Healthful Living

Chapter 17—Appetite

320. Many are made sick by the indulgence of their appetite. They eat what suits their perverted taste, thus weakening the digestive organs, and injuring their power to assimilate the food that is to sustain life.... Thus the delicate machinery is worn out by the suicidal practises of those who ought to know better. Sin indeed lies at the door. The door is the mouth.—Unpublished Testimonies, August 25, 1897. HL 74.1

321. The declension in virtue and the degeneracy of the race are chiefly attributable to the indulgence of perverted appetite.—Testimonies for the Church 3:486. HL 74.2

322. If the appetite is allowed to rule, the mind will be brought under its control.—Unpublished Testimonies, January 11, 1897. HL 74.3

323. One of the strongest temptations that man has to meet is upon the point of appetite.—Testimonies for the Church 3:485. HL 74.4

324. As our first parents lost Eden through the indulgence of appetite, our only hope of regaining Eden is through the firm denial of appetite and passion.... The controlling power of appetite will prove the ruin of thousands, when, if they had conquered on this point, then they would have had the moral power to gain the victory over every other temptation of Satan. But those who are slaves to appetite will fail in perfecting Christian character. ... As we near the close of time, Satan's temptation to indulge appetite will be more powerful and more difficult to overcome.—Testimonies for the Church 3:491. HL 74.5

325. Satan sees that he cannot have such a controlling power over us as he could if appetite were indulged.—Testimonies for the Church 3:569. HL 75.1

326. Our habits of eating and drinking show whether we are of the world or among the number that the Lord by his mighty cleaver of truth has separated from the world.—Unpublished Testimonies, August 25, 1897. HL 75.2

327. Christ began this work of redemption by reforming the physical habits of man.—Testimonies for the Church 3:486. HL 75.3

328. In order for us to enjoy the natural appetite, which will preserve health and prolong life, God restricts the appetite. He says, Beware; restrain, deny unnatural appetite.—Testimonies for the Church 3:63. HL 75.4

329. In its natural state, the taste might indicate, in a great degree, the food best adapted to the wants of the system.... This [the taste] might be correct if the appetite had never been perverted. There is a natural, and there is a depraved appetite.—The Health Reformer, December 1, 1870. HL 75.5