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Drinking caffiene is not against Word of Wisdom


Drevan

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I had an interesting arguement with a co-worker about the Mormon (utah) myth that it's against the Word of Wisdom to drink anything with caffiene (with the exception of Coffee). I mean items such as Coke, Dr. Pepper, Mountain Dew, or sports drinks such as Red Bull. This doctrine though it is discouraged by certain leaders in the church, is not cannonized doctrine and certainly not included in the Word of Wisdom. Post your thoughts plz. Have a good evening (as i slam a 2 liter of Coke).

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Trust me, it's not just Utah Mormons that believe that.

The 'myth' that it is against the Word of Wisdom to drink caffine is just that - a myth. Caffine seems to be the ingredient that most people think is the one that tipped the scale for tea and coffee and put them in the 'no no' list. But then you have those who say it's the caffine drinking decaffinated coffee and feeling rather smug about it.

The Word of Wisdom is the commandment that helps us remember to put as much healthy stuff into our bodies and to keep as much unhealthy stuff out of our bodies. It's designed for the 'weakest of Saints'. I think this can refer to weakest physically as well as weakest emotionally or spiritually.

For example, I know LDS members who, because of the caffine myth, won't touch chocolate or anything with any stimulant whatsoever in it at all. And if they find out what I take for my ADHD, they have a hernia. :P

I think that not only should we follow the letter of the law but also the spirit of the law. And avoid being judgemental when meeting others who have a different interpretation or application of the Word of Wisdom.

Jane

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I think you have to live the spirit of the law sometimes. The Lord shouldn't have to spell out every dangerous thing out there. We all know what caffine does to the body. However I don't think breaking the Word of Wisdom will keep you out of the Celestial Kingdom. It might keep you from going to church because your embarrassed and from there you would fall further maybe. I know my sis- in - law doesn't dare go to church because she started smoking again after she went to the Temple - I told her to go so she would have the spiritual help but she won't. Anyway that's my 2 cents.

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I know my sis- in - law doesn't dare go to church because she started smoking again after she went to the Temple - I told her to go so she would have the spiritual help but she won't. Anyway that's my 2 cents.

Tell your SIL that I knew a man who fought his smoking habit his whole life - never completely won. He had a temple recommend, was one of the most generous men I ever met and as he was dying of lung cancer (you can't escape the consequences of certain actions), he was given a blessing that said his sins were forgiven and he would stand blameless before God.

Everyone of us has temptations and no one is perfect in keeping all the commandments of God. If we were to only go to church when we're perfect, there'd be no one there. Ever. :P If she knew what the other members of her ward were fighting in the temptation department, she'd probably pick smoking as her problem over all of theirs! lol

Now, that's not to say that your SIL should not *try* to give up smoking, but, this may very well being something she fights her entire life. (oops! that sounds depressing!), but she can fight it and she shouldn't feel like she can't go to church. Jesus came to the sinners, not those who were 'perfect'.

Jane

P.S. In my ward, there are several members (in various stages of activity) who come for the various ward parties and they, plus a few non-LDS spouses, all go out to smoke several times an evening. You know what? My ward doesn't care. Her ward shouldn't either.

That's my 4 cents!! <_<

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hey hows it going? ya'll know if u look in the book 'mormon doctrine' by b.r. mcconkie it states that not all particular things are singled out in wow. in the book it states that the consumption of cola drinks is in violation of the spirit of the wow. but hey whatever. i still drink my rc cola everyday and struggle with giving up my copenhagen habit.

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I had an interesting arguement with a co-worker about the Mormon (utah) myth that it's against the Word of Wisdom to drink anything with caffiene (with the exception of Coffee).

With the exception of coffee. . . Wow! So it's okay to drink coffee now?

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I had an interesting arguement with a co-worker about the Mormon (utah) myth that it's against the Word of Wisdom to drink anything with caffiene (with the exception of Coffee).

With the exception of coffee. . . Wow! So it's okay to drink coffee now?

I believe he means that its an exception from the point of discussion, the arguement. That is, that noone is argueing that coffee is against the WoW, as it clearly is, which makes it an exception from "caffeinated drinks" in general which they *are* argueing about.

The church certainly hasn't changed *that* much... :P

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I think you have to live the spirit of the law sometimes. The Lord shouldn't have to spell out every dangerous thing out there.

I also think that some members are quick to "add laws upon laws" as some of the Pharisees did. They take a commandment and carry it beyond the mark. I have no problem with those that feel that caffiene is wrong - but I hope that if they preach it that they are not eating any chocolate. :P

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I'm amazed at how liberal the church is becoming.

Catch 22 alert!

I've also heard many of you evangelicals criticize both Joseph Smith and Brigham Young for "breaking" the WoW. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

P.S. "I'm amazed at how liberal the church" - was.

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P.S. "I'm amazed at how liberal the church" - was.

It depends on what you mean by liberal. A synonym for "liberal" is generous. But in today's political world, "liberal" means "generous with someone else's wealth" or "anti-charity". In the original sense, the Church has always been liberal and today's conservatives are yesterday's liberals.

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Breaking the word of wisdom IS NOT a sin, and will not keep anyone out of heaven.

This is generally a false statement as when LDS speak of "heaven" or "salvation", they are usually refering to the highest degree in the Celestial Kingdom. It is true that the WoW was not intially a commandment. However, it is now and not keeping it will keep you out of the temple and that will keep you out of the highest degree at least.

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We were asked to avoid addictive substances, and caffine is an addictive substance.

However, we were told to abstain from coffee, but we really don't know what exactly is in coffee to avoid. Thus, we still drink soda, and we don't drink decaf-coffee.

There is no soda/coffee advice/commandment connection.

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(This post is not going to be well-documented because I refuse to spend too much time on this.)

One or two years ago, a GA had something in the Ensign about "Looking Beyond the Mark." He detailed five or six ways in which Latter-day Saints create "laws upon laws" and miss the point.

He specifically mentioned adding things to the word of wisdom that are not specifically listed, and declaring or implying your additions as doctrine, or commandments.

Anyone remember this talk? A simple search on lds.org will find it. But I have no desire to do that kind of work at 1:50am. :P

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I heard that some bishop or stake president in Japan wasn't letting people in the temple because they drank soda. So, the current president of the church went down there an met with this person. When he sat down at this meeting, he pulls out a Pepsi, opens it, takes a drink, and askes, "Now what's the problem?"

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I think people get too bogged down trying to take the scriptures so literally all of the time. Take the WOW for example. I believe that you should be a slave to nothing. Whether it be Coffee, Tea, Tobacco, drugs, alcohol, or any other medium that might take control of your life. I know first hand what all of these things can do to a person and I am so very grateful to finally be free. There is great wisdom in all the scriptures and many great lessons to be learned, However I choose not to lose the lesson in the details.

Keep it Real

Real Deal

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To summerize, for most members of the church, the word of wisdom is just that, wisdom, not commandment; however for Priesthood holders, temple goers, and those who make special covenants it IS a commandment.

But, is avoidance of caffiene a commandment?

Earl

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. I know my sis- in - law doesn't dare go to church because she started smoking again after she went to the Temple - I told her to go so she would have the spiritual help but she won't.

Please tell you SIL that in a Stake leadership conference that the Stake President told the Bishops and other leaders that if they could not smell cigarette smoke on some of their ward members that they were not doing their job, which was to teach their Wards to draw closer to the Savior and that eeryone had a 'favorite sin' they needed help to overcome and that smoking (while harmful) was not the worst thing that people could do.

And that Elder Holland said in Conferance a couple years ago that the Church was Not a refuge for perfect people but that one aspect of the Church was as a first aid station to help those that need the Spirit tohelp them overcome a weakness.

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To summerize, for most members of the church, the word of wisdom is just that, wisdom, not commandment; however for Priesthood holders, temple goers, and those who make special covenants it IS a commandment.

But, is avoidance of caffiene a commandment?

Earl

As far as I know, the Church's stance is that the Word of Wisdom proscribes coffee, tea, alcohol, tobacco, and drug abuse; anything else is between you and the Lord. So no, the avoidance of caffiene is not a commandment.

In my case, there is definately a correlation between my general feeling of well-being and the food I choose to eat, and so I have learned to strictly limit the amount of junk food (even artificially sweetened junk food) and convenience food that I eat and to focus on eating more fresh or frozen vegetables in order to obtain the blessings of the Word of Wisdom. I would strongly recommend that others do the same, but I'm not going to tell them they are breaking the Word of Wisdom if they don't.

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Under WORD OF WISDOM in MD pg 845 it states: Three types of things are PROHIBITED to man by the word of wisdom-tobacco, strong drinks, and hot drinks. By strong drinks is meant alcoholic beverages; hot drinks, according to the Prophets own statment, mean tea and coffee. Accordingly the negative side of the Word of Wisdom ia a command to abstain from tea, coffee, tobacco, and liquor.

Abstinence from these four things has been accepted by the church (I guess either lds no longer accept this, or doctrines change?) as a measuring rod to determine in part the personal worthiness of church members.

Until I read what you LDS members are saying about how in so many words it really does not matter any more, I have never yet met a mormon either worthy or little missionary who felt it was ok to drink coffee. They have always told me according to the WOW it was not ok. But this just proves LDS theolgiy changes and remember Your disobying YOUR PROPHET, because according to BRUCE it was by the Prophets own statment it means coffee,tea, and smokes. So you deny D and C 1:14 and 131:6 claims you cannot be saved in ignorence.

then in the mormon encyclopedia pg 1584 under WOW it says, By 1930 abstinece from the use of alcohol, tobacco, coffee, and tea had become an OFFICIAL requirement for those seeking TEMPLE RECOMMENDS. While abstinence from these substances is NOW REQUIRED for TEMPLE ATTENDANCE and for holding PRIESTHOOD offices or other Church callings, no other ecclesiastical sanctions are imposed on those who do not comply with the WOW.

Now the problem I have is not only does it apper that lds doctrine changes and we are givin numerous opions that disagree but the people who wrote the encyclopedia and MD hold postions of high ranking athurotiy in the church and are supposdely gods mouth peice and called to those postions by god, yet you guys apper to disagree with them?. this is rather strange, if I was seeking to join your church who would/should I believe you or them. rick b

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What I'm takin bout is that from what I read it appers as if the lds say it is ok to drink coffee and smoke, and still get into the temple. yet according to what I posted the church higher authoritys claim this is not true, you must obey the WOW or no temple for you. So which is it, can I smoke and drink and chew and date girls who do LOL, or not. Rick b

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Hi emaughan,

This is totally subjective and really confusing. It never says coffee, so hot chocolate is just as bad if you hold to the standards some hold on this site that," it doesn't matter whats taught, only what is in the Standard works is doctrine." I grew up in the 60s and got bagged all the time by my friend because I couldn't drink coke, and if I did, I got in trouble with my folks. I can remember when Mountain Dew came out and every one was drinking it, the Bishop sent letters to the people telling them that it had caffine in it. It was a big deal and taught as doctrine, even if it wasn't, it was interpreted as so.

What is amazing is the issue of meats, fruits and herbs. According to the words of wisdom, there is no excuse (at least in the US) that Mormons can eat meat. Do they still own and operate the largest cattle ranch in the world? Fruit & Herbs must only be eaten in season, does that mean you can't eat unripe fruit or you can't eat fruit that is canned?

If I remember right, the whole WOW came out after the men of the church were smoking and spiting chew on the floor of the Navoo house, or school of the Prophets, or some place like that. Emma didn't like it, so Joseph gave a Revelation. Brigham Young related that story if I remember correctly.

Sure its a catch 22, but it was created by silence through out the years by the leadership. It's LDS history, not anti propaganda.

Mark

john 1:12

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