I openly drink green and black tea

[Ouagadougou]

Hello everyone!  

This is my first post here, so I guess it's important to point out that I'm a less active member who attends church once every 1-3 months, but I live a very healthy lifestyle (e.g. don't drink alcohol or smoke) and try to maintain a healthy diet and exercise a lot.  

I stopped drinking soda and energy drinks nearly four years ago and eat red meat very rarely; I feel great without both.  It amazes me how many members I know who drink Mountain Dew, Coke, Pepsi, energy drinks and the list goes on, but they won't drink tea (which is way better for them then these other drinks) because of D&C 89.  In my opinion, and some will agree with me, a green or black tea with just water (and honey that I add) or even coffee is better for the body than most of the caffeine sodas and other energy drinks out there.  I'm actually not advocating that people start drinking tea; rather, I'm more confused with regard to how the Word of Wisdom is so black and white and almost out of date with modern times.  

Furthermore, I have many family members and LDS friends who eat tons of meat, candy and junk food (which is ok by the church's standards, along with sodas with caffeine); however, a simple green or black tea in their eyes is absolutely off limits because it's a "commandment."  Some of my family members have even asked me how I can justify drinking tea and I quote the 11th Article of Faith listed below:

"11 We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may."

For me, what I put into my body should be based on the "dictates of my own conscience," in my personal relationship with God.  I do agree that we should practice all things in moderation; however, some parts of the Word of Wisdom just don't make any sense to me, especially in terms of how it doesn't forbid certain modern-day items like energy drinks, sodas, and the list goes on and on.  

One family member even pointed out that I will be more blessed if I don't drink tea, so I responded with my following questions:

If I stop drinking tea and then decide to start drinking soda and energy drinks (which are allowed by all accounts), then I will be more blessed?  Or, if I stop drinking tea but eat fast food and junk food every day, then I will be blessed?  Unfortunately, some parts of the Word of Wisdom to me are just a check in the box that don't really make much sense.  

I'm interested to hear other points of view on this subject.  

[bluebell]

1) Some commandments we must keep to be able to go to the temple, other's are not tied to that.  That's true for the commandments spoken of in the WoW as well as other places.

2) The WoW is not just for health but also about obedience to God.  We don't know why He has told us not to drink tea.  Regardless, we either obey or we don't (for whatever reasons).

3) All men are free to worship according to the dictates of their conscience, but they are not free to choose the consequences of that choice.  One of the consequences of choosing to drink tea is that you can't go to the temple.  You're still allowed the privilege of following your conscience even if you are bound by the consequences of your choices.

4) Keeping all of aspects of the WoW will always bless a person more than just keeping some of them.  But because not drinking tea can help someone prepare to go to the temple and receive those wonderful blessings, keeping the WoW is not just about blessings of health.  It allows us access to greater spiritual blessings as well.  You probably are more healthy than a lot of people who are able to go to the temple, but it's not just about physical health.  Spiritual health is very important too.

 

[Rain]

6 hours ago, Ouagadougou said:

 

If I stop drinking tea and then decide to start drinking soda and energy drinks (which are allowed by all accounts), then I will be more blessed?  Or, if I stop drinking tea but eat fast food and junk food every day, then I will be blessed?  Unfortunately, some parts of the Word of Wisdom to me are just a check in the box that don't really make much sense.  

I think we are blessed on what we do with the knowledge we have. You've learned how soda and energy drinks are not good for you so by stopping tea and starting soda\energy drinks you would not be  more blessed. I want to say you would be differently blessed (spiritually blessed), but it seems to me that wouldn't be true because instead of taking a step forward you would be purposely also taking a step back against the knowledge you have of soda and energy drinks.

I don't think there is anyone who really feels that soda/energy drinks/junk food is good for you physically. I think most look at it that the spiritual blessings from not drinking tea are better than the physical blessings of not consuming the others.  In a lot of ways that doesn't make sense because we are told that the spiritual and temporal are a partnership, yet I hear over and over again how spirituality is more important from members. 

Junk food is something I really struggle with. I've come to recognize this is both a physical and a spiritual problem for me. 

There is also the moderation thing. Many may think that not drinking tea is more important because we are often taught to be moderate with our bodies, not to run faster than we can etc, but we are not told that with tea. We are told no tea.

I think that is a misconception. We are not to be commanded in all things, but be anxiously engaged in a good cause. So when we, personally, find that there are other aspects of the WoW that are truths, like you did with energy drinks, then those things become as important as the commanded things to individuals. I have some of those things for myself.

[Ouagadougou]

1 hour ago, bluebell said:

1) Some commandments we must keep to be able to go to the temple, other's are not tied to that.  That's true for the commandments spoken of in the WoW as well as other places.

2) The WoW is not just for health but also about obedience to God.  We don't know why He has told us not to drink tea.  Regardless, we either obey or we don't (for whatever reasons).

3) All men are free to worship according to the dictates of their conscience, but they are not free to choose the consequences of that choice.  One of the consequences of choosing to drink tea is that you can't go to the temple.  You're still allowed the privilege of following your conscience even if you are bound by the consequences of your choices.

4) Keeping all of aspects of the WoW will always bless a person more than just keeping some of them.  But because not drinking tea can help someone prepare to go to the temple and receive those wonderful blessings, keeping the WoW is not just about blessings of health.  It allows us access to greater spiritual blessings as well.  You probably are more healthy than a lot of people who are able to go to the temple, but it's not just about physical health.  Spiritual health is very important too.

 

I understand why obedience is important -- but as it pertains to the WoW -- it's such a check in the box to gain access to the temple.  If soda and energy drinks are worse for you, then how come there hasn't been any further guidance on the WoW to catch up with modern times?  

Drinking Mountain Dew is worse for a person than tea (I think many would agree with me), but you can still go to the temple if you consume something (Mountain Dew) that does even more damage to your body?  Or a person can go eat fast food every single day and have a terrible lifestyle/diet but still get a temple recommend (just as long as the obey the WoW)?    

Additionally, the number one killers of Americans are:

• Heart disease: 614,348
• Cancer: 591,699
• Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 147,101
• Accidents (unintentional injuries): 136,053
• Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases): 133,103
• Alzheimer's disease: 93,541
• Diabetes: 76,488

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/leading-causes-of-death.htm

Drinking teas isn't what is giving people heart disease, cancer, strokes and diabetes.  

Just look at what drinking a single coke does to the body:

http://www.fitnesstipsforlife.com/the-effect-of-coca-cola-on-your-body.html

 

 

 

[Ouagadougou]

1 hour ago, Rain said:

I think we are blessed on what we do with the knowledge we have. You've learned how soda and energy drinks are not good for you so by stopping tea and starting soda\energy drinks you would not be  more blessed. I want to say you would be differently blessed (spiritually blessed), but it seems to me that wouldn't be true because instead of taking a step forward you would be purposely also taking a step back against the knowledge you have of soda and energy drinks.

I don't think there is anyone who really feels that soda/energy drinks/junk food is good for you physically. I think most look at it that the spiritual blessings from not drinking tea are better than the physical blessings of not consuming the others.  In a lot of ways that doesn't make sense because we are told that the spiritual and temporal are a partnership, yet I hear over and over again how spirituality is more important from members. 

Junk food is something I really struggle with. I've come to recognize this is both a physical and a spiritual problem for me. 

There is also the moderation thing. Many may think that not drinking tea is more important because we are often taught to be moderate with our bodies, not to run faster than we can etc, but we are not told that with tea. We are told no tea.

I think that is a misconception. We are not to be commanded in all things, but be anxiously engaged in a good cause. So when we, personally, find that there are other aspects of the WoW that are truths, like you did with energy drinks, then those things become as important as the commanded things to individuals. I have some of those things for myself.

The thing is, energy drinks and soda are allowed under the WoW, as far as I understand.  So in my case, I stopped consuming energy drinks and soda (which is better for me), but can't earn spiritual blessings by having a healthier lifestyle just because of tea.  I feel better physically and spiritually for drinking only tea now, when I felt worse when I had a poor diet and consumed soda/energy drinks (which was allowed under the WoW).  The current WoW black and white checklist makes no sense to me personally.  

[thesometimesaint]

It is a violation of the WoW which you have agreed to follow.  The Church won't "ex"   you for it, but certain blessings can and will be denied. Really; do you need for the leaders of the Church to change the WoW  to include illicit drugs. They are not in the WoW, so they must be good for you. Right?

Commit yourself to decrease then eliminate green and black Tea's from your diet. You'll be blessed for it. Your Bishop can help you there.

[Jeanne]

Seems like a really good member who is diligent in callings, scripture study, family prayer, family home evening and tithing could afford to just use common sense to get into the Temple.  An excess of anything should be included in the WOW if that is how they want to do this.  But I think that tea (even good for skin)..should not be a deal breaker when compared to all the bags of potato chips and mountain dew ...IMO.  I think it is silly and God would think so too..I can understand alcohol, tabacco and drugs...but we know so much more now than the early centuries. 

[bluebell]

41 minutes ago, Ouagadougou said:

I understand why obedience is important -- but as it pertains to the WoW -- it's such a check in the box to gain access to the temple.  If soda and energy drinks are worse for you, then how come there hasn't been any further guidance on the WoW to catch up with modern times?  

Drinking Mountain Dew is worse for a person than tea (I think many would agree with me), but you can still go to the temple if you consume something (Mountain Dew) that does even more damage to your body?  Or a person can go eat fast food every single day and have a terrible lifestyle/diet but still get a temple recommend (just as long as the obey the WoW)?    

Additionally, the number one killers of Americans are:

• Heart disease: 614,348
• Cancer: 591,699
• Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 147,101
• Accidents (unintentional injuries): 136,053
• Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases): 133,103
• Alzheimer's disease: 93,541
• Diabetes: 76,488

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/leading-causes-of-death.htm

Drinking teas isn't what is giving people heart disease, cancer, strokes and diabetes.  

Just look at what drinking a single coke does to the body:

http://www.fitnesstipsforlife.com/the-effect-of-coca-cola-on-your-body.html

 

 

 

I can only guess, but I think that it's probably because the WoW is not just about health but also about obedience and setting the followers of God a part from others in some ways (i.e. peculiar people).

If you get stuck on the health idea, it's easy to justify drinking tea. But what if God has asked us not to drink it for reasons other than health? 

If you remove the health aspect, what other justifications are there for drinking tea?  

[thesometimesaint]

32 minutes ago, Jeanne said:

Seems like a really good member who is diligent in callings, scripture study, family prayer, family home evening and tithing could afford to just use common sense to get into the Temple.  An excess of anything should be included in the WOW if that is how they want to do this.  But I think that tea (even good for skin)..should not be a deal breaker when compared to all the bags of potato chips and mountain dew ...IMO.  I think it is silly and God would think so too..I can understand alcohol, tabacco and drugs...but we know so much more now than the early centuries. 

If you agree with God to not do something when does it become alright to do it?

[bluebell]

42 minutes ago, Jeanne said:

Seems like a really good member who is diligent in callings, scripture study, family prayer, family home evening and tithing could afford to just use common sense to get into the Temple.  An excess of anything should be included in the WOW if that is how they want to do this.  But I think that tea (even good for skin)..should not be a deal breaker when compared to all the bags of potato chips and mountain dew ...IMO.  I think it is silly and God would think so too..I can understand alcohol, tabacco and drugs...but we know so much more now than the early centuries. 

I disagree and I think that God disagrees with you too.  

Seriously though, Isn't it God who has declared that our ways are not His ways?  Knowing that, I don't think the argument "it doesn't make sense to me" is a very good reason nit to do something that could be a commandment. There might be other valid reasons, but I don't think that's ever one of them. 

If my kids used the "does it make sense to me?" question to determine whether or not my "commandments" were legitimate it wouldn't work. I don't think it works when we try to do that with God's commandments either. 

[Rain]

1 hour ago, Ouagadougou said:

The thing is, energy drinks and soda are allowed under the WoW, as far as I understand.  So in my case, I stopped consuming energy drinks and soda (which is better for me), but can't earn spiritual blessings by having a healthier lifestyle just because of tea.  I feel better physically and spiritually for drinking only tea now, when I felt worse when I had a poor diet and consumed soda/energy drinks (which was allowed under the WoW).  The current WoW black and white checklist makes no sense to me personally.  

No, you DO get blessings from having a healthier life style. MANY. And you get spiritual blessings from it as well. What you don't get are the blessings that come from abstaining from tea. Two separate things. 

It's kind of like the blessings that come from a diabetic abstaining from bacon or jelly beans. Your bigger problem with the bacon will be cholesterol. The bigger problem with the jelly beans is high blood sugar. There are overlaps, but they don't cause exactly all the same problems. 

We are counseled not to go into debt, but not commanded. Having sex outside of marriage is against the commandments. If someone is debt free, but unchaste, and desires to grow closer to the Lord they aren't going to think, "I want to grow closer to the Lord so I will go into debt and start being chaste."

No, that person would recognize the value of being both debt free and chaste. Someone who doesn't drink either soda or tea recognizes the value of not drinking either. 

ETA And just to clarify.  I am never going to nag you about tea.  I've got my own problems to deal with.  If people are bugging you about the tea as they consume soda etc. they don't have a complete understanding of judging or of the WoW.

Edited November 1, 2016 by Rain

[Ouagadougou]

1 hour ago, bluebell said:

I can only guess, but I think that it's probably because the WoW is not just about health but also about obedience and setting the followers of God a part from others in some ways (i.e. peculiar people).

If you get stuck on the health idea, it's easy to justify drinking tea. But what if God has asked us not to drink it for reasons other than health? 

If you remove the health aspect, what other justifications are there for drinking tea?  

So if you drink tea you can't be considered somebody who truly follows God?  

Drinking tea for me is an educated choice, not a justification.  You only have to justify something if you think it is wrong, correct?  I personally see nothing wrong with consuming tea.  In my opinion, I would rather consume tea (which is prohibited under th WoW) than consume soda (which is allowed but way worse).  I think God is happier with my choice to live a cleaner/healither lifestyle.   Some might not have my same opinion and that is fine, but each person should be the judge of what they eat, drink (or medications they take).  

[Ouagadougou]

23 minutes ago, Rain said:

No, you DO get blessings from having a healthier life style. MANY. And you get spiritual blessings from it as well. What you don't get are the blessings that come from abstaining from tea. Two separate things. 

It's kind of like the blessings that come from a diabetic abstaining from bacon or jelly beans. Your bigger problem with the bacon will be cholesterol. The bigger problem with the jelly beans is high blood sugar. There are overlaps, but they don't cause exactly all the same problems. 

We are counseled not to go into debt, but not commanded. Having sex outside of marriage is against the commandments. If someone is debt free, but unchaste, and desires to grow closer to the Lord they aren't going to think, "I want to grow closer to the Lord so I will go into debt and start being chaste."

No, that person would recognize the value of being both debt free and chaste. Someone who doesn't drink either soda or tea recognizes the value of not drinking either. 

ETA And just to clarify.  I am never going to nag you about tea.  I've got my own problems to deal with.  If people are bugging you about the tea as they consume soda etc. they don't have a complete understanding of judging or of the WoW.

The problem is this:  the Church will not approve of me drinking tea because of the current policy/commandment concerning the WoW.  It so black and white (a checklist) and makes no sense with all of the foods, drinks and other items a person can consume today (and still be ok in the eye's of God). It baffles me how I can't get a temple recommend for, in fact, living a cleaner/healthier lifestyle.

For example, I could stop drinking tea today in order to obey the WoW and get a temple recommended...and then start to drink 64oz of Mountain Dew, take harmful prescription drugs, and eat fast food three times and day and I would still be "temple worthy."  How does this make any sense?     

[bluebell]

1 minute ago, Ouagadougou said:

The problem is this:  the Church will not approve of me drinking tea because of the current policy/commandment concerning the WoW.  It so black and white (a checklist) and makes no sense with all of the foods, drinks and other items a person can consume today (and still be ok in the eye's of God). It baffles me how I can't get a temple recommend for, in fact, living a cleaner/healthier lifestyle.

 

Because it's not about living a cleaner/healthier lifestyle.  That's not what get's you a temple recommend.

[bluebell]

18 minutes ago, Ouagadougou said:

So if you drink tea you can't be considered somebody who truly follows God?  

 

If God tells someone not to do something, and they do it (for any reason) can they be considered someone who truly follows God?  We each have to answer that question for ourselves.

Quote

Drinking tea for me is an educated choice, not a justification.  You only have to justify something if you think it is wrong, correct?  I personally see nothing wrong with consuming tea.  In my opinion, I would rather consume tea (which is prohibited under th WoW) than consume soda (which is allowed but way worse).  I think God is happier with my choice to live a cleaner/healither lifestyle.   Some might not have my same opinion and that is fine, but each person should be the judge of what they eat, drink (or medications they take).  

The awesome thing is that you can not consume tea and also not consume soda.  Problem solved.  You're still healthy and can get a temple recommend.

[Ouagadougou]

2 hours ago, Jeanne said:

Seems like a really good member who is diligent in callings, scripture study, family prayer, family home evening and tithing could afford to just use common sense to get into the Temple.  An excess of anything should be included in the WOW if that is how they want to do this.  But I think that tea (even good for skin)..should not be a deal breaker when compared to all the bags of potato chips and mountain dew ...IMO.  I think it is silly and God would think so too..I can understand alcohol, tabacco and drugs...but we know so much more now than the early centuries. 

I agree that it's silly to think that God uses tea or coffee as a line in the sand to gain exaltation.  That is just my personal opinion.  

[Ouagadougou]

2 hours ago, thesometimesaint said:

It is a violation of the WoW which you have agreed to follow.  The Church won't "ex"   you for it, but certain blessings can and will be denied. Really; do you need for the leaders of the Church to change the WoW  to include illicit drugs. They are not in the WoW, so they must be good for you. Right?

Commit yourself to decrease then eliminate green and black Tea's from your diet. You'll be blessed for it. Your Bishop can help you there.

Actually, in accordance with my own conscience and freedom of choice, I do not abstain from drinking tea.  I'm pretty sure you can't get a temple recommend if you use illicit drugs, so it IS part of the WoW.  Why should I commit myself to decrease drinking tea when I am healthier and happy for doing so and for giving up soda and energy drinks (which are allowed under the WoW)?  My bishop is fully aware of my decision and opinion on this matter.  

[Ouagadougou]

8 minutes ago, bluebell said:

If God tells someone not to do something, and they do it (for any reason) can they be considered someone who truly follows God?  We each have to answer that question for ourselves.

The awesome thing is that you can not consume tea and also not consume soda.  Problem solved.  You're still healthy and can get a temple recommend.

I do not believe that something like drinking tea is going to decide somebody's salvation/exaltation.  If it is, then I'm willing to take the risk and suffer eternal damnation I guess. I understand that I contradict the WoW by drinking tea; however, I honestly feel 0% percent guilt or that I'm doing anything wrong.  If anything, I feel better for abstaining from certain items that are allowed under the WoW (soda and energy drinks).  I guess I feel that somebody's salvation shouldn't be based on checklist that doesn't make any logical sense.  

[rongo]

bluebell has already mentioned this, but the Word of Wisdom is not primarily a "health commandment." It is primarily a sign of obedience, and something that sets us apart from most of the world. I can't tell you how many students I have had (I'm a high school teacher) who ask me why Mormons don't drink coffee or tea (alcohol, tobacco, and drugs are more of a no-brainer to them --- they understand that). They are also very aware of the backsliding Mormon students who openly drink coffee and tea, and this also leads to good discussions. Among other things, they realize that Mormons can and do choose to go against their standards --- we aren't coercively controlled. Particularly the coffee and tea proscriptions in the WoW are a wonder to the world and set apart observant Mormons from the less-committed. It's a sign just as surely as if a mark of some kind were placed on us --- and, there is a subtle, intangible "something" about people who cheerfully keep all of the standard versus those who only keep part of it and/or kick against the pricks.

By far, the most important blessings to the Word of Wisdom are the "wisdom, and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;" and that the destroying angel will pass us by. I don't think this is linked to the promises of "health in the navel, and marrow to their bones" and "walking and not being weary, and running and not fainting." That is, I don't think the reference to the destroying angel denotes preventable disease through lifestyle. I think the destruction referred to is more of a destruction of separation, evidenced by our obedience without trying to rationalize that our reasoned choices are superior to the WoW.

Good, better, best. You have said repeatedly in this thread that you consciously eschew soda and fast food and choose to drink tea. Would it be even better if you did that and forego tea as well? Or, do you think you would get exactly no health and spiritual benefit from following the Word of Wisdom as defined by the Church?

Whenever critics "shoot fish in a barrel" and pick on the easy target of Mormons with poor nutritional/fitness habits, this criticism misses my family completely. We drink almost exclusively water, milk, and non-sugared fruit juice, and we eat out very, very occasionally. One of the benefits of being poor in the eyes of the world!  I agree that the hypocritical nature of straining at the gnat of proscriptions while swallowing the camel of poor non-proscribed habits is a scandal in the Church, but it does not excuse knowingly acting against the light of Christ or the light that we have. 

Thou art not far from the kingdom of God, Oagadougou! Carry your logic just a little further and do even better!  

Edited November 1, 2016 by rongo

[rpn]

We do not know why the Lord banned some things and not others.   We also don't know why church leaders interpreted "hot drinks" as tea and coffee.    Probably because Section 89 has long been called the Lord's law of health, members often think of it as a health law.   But what if it is simply the way the Lord distinguishes His people in this dispensation.

And as far as health goes, every few years what we once thought about how our body works or how specific foods work or don't work in them, gets turned on its head by new research.   And increasingly we know that individuals bodies may mean individual decisions about what is healthy for them.

So I'm thinking that most people accept that if we are talking purely about health, we ought to eat mostly plant based diet, though eating meat is okay too (and for some even superior.   Most of us know that carbonated drinks (whether with sugar or diet sweeteners) cause problems in many bodies.   And eating more than our body actually needs causes lots of problems.

If we look at it from the perspective of agency, it is pretty obvious that anything that is mood altering should be avoided, so we are fully in control of our bodies and choices.

The only way to respond to the OP is to say that of course we all get to decide how we live the gospel, and we each get our testimonies of gospel principles in our own time and sequence.   And violating the word of wisdom is not the end of the world doctrinally or behaviorally.    Even our interpretations of the Section in our lives is ours to make.

The sole question that OP need be able to answer truthfully is the TR one.    I couldn't answer it truthfully if I was doing what OP was doing.   But I know nothing about how OP sought spiritual confirmation and did the studying to make her decision.

 

[bluebell]

14 minutes ago, Ouagadougou said:

I do not believe that something like drinking tea is going to decide somebody's salvation/exaltation.    

I don't either.  But i do believe that something like obedience/disobedience to God can.

 

[Ouagadougou]

1 hour ago, rongo said:

bluebell has already mentioned this, but the Word of Wisdom is not primarily a "health commandment." It is primarily a sign of obedience, and something that sets us apart from most of the world. I can't tell you how many students I have had (I'm a high school teacher) who ask me why Mormons don't drink coffee or tea (alcohol, tobacco, and drugs are more of a no-brainer to them --- they understand that). They are also very aware of the backsliding Mormon students who openly drink coffee and tea, and this also leads to good discussions. Among other things, they realize that Mormons can and do choose to go against their standards --- we aren't coercively controlled. Particularly the coffee and tea proscriptions in the WoW are a wonder to the world and set apart observant Mormons from the less-committed. It's a sign just as surely as if a mark of some kind were placed on us --- and, there is a subtle, intangible "something" about people who cheerfully keep all of the standard versus those who only keep part of it and/or kick against the pricks.

By far, the most important blessings to the Word of Wisdom are the "wisdom, and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;" and that the destroying angel will pass us by. I don't think this is linked to the promises of "health in the navel, and marrow to their bones" and "walking and not being weary, and running and not fainting." That is, I don't think the reference to the destroying angel denotes preventable disease through lifestyle. I think the destruction referred to is more of a destruction of separation, evidenced by our obedience without trying to rationalize that our reasoned choices are superior to the WoW.

Good, better, best. You have said repeatedly in this thread that you consciously eschew soda and fast food and choose to drink tea. Would it be even better if you did that and forego tea as well? Or, do you think you would get exactly no health and spiritual benefit from following the Word of Wisdom as defined by the Church?

Whenever critics "shoot fish in a barrel" and pick on the easy target of Mormons with poor nutritional/fitness habits, this criticism misses my family completely. We drink almost exclusively water, milk, and non-sugared fruit juice, and we eat out very, very occasionally. One of the benefits of being poor in the eyes of the world!  I agree that the hypocritical nature of straining at the gnat of proscriptions while swallowing the camel of poor non-proscribed habits is a scandal in the Church, but it does not excuse knowingly acting against the light of Christ or the light that we have. 

Thou art not far from the kingdom of God, Oagadougou! Carry your logic just a little further and do even better!  

Joseph Smith and other early church leaders didn't follow the WoW even after the 1833 revelation for D&C 89 was received:

http://en.fairmormon.org/Word_of_Wisdom/Joseph_Smith_drank_alcohol_prior_to_the_martyrdom

Why are early leaders given a pass for drinking alcohol, tea, coffee, and smoking, while those today are held to a higher standard?  Presentism seems to be the only explanation I have heard, which is just a justification in my opinion.  I find it ironic that Brigham Young ran distillers in Utah..but you can't even purchase a Coke with caffeine on campus on BYU today.  

http://en.fairmormon.org/Word_of_Wisdom/Brigham_Young's_whiskey_distillery

 

 

[Ouagadougou]

1 hour ago, rpn said:

We do not know why the Lord banned some things and not others.   We also don't know why church leaders interpreted "hot drinks" as tea and coffee.    Probably because Section 89 has long been called the Lord's law of health, members often think of it as a health law.   But what if it is simply the way the Lord distinguishes His people in this dispensation.

And as far as health goes, every few years what we once thought about how our body works or how specific foods work or don't work in them, gets turned on its head by new research.   And increasingly we know that individuals bodies may mean individual decisions about what is healthy for them.

So I'm thinking that most people accept that if we are talking purely about health, we ought to eat mostly plant based diet, though eating meat is okay too (and for some even superior.   Most of us know that carbonated drinks (whether with sugar or diet sweeteners) cause problems in many bodies.   And eating more than our body actually needs causes lots of problems.

If we look at it from the perspective of agency, it is pretty obvious that anything that is mood altering should be avoided, so we are fully in control of our bodies and choices.

The only way to respond to the OP is to say that of course we all get to decide how we live the gospel, and we each get our testimonies of gospel principles in our own time and sequence.   And violating the word of wisdom is not the end of the world doctrinally or behaviorally.    Even our interpretations of the Section in our lives is ours to make.

The sole question that OP need be able to answer truthfully is the TR one.    I couldn't answer it truthfully if I was doing what OP was doing.   But I know nothing about how OP sought spiritual confirmation and did the studying to make her decision.

 

Joseph Smith and other early church leaders didn't follow the WoW even after the 1833 revelation for D&C 89 was received:

http://en.fairmormon.org/Word_of_Wisdom/Joseph_Smith_drank_alcohol_prior_to_the_martyrdom

Why are early leaders given a pass for drinking alcohol and smoking, while those today are held to a higher standard?  Presentism seems to be the only explanation I have heard, which is just a justification in my opinion.  I find it ironic that Brigham Young ran distillers in Utah..but you can't even purchase a Coke with caffeine on campus on BYU today.  

http://en.fairmormon.org/Word_of_Wisdom/Brigham_Young's_whiskey_distillery

 

 

[Ouagadougou]

5 minutes ago, Ouagadougou said:

Joseph Smith and other early church leaders didn't follow the WoW even after the 1833 revelation for D&C 89 was received:

http://en.fairmormon.org/Word_of_Wisdom/Joseph_Smith_drank_alcohol_prior_to_the_martyrdom

Why are early leaders given a pass for drinking alcohol, tea, coffee, and smoking, while those today are held to a higher standard?  Presentism seems to be the only explanation I have heard, which is just a justification in my opinion.  I find it ironic that Brigham Young ran distillers in Utah..but you can't even purchase a Coke with caffeine on campus on BYU today.  

http://en.fairmormon.org/Word_of_Wisdom/Brigham_Young's_whiskey_distillery

 

 

*Distilleries 

[Ouagadougou]

2 minutes ago, Ouagadougou said:

Joseph Smith and other early church leaders didn't follow the WoW even after the 1833 revelation for D&C 89 was received:

http://en.fairmormon.org/Word_of_Wisdom/Joseph_Smith_drank_alcohol_prior_to_the_martyrdom

Why are early leaders given a pass for drinking alcohol and smoking, while those today are held to a higher standard?  Presentism seems to be the only explanation I have heard, which is just a justification in my opinion.  I find it ironic that Brigham Young ran distillers in Utah..but you can't even purchase a Coke with caffeine on campus on BYU today.  

http://en.fairmormon.org/Word_of_Wisdom/Brigham_Young's_whiskey_distillery

 

 

*Distilleries