There are few things more predictable on the internet than someone using religion to police a woman’s body. There are also few things more satisfying than watching that same person forget their own past exists.
This story, originally shared on Reddit, is a perfect example of what happens when hypocrisy meets receipts.
Here’s The Original Post:
The Setup: Fitness, Progress, and an Unwanted Opinion
The original poster was 31 at the time of writing, but the incident happened when she was around 24 or 25. She had been seriously into heavy weightlifting for seven or eight years. Thanks to consistent training and good genetics from her dad, she built muscle quickly, especially for a woman.
Like many people proud of their fitness journey, she occasionally posted before-and-after photos on social media. Nothing outrageous. Just progress shots.
For months, one man kept commenting.
She calls him Hanky Panky (HP), a former family acquaintance who became a “born again Christian” later in life. Every time she posted a progress photo, HP would chime in with warnings that she should “slow down” or she’d start looking “manly.”
At first, she ignored him. The comments were annoying, but not worth the energy. That changed when HP escalated.
When the Bible Gets Involved
About a year into her lifting journey, she posted another before-and-after photo. HP commented again, declaring that she now officially looked “manly.”
This time, she responded.
She asked a simple question. If a woman lifting weights makes her manly, what does that make a grown man who doesn’t lift at all?
HP ignored that and went straight to scripture.
He replied that “the Bible says women should look like women and men should look like men.”
That was the moment everything changed.
The Part HP Forgot: His Own Past
What HP didn’t realize was that the woman he was lecturing knew something most of his Christian friends did not.
HP became “born again” after being caught by his wife sleeping with his mother-in-law. Yes, really. That information was known to the OP and her parents, but largely unknown to HP’s church circle and online friends.
Psychologists refer to this behavior as moral overcompensation. According to clinical psychologist Dr. Ramani Durvasula, “People who feel deep shame over past actions often adopt rigid moral positions and aggressively enforce them on others to distract from their own unresolved guilt.”
In simple terms, HP wasn’t protecting biblical values. He was projecting.
The Comment That Ended It All
Instead of continuing to argue about fitness or gender norms, the OP responded with one calm, devastating sentence:
She said she was pretty sure the Bible also had something to say about sleeping with your mother-in-law and that clearly hadn’t stopped him.
Then she hit “post.”
Public Fallout, Instant Karma
What happened next was immediate and brutal.
Mutual Christian friends flooded the comments, confused and shocked. Some asked what she meant. Others privately messaged her, saying they were disappointed in HP and asking for clarification.
His carefully curated religious image collapsed in real time.
Even better, his wife—yes, the same wife—liked the comment calling him out.
If there were ever a mic-drop moment, that was it.
Mom Enters the Chat
HP tried one last move. He called the OP’s parents to complain about what she had said.
Halfway through his explanation, her mother cut him off and asked why he was even looking at her daughter’s photos in the first place. She called him a creep and hung up.
Boundary set. Conversation over.
HP avoided the OP completely after that.
Why Muscular Women Trigger This Reaction
This story isn’t just funny. It reflects a broader cultural issue.
Studies published in Psychology of Women Quarterly show that women who visibly build muscle are more likely to be judged as aggressive, unfeminine, or morally suspect, especially by people with traditional or religious gender views.
Sociologist Dr. Kristen Barber explains it simply: “Muscular women challenge the idea that femininity equals softness and submission. That discomfort often gets reframed as moral concern.”
In other words, it’s not about faith. It’s about control.
What the Bible Actually Says About Strength
Ironically, HP’s Bible argument doesn’t even hold up.
Proverbs 31:17, a passage often cited to describe an “excellent wife,” literally says:
“She girds herself with strength and makes her arms strong.”
There is no biblical rule stating women must avoid muscle. That idea comes from cultural tradition, not scripture.
As several Reddit users pointed out, men in the Bible are described with long hair, physical labor, and strength. If HP truly wanted to follow biblical appearance standards, he might want to start there.
![[Reddit User] − That is truly delicious, especially that his wife liked your comment. Nicely done.](https://dailyhighlight.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/wp-editor-1765598770536-43.webp "Born-Again Christian Tried to Bible-Shame a Woman for Lifting Weights. He Didn’t Expect This Response.")
The Real Lesson Here
This story offers several clear takeaways:
-
Religion is often misused to justify personal bias.
-
People who shame others publicly rarely expect their own past to be discussed.
-
Strength, especially in women, still threatens outdated power structures.
-
Calling out hypocrisy works best when you stay factual and calm.
Most importantly, it shows that you don’t owe politeness to someone who is openly disrespecting you, especially under the guise of “concern” or “faith.”
Final Thoughts
HP tried to shame a woman for being strong. Instead, he reminded everyone why weaponized morality collapses so easily under scrutiny.
She didn’t insult him. She didn’t exaggerate. She simply applied his own rulebook to his own behavior.
And sometimes, that’s the most powerful response of all.
