Bridling Our Passions

Catholicism teaches of the Seven Deadly Sins: wrath, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy and gluttony. These sins are considered the root of all other sin in Catholic doctrine and threaten the soul of an offender with eternal damnation because they destroy the grace and charity within a person. A person who is guilty can repent, however, and through the conversion of their heart and the gift of the sacrament they can regain the grace once lost.

Each of the Seven Deadly Sins is a concession of our will to the impulses and instincts of our physical bodies. The gospel of Jesus Christ teaches us that these impulses are not in themselves sinful. Paul taught that our bodies were sacred, not unlike a temple (1 Corinthians 3:16-17). They are a gift from God for our premortal valiance, a necessary tool in our progression on earth, and a part of our eternal reward as we are resurrected after death.

Indeed, our appetites can greatly benefit our overall wellness as they communicate to our consciousness which foods will satisfy our body's nutritional needs. Emotions add richness and depth to our lives as we mourn a lost friend, find pleasure in a job well done, gain trust others or even celebrate our team's game-winning score. Sex drive brings spouses together and preserves humankind. These and other impulses preserve our lives and and joy to our existence.

Yet, since the time of Adam, 'Satan hath come among the children of men, and tempteth them to worship him; and men have become carnal, sensual, and devilish, and are shut out from the presence of God' (Moses 6:49). If we allow our impulses to control our behavior, rather than training them to align with an overarching life mission to return to live with God and using our mind and will to make rational decisions, we surrender our agency to chance and submit our lives to be tossed to and fro by whatever cravings may come along.

For this reason, King Benjamin taught the people of ancient America that 'the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit' (Mosiah 3:19). Abinadi explained that 'he that persists in his own carnal nature, and goes on in the ways of sin and rebellion against God, remaineth in his fallen state and the devil hath all power over him. Therefore he is as though there was no redemption made, being an enemy to God; and also is the devil an enemy to God' (Mosiah 16:5).

As we look around our troubled world, many of the tragedies and social plagues we observe are the result of surrendering to the carnal demands of our undisciplined flesh. Obesity has become an epidemic that diminishes our ability to serve others by restricting our movement, endurance and lifespans. Large political rifts divide countries and harden hearts as powerful emotions crowd out the rational thoughts that would help us resolve our differences, adopt a common vision and cooperate to find real solutions. Broken homes, broken hearts and shattered dreams lie in the wake of the millions upon millions who have been shredded by infidelity, pornography, fornication, sexual perversions, sex crimes and other abhorrent sexual behavior that is too often complicated by abortions, domestic disputes, and the crushing weight of shame and guilt.

It is a relief to know that God has provided commandments to steer us away from the kinds of actions that would, sooner or later, lead to our own misery. Paul taught:

For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are after the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, if it so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you... For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do subdue the deeds of the body, ye shall live (Romans 8:5-9, 13).

Like the boundaries of an athletic field, the laws of God help us keep our focus on the things we must do to be successful and happy in our lives. They do not prevent us from crossing the line; they only warn us that we cannot reach our goals or be successful in life if we do not keep ourselves in the field of play.

We remain 'in the game' as we heed the Lord's warning, given through his prophet, Alma, to 'bridle all [our] passions, that [we] may be filled with love'. A bridle on a horse does not debilitate a horse, but rather channels the horse's strength and power to move horse and rider toward their destination. We bridle our passions as we exercise discipline and focus our body's powerful appetites on doing good.

On the first Sunday of each month, we choose to fast for 24 hours and give of our incomes to the poor and afflicted. This bridle invigorates our spirits and gives us power to control our hunger.

We can combat carnal selfishness as we make conscious decisions to serve others. As with fasting, using the bridle of selfless service is often immediately rewarded with gratitude and joy.

Deciding to do good and exercising the willpower to follow through will provide many opportunities to bridle our passions and build spiritual strength. Consciously choosing virtuous thoughts can protect our souls from the threats of sexual sin. Putting aside a video game for a few days or leaving an inappropriate movie can provide an opportunity to find the same emotional satisfaction through a more meaningful activity. Staying productive will steer our souls through the temptations and carnal cravings that may seem louder when we are idle.

As we consciously choose to do right, our lives will be happy, our countenances will shine bright, and our carnal natures will give way to the divinity with us. The Lord taught Alma:

Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters; And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.

If we will rise above the carnal natures represented by the Seven Deadly Sins and choose to use our agency to live righteous lives, we will be able to rejoice as Alma when he said: 'My soul hath been redeemed from the gall of bitterness and bonds of iniquity. I was in the darkest abyss; but now I behold the marvelous light of God. My soul was racked with eternal torment; but I am snatched, and my soul is pained no more' (Mosiah 27:25-29).

Word of Wisdom on Obesity and a Healthy Diet

According to the American Heart Association, 145 million Americans over age 20 are overweight. Of those, 74.1 million Americans are in the 'obese' category. Together, more than two-thirds of all American adults are overweight, fueling a multi-billion-dollar industry of fad diets, miracle pills, weight loss counselors and weight-related medical procedures.

Many members of the Church – as many as 3 million of us in America alone – are a part of the epidemic weight gain. It turns out the stereotypical Mormon diet of casseroles, funeral potatoes and Jello carries its fair share of calories. As members of the Church, we also have the guidance of the Lord and His prophets, specifically the Word of Wisdom. Following this inspired code of health will help us take care of our bodies, fend off – or return from – obesity, and eventually be able to "run and not be weary" and "walk and not faint."

Found in the 89th Section of the Doctrine and Covenants, the Word of Wisdom provides at least three guidelines related to obesity and overeating. First, the Word of Wisdom teaches that we must watch what we put into our bodies. Second, we learn that we must watch how much food we put into our bodies. And finally, when we are converted to the Word of Wisdom as the Lord's code of health, our willing obedience will bring physical and spiritual blessings.

At the most basic level, every member of the Church knows that the Word of Wisdom teaches us to avoid harmful substances like alcohol, tobacco, coffee and tea. In the spirit of this counsel, each of us should evaluate whether we consume these or other substances that may be harmful to our bodies or habit-forming. Processed snack cakes, soda pop, deep fried foods and energy drinks are only a few of the popular, but physically harmful foods on the supermarket aisles. These foods have little or no nutritional value, make us feel tired, create habits that are hard to break, fuel our appetites for more unnecessary calories and expand our waistlines. In short, many foods available at the neighborhood store may contribute to obesity, which in turn contributes to untold numbers of diseases and medical complications.

Knowing we would be bombarded with the widest variety of food, beverages, medicines and herbs in human history, the Lord gave the Word of Wisdom as a forewarning against the, "evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men." While the Lord deems harmful substances of all kinds "not for the belly," we are advised to eat "all wholesome herbs... all grain... as also the fruit of the vine," and, "flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air." A consistent, natural diet of fruits, vegetables, grains, lots of water and some lean meat provides the nutrients our bodies need without the empty calories that spark our appetites or meaningless overeating.

The Lord continues his counsel and commandment for the dietary care of our bodies with the charge that "all these [are] to be used with prudence and thanksgiving." A person can gain a significant amount of weight through simple mismanagement of portion sizes, even if their diet is stacked with fruits, vegetables and grains. Using prudence means to use discretion, sound judgment or temperance. Greater prudence in our diets is discretion to say 'no' to a second piece of chocolate cake, wisdom to drink water instead of soda, and temperance to take only enough food at the dinner table to satisfy your hunger. It is prudence that recognizes obesity as a debt of calories, and unifies the grocery list and the dinner menu to get us out of that debt.

President Boyd K. Packer, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, reminded us one general conference that "The Word of Wisdom is 'adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all saints'. It is buttressed by other scriptures. They teach that the good things of the earth 'are made for the benefit and the use of man, … Yea,' the Lord said, 'for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul, … to be used, with judgment, not to excess, neither by extortion' (D&C 59:18–20)." His counsel was for us to, "learn to use moderation and common sense in matters of health and nutrition; and particularly in medication."

Finally, the Word of Wisdom promises our careful observance of its counsel will yield health, wisdom, endurance and protection. The determination to change the kinds and quantities of foods we eat may be found in the realization of the surety of these results. No matter how many diets or miracle drugs we have tried and failed, careful obedience to the Word of Wisdom will bring the support of heaven in reaching our goals. If we will strive to eat a healthy, natural, prudent diet, the return on our investment of effort will be physical, spiritual and mental strength.

No harmful substance will cloud our wise judgement. No excess weight will keep us from enduring. Through obedience to the Word of Wisdom, we can avoid the perils of a plague of obesity sweeping the nation.

**This article was originally written for Deseret Connect on February 9, 2011. It was never published by Deseret Connect or its related sites.**