In recent years, “The Daniel Plan” has been making its way around in Christian subcultures as the answer to weight loss woes. Various Protestant churches and pastors, particularly from the United States, have been getting involved in this new (yet very old) concept of eating.
But what is it?
In simple terms, the idea encourages healthy food choices based on the account of Daniel from the bible. The story sits at the beginning of the book of Daniel when he and many other young men who are captives in Babylon are put into training by the king. Daniel didn’t want to eat the rich foods and wine given by the king because he didn’t think it was honoring to God. Instead, together with his three friends, Daniel was allowed to eat only vegetables and water for ten days as a test.
The test worked. At the end of ten days, Daniel and his buddies looked more well-nourished and healthier than the other young men who ate the king’s rich food. They grew to be not only physically healthy, but also God gave them wisdom and understanding.
“At the end of the ten days, they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food.” Daniel 1:15
Daniel was convicted that he shouldn’t eat rich foods, so he didn’t. There’s nothing here to suggest that it was a weight loss plan for Daniel. It was a matter of conscience.
But apparently, because this worked for Daniel and his friends, some modern Christians have taken this to mean that people should adopt this principle. In fact, a book and a whole bunch of other curriculum was written by Rick Warren and friends. Along with the book, Warren issued a challenge to his massive church of 20,000 people to participate.
On one hand, this idea of speaking into health issues in the church might not be a bad idea. Some studies have shown that Evangelical Christians are up to 50% more likely than irreligious people to develop problems with obesity.
So a call for Christians to create healthier eating habits may be a good choice. Particularly in light of all of those pesky bible verses that talk about gluttony. (Of all of the sins of the flesh, gluttony must certainly be the least talked-about in western churches today.)
On the other hand, John the Baptist ate locusts and I don’t see people developing new diet plans following in his footsteps.
Although I am completely certain that the Bible has all of the answers for everything in our lives, I’m not quite convinced that God meant for us to build an entire diet sub-culture around the concept of Daniel’s diet.
I’m not anti-vegetable. Really I’m not. I’m even pro-water! If it could just be a matter of following a healthier diet, then that would be great.
But, sadly, The Daniel Plan people don’t stop there.
As is often the case, the marketing opportunities were too tempting for the American church culture gurus to pass up. They had to make it into a “thing”. Now you can spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars to buy the book, the study guide, the cookbook, the devotional, the journal, CDs, DVDs, sermons, propaganda materials and SO much more. (Also available in Spanish.)
Not only that — you can literally get the t-shirt. And the water bottle, the sports bag, the training jacket. Oh, and don’t forget the rubber wristband! Then, everyone can know that you are eating your veggies and drinking your water.
Personally, I could do with eating more vegetables and fewer processed foods. Although, i’m proud that I had an avocado for lunch. (Oh, wait, is that a fruit?!)
But maybe, just maybe, I shouldn’t spend $18.99 on another t-shirt that I absolutely don’t need (because, honestly, who needs another t-shirt?). Maybe, instead, I could send $10 of that money to Heifer International to buy a share in a goat to keep a family from going hungry—while my western church culture is on the campaign trail to fight against gluttony and obesity.
