
Saran's "Biggest Loser" contestant's craving was a bacon cheeseburger. Instead of trying to satisfy her, Saran created a veggie patty in a pita pocket (which she, unsurprisingly, hated). And not only that, when he presented the dish, to the judges and to the room full of "Biggest Loser" contestants, he went on a rant against eating red meat. He felt his duty was to give her what was good for her, regardless of what she wanted. No surprise: Saran is a vegetarian. One of the judges, in criticizing Saran, went so far as to call his veggie patty "a lecture on a plate."
At the end of the evening, Suvir found himself eliminated from the competition.

This spate of eliminations is a wonderful illustration of how distasteful we find those who are holier than we are. And, interestingly, it sheds light on an interesting fact: it doesn't matter whether or not it's true!
Mendes is quite right...he IS too good to be submitting his food to the lunch crush conditions of a fast food drive-through. Saran is right, too...America IS experiencing an obesity epidemic, attributable at least partially to our eating habits. Neither of these truths, however, made their critiques more palatable. (Get it? Palatable?) When we feel that we are being judged, or lectured, our reactions are severe. We run away from our restrictive parents and we eliminate uppity chef-testants.
Judgment and critique are hallmarks of what St. Paul calls "the Law." This Law, says Paul, brings only death. Certainly, Suvir Saran and George Mendes would attest to that.
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