GLUTTONY

Gluttony is by far the hardest sin to avoid cause it involves our needs, not wants but needs. We need to eat food, if not, we would not be functioning from day to day. We would die if we did not eat for a period of time. Instead we need to have a good balance, not too much or too little, but just right. However, that is harder than we think. There is a reason why Gluttony is one of the Seven Deadly Sins.



Gluttony root word means to gulp down or swallow. This has become a sin because of the overindulgence and over consumption of anything to the point of waste. This sin impacts society where the excessive desire for food withhold from needy. How can being a glutton cause the needy to become more needy? You might see food as something pleasant become more of an obsession. This can lead people to be selfish since their concern is about one's own interest above well being. This is how Gluttony is really a sin because we become selfish with ourselves.

We see the effects of Gluttony in History, where mass consumption was seen as high class in a more positive light compare to this day and age. The main example is the Roman Empire, that held extravagant feast with high class food. The people would feast on for days. You though they would stop when they were full but no, they kept eating till they vomit and resume eating again. Even Kings in Europe who feasted where they were 3 times bigger than a average man. While they feasted there were people who would starve.



Another prime example of gluttony being severe is about a man who made a deal with the devil. He had to chose to act upon the three sins: Lust, Murder, Gluttony. He chose Gluttony, viewing it the less severe. He drinks until he gets drunk (glutton in wine) and goes to his home. He mistakenly goes to the wrong room and rapes his mother. The father tries to make him come to his senses but the gluttonous man murders him. Because the man chose Gluttony, he acted on the other sins. The main problem with gluttony is it acts like a gateway for sin.

Gluttony is so strong that it has develop to into a demon. The devil that signifies gluttony is Beelzebub who is the Lord of Flies. Who was one of the fallen angels, in a way he is part of the trinity in hell. He seems to appear as the right hand of Satan. However, the devil Beelzebub can be classified from pride to false gods, but overall he seems to hold the title of Gluttony the most common.

In other texts, like Dante Divine Comedy, the gluttons just sit in the rain and mud guarded by the dog Cerberus. This is to symbolize the corruption of their body as they wallow in the mud. This is the punishment for people who make their focus into food.

So what are the acts of being gluttons? When we first think about Gluttony the first thought that comes to our mind is the over consumption of food. In a ways it is seen as a person being overly obese or just eat a large amount of food. However, this is another stereotype, over consumption is not the only way to fall pray to Gluttony. Eating outside time, so snacking would be an act of Gluttony. Eating too expensive, only putting the most expensive cuisine to your lips while ignoring cheap food. Eating too delicately, having food prepared in a certain way or refuse to eat certain foods. Eating with anticipation for the meal, wait eagerly for the next meal to come. And lastly, eating wildly, eating food too fast or loudly. These are some ways that Gluttony can be shown. However, this does not apply to those who are allergic, and other health conditions.

So we know the acts of Gluttony but is it effecting me? To find out if you gluttony is consuming you, be aware of what you think. This can show why we make some decisions. Watch you life closely because this is what you reap, like the saying goes, what you reap is what you sow. You may notice that it prevents us from being connected with God, never at peace and try to find something to fill us up which is meant to be God's space. Gluttony is what diverts our righteous path. It enslaves or prevents us from helping others.

If you realize that Gluttony is is big deal for you, you are not the only person. The friars in the olden time struggle with this sin when they were invited for a meal. To prevent Gluttony from consuming them, they put ashes on their food so they wouldn't enjoy it too much. Even Jesus was tempted with the sin of Gluttony. In the desert for 40 days, Satan told him if he was hungry he should turn the stone to bread. But Jesus comeback was we do not live with just bread alone but on God's word.

For me, Gluttony was one of those sins that I continue to struggle with. I eat all the time, happy, sad, or just bored. But it soon became something that I look forward to all the time. When I was in school, the first thing I look forward was Lunch. Really, school was not a fun, but eating was. But I realize, it was preventing me from communicating with people. Majority of my friends like to invite each other and have conversation over Lunch, but I just concentrate on eating. Slowly, Lunch became more of a accountability time, making sure friends don't stray from God.

Solutions that you may have tried is saying  "I will not be..." But this will not work, instead you feel more guilty and farther away from God. Some people may go to the extreme to rid Gluttony from their lives by not eating-anorexia. Instead be less prideful and focus on God. When we look at the Seven Heavenly virtue, the opposite of Gluttony is Temperance. This means to do things in moderation. Some ways is to practice fasting and lent so you cut back whatever you find is consuming you. These practices will help train our body. SO eat when you feel like your 80% full. If nothing helps, talk to someone. Gluttony can also effect our minds so not everyone can stop this sin.