Gluttony

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other uses, see Gluttony (disambiguation)
An excessive pile of cakes for a gluttonous child.
Enlarge
An excessive pile of cakes for a gluttonous child.

Gluttony is the over-indulgence and over-consumption of food, drink, or intoxicants to the point of waste. In the Christian religions, it is considered one of the seven deadly sins -- a misplaced desire of food or its withholding from the needy.

Depending on the culture, it can be seen as either a vice or a sign of status. The relative affluence of the society can affect this view both ways. A wealthy group might take pride in the security of having enough food to eat to show it off, but it could also result in a moral backlash when confronted with the reality of those less fortunate.

Early Church leaders (e.g., Thomas Aquinas) took a more expansive view of gluttony (Okholm 2000), arguing that it could also include an obsessive anticipation of meals, and the constant eating of delicacies and excessively costly foods.

[edit] Reference

Okholm, Dennis, “Rx for Gluttony,” Christianity Today, Vol. 44, No. 10, September 4, 2000, p.62.

[edit] See also