hearts $any prominent preachers and televangelists %ho scream a"out *mericas moral decay cant control their o%n gonads )ay%ard preachers+ like other sinful men+ get the hots for skinny young "im"os Preachers hop from one "ed to another 1ome get divorced and remarried several times One famous prophecy teacher is forever %arning sinners to clean up their act or get left "ehind ;urns out hes no holier than they are ,es no% on %ife<9 1ome%here out there+ some mega8pastors %ife has reached her sell8"y date ;he preacher pressures her to look like she did /= years ago But her hairdresser+ %rinkle doctor and %orkout coach cant %ork any more miracles to get the victory over (ather ;ime 1o Preach trades his old gray mare in for a skinny young filly &to complement his ministry for the glory of god' Preachers get caught in the >ed Light District %ith their pants do%n+ tearfully cry &? have sinned' on ;@+ then look for more hookers

once the media feeding fren.y "lo%s over capa"le of the "asest sins and motives

;he human heart is

;he %orlds "ody8shaping and diet cra.e has "een imported into the church and sanctified into a &spiritual discipline' "y appealing to romantic love to%ard the Aing of Aings ;he central doctrine of one !ashville cult is4 *ll fatties %ill fry in hell+ so youd "etter stay skinny for Jesus * legitimate concern of #hristians+ proper nourishment for optimum health and vitality+ has gotten so %arped that the &#hristian' dieting movement is no% "aring its hungry teeth at those calling for sanctified common sense and faithfulness to the )ord of God as delivered "y the apostles to the #hurch )hen Peter %rote his advice to #hristian %ives in ? Pet B428C+ he didnt order them to restrict their food intake to enhance their se: appeal Old8fashioned Peters focus %as on a %omans inward loveliness+ not the kind she can sell on the street Dont kid yourself *!D %oman+ even a professing #hristian+ %ho %ent through hell to get skinny %ill feel like shes got the right to e:hi"it her "oy toy "od instead of hiding it under a "ushel "asket During the Jesus >evolution of the late C=s and early 3=s+ #hristians (especially young ones) seemed to "e forever looking for %ays to perk up their spiritual life+ pro"a"ly "ecause they found sound Bi"le

teaching too dull to compete %ith the fun %orld theyd "een saved from But males and females found different %ays of getting closer to the Lord Dodgy ne% doctrines sprang up %hich+ at "est+ %ere supported only "y second8and8third8hand con0ectural arguments distilled from isolated scripture verses yanked out of conte:t Dieting devotional "ooks misapply scripture to encourage %omen to cheerfully tear do%n their "ody+ their temple of the ,oly Ghost (? #or B423) God doesnt teach #hristian %omen to go on a starvation diet to &"ody8shape' so she can "e a "etter &fisher of men'

On the cover of one old #hristian thinnessEdieting "ook+ Pin-Thin for Him (title changed)+ a slender young s%eetie in a long frilly dress strolls gracefully through the fields in search of Jesus ;his girls alleged motive is to get thin for ,?$+ to su"due the flesh nature+ contrary to #olossians /4/=8/B %hich teaches that harshness on the "ody doesnt make #hristians more spiritual ;he girls dainty+ un"lemished "eauty is supposedly %hat dra%s #hrist to her+ making ,im %hisper romantic endearments to her soul #hrist is her Prince+ and she is ,is Beloved ;he young maiden looks like a lemon chiffon angel 1hes an ethereal "utterfly %ho floats on the "ree.e and glides over the flo%ers %ith dainty little feet that "arely kiss the ground ;heres a disarming charm a"out the illustration %hich "elies the devilish heresy of gender8"iased diet discipleship teaching

,o% does it further Gods Aingdom if a healthy si.e 2/ %oman diets do%n to a si.e / to prove ho% spiritual she isF ,o% does God "enefit from %atching ,is daughters starveF Does one soul get saved or one hungry %ido% fed %hen a #hristian %oman starves do%n to skin and "onesF ?f an uninitiated un"eliever %ere to spot that "ook cover+ %ouldnt they %onder 0ust why the girl %anted to get &pin8thin for him'F Dour average Joe Blo% %ould automatically assume that any %oman %ho gets skinny for *!D male is trying to hit on him ;he "ottom line4 ;he GO*L of dieting isnt si.e C+ its si..ling se: >omance %ith Jesus heresies spring from a deep misunderstanding of %hat constitutes a Bi"lically sound relationship %ith #hrist *1 *! ?!D?@?DG*L BHL?H@H> ?n the !;+ only the ),OLH BODD O( #,>?1; is referred to as the O!H Bride of #hrist ?t does not say that individual %omen are individual "rides of #hrist and have to suck the fat out of their thighs to allure ,im ;heres a distinction "et%een our relationship %ith #hrist as individuals and our collective relationship %ith ,im as the #hurch #atholic nuns are taught that each of them is an individual "ride of #hrist 1o nuns stay celi"ate and live separately from the %orld in convents Hach nun %ears a %edding ring to sym"oli.e her personal union %ith #hrist 1ome treat their "odies harshly to commend themselves to God+ to prove their %orthiness to "e a "ride of #hrist $any #harismatic %omen are taught that dieting deepens ("ut it #,H*PH!1) their comprehension of Jesus love ;he Diet Gospel heresy is preached O!LD to female "elieversI #ould it "e that the male promoters of this devilish doctrine are so full of lust that they %ant to see more anorectic angels out in the pe%s sho%ing off their shapely legsF Jesus has only O!H "ride+ not many+ though %e are many mem"ers of the same Body (? #or 2/429) #hrist does not keep a harem like O; patriarchs did Jaco" loved "eautiful >achel more than Leah (Gen Gen /54236B=) But %hen Jesus surveys the folks out in the pe%s+ ,e loves that grey8haired granny as much as that gorgeous "lond Jesus loves "ig+ "ra%ny+ Brother Bu""a %ith the same love of the 1pirit Jesus love is not the "ase carnal lust of "usinessmen in a "rothel ?nterestingly enough+ male disciples are also mem"ers of the Bride of #hrist !e% ;estament 1cripture says nothing a"out %omen needing to "e "eautiful to earn #hrists love+ %hile men arent under this "ondage ?n #hrist+ there is neither male nor female (Gal B4/J) ?f a skinny young girl in a dainty dress strolls through flo%er fields to

encounter #hrist+ its 0ust as okay for B==8pound Bu""a to stomp through a co% pasture in his gru""y overalls to seek Gods face Jesus said %e must "ecome like a little child to come to ,im ($ark 2=4276 Luke 2J423) $ost agree ,e meant to "ecome childlike in your heart. But to "e socially accepted in some churches+ full8figured %omen are e:pected to diet and s%eat to the oldies to force their o%n "odies "ack to the %ay they looked %hen they %ere ten years oldI !o one %ould think of demanding dieting of a small child+ a gro%ing teenager or a male of any age (or si.e) as proof of their love for Jesus Only gro%n %omen are pressured to torture their o%n "odiesI )omen are taught that they must physically decrease so #hrist can increase (John B4B=) (or all other categories of human+ this verse correctly means &less of my input+ more of #hrists' ;he %oman must renounce her o%n food preferences in favor of poached chicken and cottage cheese @indictive male discipleship dictators punish %omen for Hves temptation of *dam "y demanding that they deny their "odys nutritional needs and &mortify their flesh' "y dieting Be%are of &disciplers' %ho degrade our spiritual fello%ship %ith Jesus into a "lasphemous se:8on8the8"each fantasyI #hrists love to%ard everyone is a %onderfully pure+ heavenly+ soul8soothing tenderness that even a 78year8old can e:perience !ot like those alleged !DH romantic romps %ith the Lord in Paradise Just as humankind is high a"ove a moth in Gods order of creation+ the glory of Gods love is as high a"ove earthly lust as heaven is a"ove hell

)ould Jesus still love ;hin8derella if she %as eight months pregnant and looked like she s%allo%ed the Great PumpkinF Hven if she "arfed up her 1pecial A and turned green at the gillsF )hat if her her s%ollen feet couldnt glide so gracefully over the gladiolasF )hat if her "a"y thre% up do%n her "ack after a feedingF )hat if it took her a couple years for her to s-uee.e "ack into that si.e / chiffon go%n she %ore on the "ook cover to sho% everyone ho% skinny she got for JesusF ?n the meantime+ %ould Jesus get tired of %atching her "loated "ody %addling through the %eeds and go looking for a "rand ne% %ispy %aif %istfully %aiting for ,im in yet another rose gardenF )hat a truckload of KKKKI >H*L %omen the %orld over have to eat so theyll have the strength to plo%+ slop hogs+ chop %ood+ %ash dirty duds+ %ait on cranky customers in restaurants *ny gal %ho %alt.es through the daisies all day looking for Jesus must "e a Lotto Jackpot millionaire %ho can afford to starve a%ay her muscles and daydream all day Or may"e shes got some rich sugar daddy taking care of herI *ccording to se:ist Deeper Life gurus+ only young+ skinny Bar"ie Dolls have any right to a close relationship %ith Jesus )ould such an image8o"sessed &savior' feel the same a"out 1addle Bag 1ue+ a %orn8 out %oman %ith "ulging varicose veins and thunder thighs+ %ho got that %ay after her old man skipped to%n on her and left her %ith three kids+ forcing 1ue to %ork triple shifts+ %hich forced time8strapped 1ue to go""le %hatever she could gra" on the runF ?nstead of chasing her through a flo%er field+ that kind of &Jesus' %ould hide her under a "ushel "asket till some -uack sucked the "utter out of her "read "asket+ terminated her turkey neck and fi:ed her puffy face %ith Boto: &>omance %ith Jesus' deeper discipleship doctrinal doo doo teaches that ?( DOG LO@H JH1G1+ youll feast on ,im alone in a fragrant garden and never notice the acrid odor of that skunk of pride hiding in the %eeds Hven if youre si:ty and have punched out a houseful of kids+ failure to stay fashiona"ly thin and glamorous is (allegedly) a turn8off to the Lord ?f everything on your "ody is heading south+ youd "etter go on the %ater diet or you %ont &go north' in the >aptureI ?magine going to the $ens Discipleship section in a #hristian "ookstore ;he first thing you see is a "ook cover depicting a s%eaty+ "are8chested man %aving a dum""ell ;he titleF (?; (O> ,?$I )hyF ;hat provocative title %ouldnt sit right %ith >ight8%ing >epu"lican

#onservative preachers *ny suggestion that #hrist loves the man on the cover for his physi-ue %ould get the preacher screaming ? 1am 2C43+ %here God states that the Lord looks on the heart+ not the out%ard appearance *pplying the same &less of me' standard to men %ould upset B==8pound male preachers %ho love their fried chicken too much to &lay aside every %eight' !o+ "ut the male manipulators of #hristian culture %ouldnt dream of teaching men to &get a C8pack for Jesus'I But it ?1 okay to chain a %omans faith to "ody image+ so as to keep her under male dominance (&su"mission') 1ell %omen self8 hatred and insecurity and you make a fortune from &1tarve for Jesus' "ooks and seminars+ and no need to pick up the pieces %hen %omen %reck their health and %onder %hy life still feels empty (Hccl /423) Decades after )omens Li"eration+ %e still live in an ultra8se:ist society %here %omen are 0udged "y their looks %hile men are valued for their character+ talents and achievements Girls and %omen are taught that the less they %eigh+ the more authority figures (including God) value them ?f theres a room full of over8-ualified+ si.e 29 middle8aged %omen %aiting to intervie% for a %e" design 0o"+ and youve got one young+ si.e = "londe %ho cant type her name on a key"oard+ guess %ho gets hired+ even if that person %ould "e %orking from homeF ?ts a meat market out there+ even in Gods o%n churchI Discipleship gurus cite O; Lueen Hsther as "eing an e:ample for %omen disciples to follo% 1taying glamorous )*1 Hsthers 0o" But Hsther didnt diet and "athe in perfumes to get closer to God Hsthers 0o" resume didnt call for an engineering degree 1he had to look se:y to fire up the Aings hormones so hed cro%n her -ueen and save the Je%s ?f youre -ualified to run a veterinary clinic+ %hy should intervie%ers re0ect you for having %rinkles %hen its okay for a male applicant to have them and that sick 1t Bernard %ould still get %ellF ?f a %oman is &in love %ith Jesus'+ shell "e e:pected to show it "y punishing her "ody till she gets a rippled ri" cage and "uns of steel ?f a man says hes in love %ith Jesus+ he might get %eird looks But he %ont have to pump iron till he looks like *rnold 1ch%ar.enneggar Diet8for8Jesus is 0ust one symptom of self8o"sessed %esterni.ed %orld8%anna"e #hristianity #hristians %ant to "e "oth in the %orld and O( it+ "ut theyll never admit it 1o theyll 0ust call %orldly %ays something else and &#hristiani.e' them Just like #onstantine imported the >oman (estival of 1aturnalia into the nominal church and called it #hristmas Like a sneaky snake the %orld al%ays %iggles its %ay in (act is+ %hat %ith the Prosperity Gospel turning church into a "ig

success seminar+ and #hristians so o"sessed %ith looking like %anna"e millionaires+ #hristians are more %orldly than the %orldI Hven in church+ its the beautiful %omen %ho are encouraged to come up front and sing or do other ministry+ %hile do%dy old soldiers of the cross get latrine duty ?ve %atched #hristian %omen acting "itchy a"out each others %eight or personal style ;heyll pick at each other a"out things that dont count for eternity But after %e die+ %e all go "ack to the dirt no matter %hat price %e paid to "e "eautiful for others One %oman said it "est4 1lim is a nice place to "e "ut the rents %ay too high

)eve made .ero progress in seeing %omen mature into full8fledged adults %ho can carry on an intelligent conversation a"out anything other than %eight+ hair+ fashion+ se:+ etc )omen are still controlled and tormented "y unattaina"le+ unrealistic "eauty standards set "y the money8mad mass media ;heres a "ig market for cosmetic surgery+ appetite suppressants+ diet meals and %orkout e-uipment )omen consume diet products till they become a product of a male8dominated society (and church culture) %hich hates to see females mature out of childhood into strong+ confident adults %ho take up their fair share of space in the %orld ;he Pin-Thin for Him girl roams+ childlike+ through a fantasy fog chasing her dream of a &deeper %alk %ith the Lord' (an

introspective head trip higher than any drug8induced euphoria) Hven if she had a loving mother %ho valued her for herself %hen she %as a little child+ and fed her %ell to help her &gro% up "ig and strong'+ the girl must no% su"tract from herself to gain the approval of others ?t isnt enough for a %oman to have a childlike heart in her -uest for God ;he Deeper Life Dictators e:pect her to get a childlike body "y consuming her o%n feminine curves 1o a girls appetite for food is su"limated into a hunger for Jesus (as if its a sin to have "oth hungers)I ;he "rain%ashed girl reverses her o%n physical maturation out of a su"conscious desire to once again "e an adora"le little 78year8 old girl %ho can skip up to Jesus %ith a flo%er and sit on ,is knee *dulthood is a complicated+ challenging+ stormy "usiness Hspecially for %omen+ %ho are su"0ect to hormonal highs and lo%s )ho kno%s ho% many gro%nups %sh they could "e a little kid again to escape the responsi"ilities and pressures of life+ even if its 0ust for one dayF 1atan lies that God cant "e pleased %ith you unless youre suffering some privation (&spiritual discipline') to prove your love for ,im B;)+ this term appears !O),H>H in scripture ;he medieval #atholic doctrine of redeeming yourself through personal suffering is %edded to narcissistic female vanity %hich has "een sanctified and turned into a holy ministry unto the Lord *ny %oman %ho doesnt "elieve shes *L>H*DD close to #hrist (? #or C423) and insists on suffering+ let her %ear a hair shirt and %ander through a "riar patch to seek Jesus 1ong /4/ *s the lily among thorns+ so is my love among the daughters !either Hsther nor 1ong of 1olomon mentions God ;hat sets those t%o "ooks apart from all the rest 1ome learned churchmen %onder ho% those "ooks ever got included in the canon of scripture 1ong of 1olomon %as authored "y a %omani.ing king %ho "uilt idols for his heathen %ives (1ong 2426 ? Aings 224282B) 1olomon spent his life in soft8scented pleasure %hile poor people slaved and did %ithout to keep him up in style ;hroughout the "ook 1olomon praises the "eauty of the %oman hes trying to %in But neither 1ong of 1olomon nor Hsther are ever -uoted in the !; to put "eauty "ondages on %omen !o !; verse teaches %omen ho% to "ecome more glamorous to seduce men 1olomon praises his girl for "eing "uilt like a %ell8stacked palm tree ,e likes to smell her nose (she doesnt have halitosis) 1olomon had modern tastes in %omen4 the tall+ lanky "oy toy %ho someho% %ears a BCD Gnless you &spirituali.e' parts of it+ an un"iased reading of

1ong of 1olomon reveals it as a primeval mating call ?ts a &youre the only gal 9 me' love poem %ritten "y a king %ho collected a thousand "eautiesI ;o make %omen conform to the tall "ut "u:om Bi"lical "eauty standard+ youd have to take that that shrimp and stretch her out on a rack+ and if shes flat+ its silicone to the rescueI Dou"le standard discipleship ?f youre a guy+ those intimidating O; "eauty passages and &#hristian' diet "ooks arent aimed at you 1o eat up+ fello%sI *fter all+ Jesus+ our 1upreme H:ample+ %as a poor advertisement for Diet Discipleship ,e %as accused of "eing a %ine"i""er and a glutton ($att 224256 Luke 34B9 Jesus says ,e came eating and drinking (normally+ unlike fre-uent faster John the Baptist) ?ts crystal clear that #hrist didnt su"sist on cra" grass+ "arley "ran and "eet sprouts #hrist did not lead any"ody to "elieve ,e %as an austere ascetic )ho punished ,is "ody %ith self8imposed hunger ;he only time 1cripture mentions Jesus going a long time %ithout food is ,is O!H8;?$H forty8day a"stinence in the )ilderness+ %here ,e had po%er to live off the )ord of God (see $att 949) !O O;,H> (*1; is attri"uted to Jesus in the Gospels+ and no mention is made that ,e and ,is disciples ever fasted and prayed together *ctually+ #hrist D?D sometimes suffer privation+ "ut not as a deli"erate religious e:ercise (see $ark 2242/82B) ,e lived on the edge Jesus had no%here to lay ,is head ($att J4/=) *ll "ecause ,e "ecame poor for our sake (/ #or J45) But #hrist didnt stop eating to gro% closer to God the (ather Jesus neglect of key Je%ish devotional practices (fasting+ ritual hand%ashing+ strict 1a""ath8keeping) irked Pharisees %ho fasted to 1,O) others ho% much they loved God ;he Gospel of 1lim insists that since Jesus %as perfectly holy and our perfect H:ample for self8discipline+ it follo%s that ,e must have su"sisted on a skimpy+ tasteless diet 1o %e must eat this %ay too But %hat does the prophet ?saiah predict a"out the >H*L Jesus DietF ?saiah 34274 Butter and honey shall he eat+ that he may kno% to refuse the evil and choose the good K K K >eal "utter has long "een reviled as an unhealthy+ fattening 0unk food %hich is almost a sin to touch ,oney is a (gasp) -uick energy #*>BI ,oney actually tastes good+ so it $G1; "e "ad for youI But God la"els "utter and honey as "eing good and not to "e refused (in moderation+ of course) Prover"s /942B4 $y son+ eat thou honey+ "ecause it is GOOD6 and the honeycom"+ %hich is s%eet to the taste K K K(ood faddists -uote

coronary disease and o"esity statistics to persuade you that a taste for s%eet foods is "ad for you+ and you ought to go for "itter things like plain yogurt+ dandelion greens+ vinegar tonics+ etc !ehemiah J42=4 ;hen he said unto them+ Go your %ay+ eat the fat (rich foods)+ and drink the s%eet+ and send portions unto them for %hom nothing is prepared4 neither "e ye sorry6 for the 0oy of the LO>D is your strength K K K#hristians are conditioned to feel sorry and ashamed %hen they eat something rich or s%eet #hristian food Pharisees say sorro%ful fasting makes you strong+ not Gods 0oy @erse //4 *nd it shall come to pass+ for the a"undance of milk that they shall give he shall eat "utter4 for "utter and honey shall every one eat that is left in the land K K K H@H>DO!HF Hven the ladiesF

)hat did righteous *"raham feed three heavenly visitors %ho dropped "y to announce the coming "irth of ?saacF Gen 2J4C4 *nd *"raham hastened into the tent unto 1arah+ and said4 $ake ready -uickly three measures of fine meal+ knead it and make cakes upon the hearth K K K?t %as (?!H meal+ not+ gritty "arley "ran that could keep the angels regularI )hat on earth %as *"ram trying to do+ drive up their glycemic inde: %ith those sinful car"sF @erse 34 *nd *"raham ran unto the herd+ and fetched a calf tender and good+ and gave it unto a young man6 and he hasted to dress it K K

K!aughty+ naughtyI *"raham should have prepared skinless grilled chicken for the heavenly visitors instead of tender+ 0uicy vealI (urthermore+ instead of encouraging his guests to loaf under a shade tree+ *"raham should have run those guys C= laps around the camel track to to "urn off their dinner calories in advanceI @erse J4 *nd he (*"raham) took "utter (gasp)+ and milk (%as it skim+ or even /MF) and the calf %hich he had dressed+ and set it "efore them6 and he stood "y them under the tree+ and they did eat K K KDid those angels really do%n a ),OLH calf in one sittingF Did they >H*LLD drink fresh8dra%n+ unpasteuri.ed+ unhomongeni.ed milk foaming at the top %ith glo"ules of "utter creamF ;hose angels arteries must have "een crammed %ith cholesterol after that mealI #hristian Diet Police %ould have run *"raham out of to%n for forgetting to fill the angels up on alfalfa sprouts "efore the main course )hy didnt *"raham at least serve steamed "roccoli %ith that mealF *"raham had pro"a"ly seen the Great Pyramid on his travels to Hgypt But hadnt he ever heard of the (ood Pyramid %hich highlights the importance of fat8free fruits and veggiesF Didnt this %ise man even kno% ho% to gro% green "eans or lettuce on his ranchF ?magine ho% much moo 0uice it must have taken for the angels to %ash do%n that "ig fat calf and that mountain of griddle cakes 1arah made *"raham could at least have lo%ered the angels calorie count "y serving Perrier %ater %ith a lemon t%ist instead of rich+ "uttery milk from contented co%sI )here %as *"rahams local Diet #oke $anF Out chasing shepherd girlsF ;he Diet Police can a%ard *"raham one point *t least he forgot the dessert+ and its a good thing he didI ;hose angels didnt even have room left for Jello One "ite of devils food cake and they %ould have "een too "loated for liftoff %hen the time came to fly home to heavenI ;he La% of $oses does contain dietary restrictions (no pork+ shrimp or ham) But does the !e% ;estament authori.e *!D teacher of the Gospel+ man or %oman+ to threaten people %ith eternal hellfire for eating a deep8fried $ars BarF ? read of a church %hich names and shames its mem"ers for "uying #okeI Hven though Jesus turned %ater into %ineI 1piritual 0ack"oots make it their "usiness to take all the fun out of life and make serving the Lord a dreaded ordeal

? ;im 9424 !o% the 1pirit speaketh e:pressly+ that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith+ giving heed to seducing spirits+ and doctrines of devils6 @erse /4 1peaking lies in hypocrisy6 having their conscience seared %ith a hot iron6 @erse B4 (or"idding to marry+ and #O$$*!D?!G ;O *B1;*?! (>O$ $H*;1 (foods)+ %hich God hath created to "e received %ith thanksgiving of them %hich "elieve and kno% the truth @erse 94 (or H@H>D creature of God is GOOD+ and !O;,?!G (not even pork chops) to "e refused+ if it "e received %ith thanksgiving4 @erse 74 (or it is sanctified "y the )ord of God and prayer 1uppose youre a missionary stranded in a steamy 0ungle+ and all God provides for the time "eing is peanut "rittle Dou can pray over that candy and sanctify it %ith the )ord of God and prayer 1o long as theres no medical (or dental) reason you cant eat this emergency energy supply+ go ahead and en0oy it %ithout guilt !o scripture condemns peanuts (or even %hite sugar) as "eing sinful ;hat is a prohi"ition of food Pharisees %ho hope you save money on your groceries so you can chip in more lettuce to fatten up their ministryI ;he particular dieting cult ?m thinking of has gone off the rails )eight loss dieting %asnt even a minor doctrine taught "y Paul+ yet it is ;,H all8important issue of that particular &#hristian' church Paul didnt even promote religious fasting in his epistlesI ?ssues revolving around 1HL(8glorification (%eight loss+ "eauty+ success+ %ealth+ etc ) have crept into the church and gotten #hristians so e:cited that the >eligion of 1elf8?mprovement has supplanted #hrist and gotten their eyes off the true "usiness of the Aing Paul prophesied of the Last Days4 $en (and %omen) shall "e lovers of their o%n selves (/ ;im B4/) Ours is truly a self8o"sessed generation ?nstead of feeding the poor %ido% like they did in *cts+ modern churches %onder if that %oman ought to stay on her diet to get skinnier for Jesus ;he only time Paul for"ids anyone to eat is in the case of la.y "elievers %ho refuse to %ork and instead %ant to live off church charity Paul says if they dont %ant to %ork+ neither should they eat (/ ;hes B42=) Paul did not say if #hristians dont %eigh %hat some chart says they should+ then they shouldnt "e allo%ed to eat

? dou"t dieting "ooks sell like hotcakes in heaven People put a "rave face on their dieting+ "ut "e honest * D?Ht is self8imposed starvation ?n order to lose %eight+ you have to feel famished at least part of the time Once your meager meal is eaten+ it gets "urned off in a couple of hours and youre left feeling %eak and ravenously hungry until its time for your ne:t half cup of 1kinny !oodles ;o 1;*D skinny+ youve got to "e a grim control freak %ho runs on fumes for a lifetime !o%+ if %ere all destined to spend eternity as slim folks+ %e %ont have to go hungry to achieve this )hy do ? "elieve heaven %ill "e a diet8free .oneF >evelation 342C plainly promises4 ;,HD 1,*LL ,G!GH> !O $O>HI ,allelu0ahI )hen youre sitting at ta"le %ith *"raham+ ?saac and Jaco" in the Aingdom of heaven+ there %ont "e any food Pharisees peeking over your shoulder counting your every "ite+ making you feel like a carnal "ackslider for saying+ &Pass the corn"read+ PeterI' 1atan kno%s you cant focus on t%o things at once ,e often appears as an angel of light (/ #or 22429) ;he devil made the for"idden tree in Hden appear as a "eautiful+ desira"le thing (lo%er8garlanded narcissistic nymphs in *iry8(airy Land invite you to e:perience &deeper' #hristian revelations %hich emphasi.e harsh treatment of the "ody as "eing a meritorious %ay to "ecome more like #hrist Paul %as a self8disciplined individual+ "ut he still seems to discourage "odily asceticism as a valid route to deeper spirituality #ol /4/=4 )herefore if ye "e dead %ith #hrist from the rudiments of the %orld+ %hy+ as though living in the %orld+ are ye su"0ect to ordinances+ @erse /24 (;ouch not+ taste not+ handle not4 @erse //4 )hich all are to perish %ith the using) after the commandments and doctrines of menF @erse /B4 )hich things have indeed a 1,H) O( )?1DO$ in %ill %orship+ and humility+ *!D !HGLH#;?!G O( ;,H BODD6 not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh K K KPaul states here that out%ard acts of &humility' are only a sho% of %isdom+ not that they *>H %isdomI ?t %as the self8righteous Pharisees %ho put on a sho% so others %ould admire them for their self8denial Pharisees come in many flavors Diet preachers %ho threaten plump (fat is an &(' %ord) people %ith hell are sourpuss "ullies %ho shun the sugar of human kindness and mercy ;heir righteousness is not #hrist+ "ut a skinny "ody But God %ill send *LL liars+ murderers+ s%indlers and self8 righteous "igots to hell+ %hether theyre a si.e / or /=I

,o% often is this verse -uoted at #hristian motivational seminarsF Prov B24B=4 (avour is deceitful+ and "eauty is vain (transitory)4 "ut a %oman that feareth the LO>D+ she shall "e praised Proper nutrition and self8control (not eating all you can at all8you8can8 eat restaurants) are t%o sides of the same coin 1elf8control in *LL areas of life is one of the fruits of the 1pirit (Gal 74/B) ;hat applies to chugging do%n too many "eers+ ;@ vie%ing ha"its+ dealing %ith others+ etc + not 0ust food intake ,o% many self8righteous #hristian dieters act like the O!LD sin is %eighing more than fashion maga.ines allo% you toF ;hey "rag they havent looked at a 1nickers Bar in /= years+ "ut they still snicker at each other "ehind their "acks "ecause they cant control their o%n tongues (Gal 7427)F ?mportant as self8 control is+ dieting is !O),H>H mentioned in any epistle as "eing a prere-uisite for discipleship+ male or femaleI #hristian diet gurus %ho put %orldly hang8ups on %ounded %omen %ho come to #hrist are doing the devils %ork ;urning discipleship into a "eauty pageant instills further feelings of %orthlessness and insecurity in %omen ;hey are taught that their faithfulness to #hrist hangs on looking like a coat hanger )omen (and men) in the Old ;estament %ere often favored and promoted for their good looks But not O!#H is any individual praised in the !e% ;estament for "eing "eautiful ;he only e:ception ? could find is Gods desire for the #hurch to reach a point of perfection %here she appears %ithout (spiritual) spot or %rinkle (Hph 74/3) Proper nutrition for health and stamina does need to "e taught+ though not as a church ordinance $any spiritual -uacks rake in the cash from other peoples hang8ups a"out their si.e or other aspect of their looks+ and societys media8driven negative perception of them ;heres much to gain "y making %omen ashamed of having real hips and thighs Guess %hatF God did not design all %omen to look like skinny "oysI But the devil %ants %omen to kill themselves trying 1o %hats satans next &revelation from heaven'F Get a Gastric Band for GodF ?f some money8hungry individual comes up %ith a &revolutionary' ne% &self8improvement' program %hich integrates "ody image issues %ith spiritual life issues+ then P>H1;OI ;he devious spiritual -uack manages to press the right "uttons in peoples hearts Desperate people %ill fatten their ne% gurus "ank account %hile their %allets lose %eight But in the ensuing spiritual confusion the >H*L Gospel message is starved of attention and the >H*L Jesus shrinks from vie%

?magine selling Get 1kinny for Jesus Discipleship on the other side of the glo"e %here "illions go to "ed hungry every night )hat "ourgeoisie affluence+ to "e a"le to choose to starve to get Gods favorI Luke 247B4 ,e hath filled the hungry %ith good things6 and the rich he hath sent empty a%ay Jesus is eternal GOD (?sa 54C6 John /=4/J)+ the 1avior of our souls (;itus /42B)+ our Deliverer (>om 224/C)+ our ,ealer (? Pet /4/9) our soon8coming Aing (? ;im C427) and the Bridegroom O( ;,H #,G>#, )ho !OG>?1,H1 it instead of starves it (Hph 74/3+/5) )hether %ere male or female+ %e+ as individuals+ must relate to ,im on a scripturally sound "asis instead of allo%ing Deeper Life deceivers to lead us into a spiritual famine .one KKKKK http4EEkingdomage tripod com http4EE"anpreachergreed tripod com http4EE"ooger"ucks tripod com (or further reading on pro"lems caused "y negative self8image4 http4EE%aron"ullying tripod com https4EEsites google comEsiteE"acktoschoolmom"ookE