THE BIBLE AGAINST OBESITY
“So, whether you
eat or
drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God." (I
Corinthians 10:31)
(Investigator
155, 2014
March)
OBESITY THREAT
Climbing
obesity rates
threaten to produce more diabetes, strokes, heart attacks, depression,
cancer and cognitive decline.
The
Weekend Australian
reports: “Almost a billion people in the developing world are now
overweight or obese as they start to eat like people in the rich West…
This outnumbers the 852 million who do not have enough to eat, as well
as the 557 million people in the West who are overweight or obese."
(January 4-5, 2014, p. 9)
The
Australian Diabetes,
Obesity and Lifestyle Report for 2013 says that the average weight
of Australians aged 25-44 increased 6½kg in 12 years.
DANIEL'S "TEST"
In the
article Bible
Tucker is Good Tucker (#53, March 1997) I wrote on Daniel Chapter 1
where Daniel and three companions conducted a "test".
They rejected the "rich food and wine" of King Nebuchadnezzar and
requested vegetables and water.
The test
was scientific —
it had a control group and an experimental group. The control group did
what they normally did and consumed "rich food and wine". The
experimental group, consisting of Daniel and his friends, was subject
to an experimental variable, a change in diet. The two groups were
matched according to age. (Daniel 1:10)
After
ten days an
independent observer found the vegetable eaters "better in appearance
and fatter in flesh."
Daniel's
experimental
methods became cornerstones of 20th century science, including:
1.
Using a
control group and an experimental group;
2.
Controlling for
variables which experience suggests are relevant such as age;
3.
Independent assessment
— not leaving the evaluation to the prejudices of the experimenter.
Modern
research has shown
that eating lots of vegetables fights obesity and hence diabetes,
besides indigestion, appendicitis, diverticulitis and varicose veins,
and provides vitamins and minerals that maintain general health.
DANIEL FOR AMERICA
Blakely
(2013) reports:
"The Daniel diet, inspired by the Old Testament prophet of the same
name, is being embraced by portly evangelical Christian congregations
across the US as they battle to lose weight."
Rick
Warren (b.1954), head
pastor of Saddleback Church in California, has co-authored the book Daniel
Plan: 40 Days to a Healthier Life (2013). The Saddleback Church
runs a website that includes videos on the evils of fat. The idea is to
make the congregation healthier and potentially the nation, by losing
fat.
Pastor
Warren has long been
a celebrity. 30,000 people hear his sermons and he has written many
books including The Purpose Driven Life (2002) which sold 30
million.
When
Christians follow the
Bible and "love your neighbor" this "love" should include setting a
godly example:
- "Brothers
and
sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to
the example you have in us." (Philippians 3:17)
- "Let no one
despise
your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in
love, faith, in purity." (I Timothy 4:12)
Setting an
example should
include food and drink because: "So, whether you eat or drink, or
whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God." (I Corinthians
10:31)
SUGAR, FAT and FASTING
The main
sweetening agent
in ancient Israel was honey. But the Bible recommended honey in
moderation. (Proverbs 25:27) Today the main sweetening agent is sugar
and the same counsel would apply. Perhaps you've experienced "heat
wave" weather when you ate less and thought you'd lose weight, but
drank more and gained weight, because you drank sugar-sweetened drinks
from the shop. Watch what you drink!
The
Bible gives eating of
animal fat a bad press: "It shall be a perpetual statute throughout
your generations, in all your settlements: you must not eat any fat or
any blood." (Leviticus 3:17) Eating of vegetable-fats as in olives and
nuts, however, is encouraged.
The
Daniel Plan diet of
lean meat, fruit, vegetables and whole grain basically agrees with my
list of Bible foods in #53.
Christians
often fast
during periods of contemplation and prayer. Fasting has physical
benefits too. Emma Young (2012) writes: "A new surge of [scientific]
interest in fasting suggests that it … could also reduce the risk of
developing cancer, guard against diabetes and heart disease, help
control asthma and even stave off Parkinson's disease and dementia."
And
don't forget exercise —
Jesus, the apostles and the prophets walked a lot. "Physical training
is of some value…" (I Timothy 4:8)
CONCLUSION
Obesity
is a fad contrary
to the Bible and threatens people's health worldwide.
Daniel Chapter 1
joins many other Bible teachings as scientifically confirmed and
together they prove the Bible the "Word of God".
REFERENCES:
Blakely, R. Pastor puts
faith in Daniel Diet, The Weekend Australian, November
30-December 1, 2013, p. 9
Warren. R. 2002 The
Purpose Driven Life, Zondervan
Warren
R. and Hyman, M. 2013
Daniel Plan: 40 Days to a Healthier Life, Zonderman
Young, E. Deprive yourself,
New Scientist, 17 November, 2012, 47-49.
Australian Diabetes,
Obesity and Lifestyle Report
www.bakeridi.edu.au/Assets/Files/Baker
IDI Ausdiab Report_interactive_FINAL.pdf