The Second Deadly Sin - Gluttony

What is Gluttony and Why is it a Capital, or "Deadly" Sin?

Apr 21, 2009

What exactly is gluttony? Why is is a deadly sin? Did gluttony go out with the fall of the Roman empire, or is it still around today?

Towards the end of the reign of Roman emperors, gluttony was at an all time high. In fact, vomitoriums were erected so that people who had eaten or drank too much could vomit and go and eat and drink some more - the ultimate act of gluttony.

Unfortunately, gluttony didn’t go out of style when Rome fell. Just one look at obese America and the thriving weight loss industry proves that gluttony is still very much in style.

Capital, Mortal, and... Deadly Sins?

Gluttony is the second in a series of Seven Deadly Sins. Their name describes their severity: these are not everyday sins but rather ones which have disasterous consequences.

The seven vices also known as “Capital Sins” or “Deadly Sins” lead to breaking one or more of the Ten Commandments. Breaking the Commandments leads to breakdown of morality in the sinner and in society as a whole, leaving a wreckage of pain in its wake.

What are Mortal Sins?

An act or thought which makes one turn away from God and turn toward something ungodly instead is considered a sin, but some sins are more serious that others.

Mortal sin “destroys charity in the heart of man by a grave violation of God’s law; it turns man away from God… (Catechism of the Catholic Church section 1855).

Mortal sin erodes the presence of Christ in the sinner’s soul. It brings pain, anguish and suffering to the one who sins and to those around him. Committing mortal sin can sabotage both physical and spiritual life.

What Exactly is Gluttony?

Gluttony is the act of immoderate eating and/or drinking. Gluttony focuses on pleasure alone and finds it in food and drink.

Enjoying a delicious dinner is not sinful, but eating to the point of hurting yourself (vomiting, or becoming obese) is sinful. Having an occasional drink to celebrate a holiday or festive occasion is not sinful, whereas drinking to the point of drunkenness is a sinful act.

Eating what you don’t even want just for the sake of eating is gluttony. Eating more than you want or need in order to prevent others from getting “your” share is also gluttony. Using alcohol to loosen inhibitions so you can rationalize sin is a form of gluttony which leads to other sins.

Why is Gluttony a Mortal Sin?

Gluttony is a serious sin because it enslaves the soul to the body, even though the soul, which is superior, is supposed to be in charge. Gluttons eat not for the sake of fueling their bodies or to participate in social gatherings; but rather they eat just for the sheer pleasure of consuming.

Gorging oneself without concern for the possibility of making one’s self sick, or without remembering to be grateful for each bite because there are millions of starving people in the world, is the sin of gluttony at its ugliest.

Overcoming Gluttony

Gluttony is overcome by practicing the virtue of temperance, or moderation. Deciding how much to eat and drink in advance, and not just “diving in” is a way to practice temperance. Temperance should be combined with periodic fasting and abstinence.

Religious fasting (such as the kind that overcomes gluttony) is not a starvation diet. In the church “fasting” means periodically reducing the amount of food you eat.

The church recommends periodic fasting of three smallish meals (two “less-than-half-of-a-regular-sized-meals” and one regular-sized meal) with no snacks in between. The church also recommends abstinence – avoiding meat or a favorite food altogether, when overcoming gluttony.

Why Not Just Diet to Overcome Gluttony?

The primary purpose of a diet is to lose weight; but the purpose of fasting and abstaining is to purify the soul by controlling the desires of the body. This allows the soul take its rightful place as master over the body and its desires. Fasting and abstaining purify the soul and bring the faithful closer to God. Diets try to make the food behave; fasting and abstaining make the gluttonous heart behave.

The copyright of the article The Second Deadly Sin - Gluttony in Catholic Church is owned by Francine Morrissette. Permission to republish The Second Deadly Sin - Gluttony in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.