We came across a striking article on Patheos.com, a multi-religion American platform, that would make all religious and spiritual people pay attention.
In his article, Richard Robbins writes that “American society is generally familiar with the idea that Mormons (followers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) have a health code that forbids them from drinking alcohol, tea, and coffee, not smoking or chewing tobacco, and staying away from a few other things that are forbidden.” Then he adds that while living by the dogmatized version of the ‘Word of Wisdom’ standards is not difficult for most faithful Latter-day Saints, “why are we eating Cheetos?”
This question is bold – and necessary. Foods like Cheetos, while legal and popular, sneak under the radar of our spiritual discipline, masking long-term damage behind fun flavors.
“Cheetos are a textbook example of what’s called a ‘hyperpalatable’ food – meaning it’s been chemically engineered to overwhelm your brain’s natural appetite controls,” Robbins points out.
Hyperpalatable foods are designed to bypass our self-control. In spiritual terms, they function similarly to addictive substances: they dull our intuition, rob us of intention, and hook us into cycles of compulsion. If addiction is the enemy of agency, we should be wary of anything that hijacks our God-given willpower.
“We are stewards of our bodies… that stewardship includes guarding against anything that numbs our agency or hinders our ability to follow Christ.”
“Does what I eat make me more spiritually sensitive – or less?” Robbins asks.
This is a powerful litmus test. Our physical and spiritual sensitivities are not separate; they are deeply intertwined. The brain fog, irritability, and energy crashes that come from ultra-processed foods affect our ability to pray, ponder, and serve. Discernment doesn’t flourish in a foggy mind or a sluggish body.
Robbins goes deep into the subject: “Jesus is not saying: ‘It doesn’t matter what you eat.’ He’s saying food, in and of itself, doesn’t make someone sinful before God in a moral sense. It’s a theological teaching – not a nutrition plan.”
This distinction is crucial. Jesus rejected the legalism of purity rituals but never endorsed neglecting the body. Freedom from ritual law is not a license for bodily harm. In today’s context, our spiritual maturity demands discernment about how our lifestyle choices serve – or sabotage – our divine calling.
“Spiritual health and physical health are intertwined. If your diet clouds your brain, wrecks your sleep, stirs up cravings, and robs you of vitality – you’re going to struggle to be the kind of alert, compassionate, disciplined disciple Jesus calls us to be,” writes Robbins.
Read the full article here:
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