Thoughts on being a Christian Bodybuilder...is the lifestyle sinful?

[Big Hoss]

Re: Thoughts on being a Christian Bodybuilder...is the lifestyle sinful?

Great to hear that brother! That's a powerful testimony in itself. Any addiction, bad-habit, obsession can be overcome thru the power of prayer, but like you said, we must seek God and WANT it! We must look to other fellow Christians for support, but like you, honestly, I don't know if I'm ready to give up that lifestyle. It's glad to see other Christians "coming out of the wood-work" though!

[Orange24]

Re: Thoughts on being a Christian Bodybuilder...is the lifestyle sinful?

Holy Spirit is definitely speaking to all of us. Caution for sure

[Alec]

Re: Thoughts on being a Christian Bodybuilder...is the lifestyle sinful?

First I want to say how much I appreciate and commend each and every one of you to come forward like this... it takes guts & courage to call yourself a "Christian" nowadays and I think we should give all glory, honor, & praise to God for giving us the strength to do so. Second, I think MA & Vic hit the nail on the head pertaining to this topic. I would like to share my thoughts as well because of being a born-again Christian for over 35 years now; this is something I struggle with on a daily basis and I can understand both sides of the fence so to speak.
You see Big Ronnie Coleman as a guest poser at a local BB show and you know from reliable sources that he is jacked to the hilt. He gets up onstage weighing well over 300 lbs. and hits some poses. He ends by him saying "I give all glory to God and I am a born-again Christian." So... I think to myself... I guess it's ok to use AAS/PED's because the Lord is blessing him and he is a winner. I get home and there it is... that nagging small voice in my head saying "Are you sure!?! Maybe you should read the Bible." And lo & behold, there it is, the whole entire book of Ecclesiastes.... "Everything Is Meaningless... Vanity, Vanity, all is Vanity."
So, to sum it up and to answer the question.... Anything that takes away the glory or takes the place of God and hinders your fellowship with Him is sinful. That could be AAS/PED's, other drugs, alcohol, smoking, playing a round of Sunday morning golf instead of being in Church, your kids' Sunday softball games, etc, etc., and the list goes on. On not on my soapbox here, I'm guilty of it too and yes I AM A HYPOCRITE!!! Pray that the Good Lord may bless us all with Godly wisdom to make better choices and judgments and find the right answers. Lastly, I'll close with this... RELIGION IS MAN'S ATTEMPT TO REACH GOD... CHRISTIANITY IS GOD'S ATTEMPT TO REACH MAN.

Wow! That was powerful. I think you summed this up perfectly. This is a conviction He has placed on my heart heavily for the past couple of years. Surrendering my self-will is something that has always hindered my relationship with Him.
What should I do about it? If I was completely honest with myself, I don't think I'm ready to give up this lifestyle. I guess I need to pray about it.
God delivered me from a nasty heroin habit that cost me 4 years of my life behind bars. It was in prison that my faith was restored. I owe everything that I have accomplished to Him.
I honestly believe that no matter where we are in life God will show himself to us and give us guidance when we seek it. I'm just going to take it day by day and see what comes of it. It's refreshing to hear other men, from all over the country, struggling with the same conviction as me. We are not alone.


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[Big Hoss]

Re: Thoughts on being a Christian Bodybuilder...is the lifestyle sinful?

First I want to say how much I appreciate and commend each and every one of you to come forward like this... it takes guts & courage to call yourself a "Christian" nowadays and I think we should give all glory, honor, & praise to God for giving us the strength to do so. Second, I think MA & Vic hit the nail on the head pertaining to this topic. I would like to share my thoughts as well because of being a born-again Christian for over 35 years now; this is something I struggle with on a daily basis and I can understand both sides of the fence so to speak.
You see Big Ronnie Coleman as a guest poser at a local BB show and you know from reliable sources that he is jacked to the hilt. He gets up onstage weighing well over 300 lbs. and hits some poses. He ends by him saying "I give all glory to God and I am a born-again Christian." So... I think to myself... I guess it's ok to use AAS/PED's because the Lord is blessing him and he is a winner. I get home and there it is... that nagging small voice in my head saying "Are you sure!?! Maybe you should read the Bible." And lo & behold, there it is, the whole entire book of Ecclesiastes.... "Everything Is Meaningless... Vanity, Vanity, all is Vanity."
So, to sum it up and to answer the question.... Anything that takes away the glory or takes the place of God and hinders your fellowship with Him is sinful. That could be AAS/PED's, other drugs, alcohol, smoking, playing a round of Sunday morning golf instead of being in Church, your kids' Sunday softball games, etc, etc., and the list goes on. On not on my soapbox here, I'm guilty of it too and yes I AM A HYPOCRITE!!! Pray that the Good Lord may bless us all with Godly wisdom to make better choices and judgments and find the right answers. Lastly, I'll close with this... RELIGION IS MAN'S ATTEMPT TO REACH GOD... CHRISTIANITY IS GOD'S ATTEMPT TO REACH MAN.

[lancer55]

Re: Thoughts on being a Christian Bodybuilder...is the lifestyle sinful?

I had plausible deniability before, now I am questioning this myself. I have an addictive personality, used to binge drink throughout the week. If it was not an addiction to the gym it would be an addiction to something unhealthy. Guess I do not need AAS for the gym so that was just me trying to justify it.

[Orange24]

Re: Thoughts on being a Christian Bodybuilder...is the lifestyle sinful?

[QUOTE=baby1;89507]

I thought it was a concert,lol. I know many people enjoy churches of this sort and that is awesome, but I guess I am still old school with that to. I still want to go to the old fashioned traditional church.

I hear you. This was a few churches that are all connected getting together for a weekend. Some great speakers.

[Encino_Mang]

Re: Thoughts on being a Christian Bodybuilder...is the lifestyle sinful?

I don't think it goes against any Christian beliefs.

[baby1]

Re: Thoughts on being a Christian Bodybuilder...is the lifestyle sinful?

[QUOTE=Orange24;89498]

Ya its a church conference.

I thought it was a concert,lol. I know many people enjoy churches of this sort and that is awesome, but I guess I am still old school with that to. I still want to go to the old fashioned traditional church.

[baby1]

Re: Thoughts on being a Christian Bodybuilder...is the lifestyle sinful?

I am at the point in my life where I do not give a damn what people think about me, and it feels GREAT.

MA , I know you are just looking for feedback but go with your gut and how "you" feel.

[Vicious 13]

Re: Thoughts on being a Christian Bodybuilder...is the lifestyle sinful?

I feel like if we didn't care what people think a lot of us wouldn't be doing this. I can say I'm doing it to feel good or whatever but then I'm lying to myself. I do it to look good which in turn makes me feel good. But all the time I spend looking in the mirror is vain and ungodly


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[MuscleAddiction]

Re: Thoughts on being a Christian Bodybuilder...is the lifestyle sinful?

Great discussion and thank you! Baby & Jram have very good points.

[Orange24]

Thoughts on being a Christian Bodybuilder...is the lifestyle sinful?

I was baptized and raised Lutheran and attended a catholic High School. I tend to stay away from the newer age type of religions and when it comes down to things. As far as the bodybuilding lifestyle with or without "supplements" is not going to change god's love for you. Have to go with how you feel though and it is sort of like thinking you may never sin again as long as you will live. I have found some more contemporary Christian type churches to have some of the most judge mental people I have met, not all people of course though.

People being judgemental whether Christian or not doesn't and shouldn't effect anyone but the person judging. I could care less what people think about me because I know who I am. My identity is secure and someone gossiping about whatever they think isn't spiritually or morally on point just goes in one ear and out the other.


You are 100% on point though, nothing can separate you from the Love of God

[Orange24]

Re: Thoughts on being a Christian Bodybuilder...is the lifestyle sinful?

[QUOTE=baby1;89497]

7k people at the alter last night! Pretty awesome![/QUOTE


is that supposed to be church?

Ya its a church conference.

[baby1]

Re: Thoughts on being a Christian Bodybuilder...is the lifestyle sinful?

[QUOTE=Orange24;89492]



7k people at the alter last night! Pretty awesome![/QUOTE


is that supposed to be church?

[JRam]

Re: Thoughts on being a Christian Bodybuilder...is the lifestyle sinful?

i do not believe these pursuits are generally antithetical to the Christian faith.

First, with respect to the illegality. The laws that prohibit some of the compounds that some may use, are not, in many instances, rational. On the one hand, you can "abort" a nine month old fetus in most states, yet the use by informed adults of certain relatively harmless compounds is prohibited. Similarly, alcohol, which has caused a great deal of heartache in this world, is freely available to all adults. While the Bible does encourage Christians to comply with the law of the land I don't think it necessarily requires blind fealty to unjust laws.

As for the use of these compounds, it is really not that different from any of the other medications that have been formulated throughout history IMO. Why would some be okay, but others not? One could say that it is strictly for vanity purposes but I think an argument can be made that it goes way beyond that in that the lifestyle provides a general sense of well-being that Jesus would want for his followers.