Religious question

[Snapplelover]

Hi fish tank,
I know in many religions, commiting suicide is a Major sin, even in Islam, it is considered a huge sin, and one would never enter heaven, if he/she commited suicide.
Well thats where my question comes in. Would having an ED be considered a sin, since it is a slow and painful way of killing ourself?

I dont know what to do?! Im a very religious person, and I would never commit suicide. Im just afraid God will treat my ED as a suicide!! I dont know what Im talking about ?? Please reply, Ill be waiting.

[priya devi]

Ooops! Deep breath first of all, honey! :love

:hugon Snapplelover :hugoff

I know how you feel, I have also felt like a very very bad sinner because of my ED. I have since then
:bullet left the Christian tradition of faith :sarcasm
:bullet realized a tiny bit more how increadibly big Love is
:bullet started to realize that an ED is an illness, not a punishment or a sin

I believe, first of all, that God (using this Name here simply 'cause it is easy) :sarcasm loves us.

Sin is a very difficult concept. I heard once when I was still in the Christian church that sin is what keeps us away from God.

I believe that whatever keeps us away from God's love hurts us - call it sin or not.

Hating ourselves, starving ourselves, trying to hurt ourselves definitely makes it harder for us to develop a loving relationship with God, but not for a second do I think that God would turn away from your side because of this.

Your eating disorder is an illness. :sad Your eating disorder is not you, nor is it a sin. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

I think it hurts God very much to see one of His/Her children in so much pain as you are right now. :sad I don't think He is judging you or condemning (sp?) you.

God is love, weather you call Him/Her God, Allah, Krishna or any other name.

I think it hurts Him/Her to see you "slowly trying to kill yourself", and I think, since you say you are a religious person, that it could help you very much in the fight against your ED if you would ask God for strength and comfort.

God is love. I think that is the short answer to your worries. :cute

E-mail me if you want to talk more.

I am so sorry you feel this way. I will be thinking of you.

:rainbow
Priya Devi

[*Lissa*]

Snapplelover,

I don't really adhere to the notion of "Sin" (see my post in the thread about fishy beliefs for my religious inclination), and if you feel that the deity of your choice would add to the burden of your illness that it is a sin, that deity has been removed from the central message of any religion: love and respect for life.

Notions of what is/is not sinful are human inventions, and I believe that sins are thus idiosyncratic.

Make your own decisions; listen to yourself and determine what you feel instead of buying into a religious message wholesale.
Live and let live!

[geordiegeorgie]

Cautiously, very guardedly I would answer that yes ... I do think eating disorders are sinful.

Please, though, finish reading this before attacking me.

I am a Christian but am trying to think of a way to phrase this that makes sense to Islam ...

Alright ... so what is sin? Sin is the falling short of all humans when compared with the perfection of God / Allah. The Bible and the Qu'ran give very different accounts of how sin entered the world but both agree it comes ultimately from our rebellion against God / Allah.

Sin has impacted the world in so many ways. Our disregard for the environment has caused global warming and cancers as well as wars and family problems. Behind each eating disorder there lies a whole web of circumstances. A mixture of genes and sadness and addiction and bad choices. Sins of our own, sins of other people, sins of life in general. We can be held responsoble to our eating disorders to a certain extent, but not completely.

So what can be done?

My understanding of Islam is that sin can be defeated by turning back to Allah / God and obeying the rules. Certainly, much of ED recovery can only be acheived by simple perseverence and lonely fighting. But I don't believe the condemnation in our failure should rest entirely on us. Where I suppose the Christian perspective is different is that Allah / God is much more involved. Jesus' death offering forgiveness and daily support, relationship. I like being a Christian becuase of that help. But Islam challenges me to know that the battle is still mine to be fought.

So ... yes ... that is my perspective, anyway. Eating disorders may be sinful or the result of sin ... but sin for which we alone should not take the blame ...

Anyone else?

[Starflower]

hey there,
I am also a Christian, but your topic made me think about ed's.

I do believe that the ed is a sin, in the sense that it is a way of harming yourself. And I have been taught that we were made in the image of God, so thus, I think we harm God when we harm ourselves, and sabotage Him when we sabotage ourselves.

HOWEVER - I don't think that when I had an ed I was trying to commit suicide. I have also read in books - IT IS THE OPPOSITE. It's a coping mechanism. It is self destructive, and ultimately leads to death, but actually it keeps us alive in a way that just killing ourselves woudn't. If you see what I mean. It's a cry for help concsious or subconcious.


Most of all - I think that the higher power (God - whatever), knows us all so intimately that he knows why we do what we do, even though we don't always understand ourselves. So I don't think that He condems you for having an ed, but rather is sad about how you are feeling that you are feeling so bad you feel you have to do this,

he just wants you to get better. And loves you no matter what.

Love
Sue

Hope that wasn't too preachy. .

[Snapplelover]

Thank you,
so much for the replies. I think everyones opinions made a great difference to me. And Geordiegeorgie, I would never attack you! I think your post made alot of sense.

My next question is, why is it a sin for me? I think my ED started shortly after I was sexually abused by my uncle, not once but **** times, and it had a dire affect on me. I feel so guilty, and I feel worthless and violated.
Also my parents' unhappy marriage is one of the bigger reasons I started.

Anyway, I feel, why should I pay for this, when its a mixture of reasons the ed started in the first place. Im so unhappy. Im so...................................?

[jadefox]

Snapplelover,

It seems to odd for me to give you advice based on my religious beliefs, when you might not agree with me at all. And these things are, I know, very touchy. However I don't think I'll offend anyone, so here goes.

I believe that god loves you - or, since I'm not sure that god is an entity... that god is good. And though your ED is something that you do to yourself, it is not completely under your control. I think that if it were easy to quit, and if at times it didn't seem so beneficial, everyone would be recovered already. If god is concerned with such things, and is judgemental, I am certain that he understands. I believe that god knows what you are going through, and knows how impossible it seems, and knows when you try.

You should not feel guilty. It isn't your fault. God knows this.

God is such a beautiful concept, and should never be used to make anyone feel guilty. I don't believe that "fear of god" is a good thing... I don't think god would ever want you to be afraid. That's really all I'm trying to say. That god would never want you to fear him... her... it.

Bethe :nose

[Starflower]

OK - I'm not clear in my head what I am going to write yet, but I will see what I come up with.

The biggest thing is one of the hard lessons I learnt when I became a Christian. That i sthat sin is sin. I was also abused, in many ways - and I felt like nothing I had ever done could be so bad as the things that were done to me. The fact is - we all hurt God by our sin whether it is theft or murder. And I found that difficult. Especially when I started realising that I had been using things that had happened to me as an excuse to sin, and somehow think that I had the right to behave badly because someone else had behaved badly to me. (I'm not saying you do this - but I know that I did - so I share it).

I think that we need to remember to focus on OUR relationship with God, and to not let our judgements of other people or their sins get in our way. My abuser can sort his sins out with God, and I try to take no responsibility for that, other than hoping he does ask to be forgiven. Of course - when somthing effects us that badly it is hard to let go, and hard to not want vengeance, etc etc. That's all part of a personal journey.

I hope these words helped.
I don't know if I made a lot of sense.
Let me know what you think.

Also - I fully agree with what jadefox said - God does know us inside out - and he truly does understand why you do what you do. Even better than you do. So I hope I didn't sound too harsh. God loves you - and I really don't believe that he condems you in any way over the ed, but rather he would just like to see you happy and thriving, and living to your full potential through him. He just wants what is best for us. And hates what isn't. (ie sin)
:stars:flower

(I preached again , ,. )

[geordiegeorgie]

"My next question is, why is it a sin for me? Anyway, I feel, why should I pay for this, when its a mixture of reasons the ed started in the first place."

:hugonSnapplelover:hugoff

I think there are many questions of guilt and responsibilty here. You sound as though you feel very powerless. I cannot comment on your abuse because it is something so far from my experience ... but you pain is very evident.

However, I do believe that even in our eating disorders we retain an element of will and choice. We still have decisions to make, when and whether or not to eat or purge.

I believe that Allah / God judges us according to the amount of freedom we each have.

I hope and pray that you will find that freedom. Freedom from all the pain of your abuse and entanglement with your eating disorder. Freedom to have a clearer relationship with God / Allah, freely, experiencing His love ...

[Snapplelover]

You all have been very sweet and kind through your words. I hope it helps me in the future.
Ive landed myself with a new problem now, as though my life full of problems wasnt enough, Im stuck with insomnia now!!:(
I cant sleep at all. Im wide awake all night, and wide awake all day. Last night was the worst, I couldnt get a second worth of sleep, and now I feel so cranky and sick....but definately not sleepy.


But thank you all for your help and advice, I hope I find peace.

[Snap*Crackle*Pop]

Hi :fishy's

Well, in ways YES it is a sin. But you know what is the most important thing of it??? Is that WE are worshiping something other than God. It is highly detestable for someone to be a way that God hasn't made you.

"And He said to them "You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; For that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God"
Luke Sixteen:Fifteen

Powerful, isn't it?? It is our wants and desires that God doesn't want us to be focused on. He wants us to put our trust in HIM to do His work through us.
Anyway, I hope this helps some!! I find this vrs to be VERY powerful and VERY true!!

Love, Snap*Crackle*Pop

[Simone]

Hi Snapple,

I do not think that an ED is a sin in itself, but that the EGOISM involved is the sin. We live in a society where there is so much expectation and focus on the "self." When we can transcend the self, there is no place for such a focus. This is where sin lies. It is a tough battle.

:bandwagon

[bat]

I am not sure. When I read this post it really caught my eye. I am Catholic and suicide is a sin--but what if there is no other answer? Would the Lord judge one for solving their problem this way?

:bat