In another way, I think the overall rule is silly. Here, I’ll delve into Sabbath-keeping, the Word of Wisdom and whether Latter-day Saints are still expected to wear their temple garments around … And how many Mormons would be able to exult in being able to partake of something everyone else at the office has enjoyed for all those years! Do not taste! If so, I can only imagine the leaders will someday say “drink coffee and tea, but with moderation” in his pronouncement. Imagine the rejoicing of retail establishments such as Starbucks and Beans and Brews throughout Utah, Idaho, Arizona and Wyoming if the current ban were ever to be lifted. or Postum but ban coffee and tea? A church with leaders who proverbially stick their fingers into their mouths and pull them out so they can test the winds of popular opinion is a church that does not have any authority from God, whatsoever. It’s the same thing with our health. We find that there is a high degree of variation in Word of Wisdom compliance. With the legalization of marijuana in states where many Latter-day Saints reside (i.e. Thank you! The Word of Wisdom … It’s anyone’s guess. ‘Mormon Land’: Word of Wisdom, gender bias, LGBTQ issues and more — Jana Riess talks about her landmark findings on LDS millennials Mormon Will the Mormon Word of Wisdom ever change? only to finally back down in April 2019! After all, how can the church allow hot drinks such as hot chocolate (with caffeine in it, even!) Education Week attendees listen during a devotional on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2019. Some drinks have tea in them but don’t advertise that fact, so always check the ingredients. But the principle of the word of wisdom would say it is ok to use to get off of an addiction. 18 Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Four in ten Millennial and GenX Latter-day Saints in the United States said they had consumed caffeinated coffee at some point in the last six months. According to 21st century LDS leaders, however, McConkie must not have been teaching “officially.” This only begs the question, how is anyone supposed to know when the leaders are speaking with authority? After describing how “wine,” “strong drink,” and “tobacco” were. So, before you try what you think is just some new milkshake flavor, here are a couple of rules of thumb: (1) If you’re in a coffee shop (or any other shop that’s well-known for its coffee), the drink you’re ordering probably has coffee in it, so either never buy drinks at coffee shops or always ask if there’s coffee in it. (Is there anything wrong with drinking sodas with caffeine in them? Less than half (45%) of American Mormons, for example, said that they had … LDS Liberty Forum. Yes, Smith did point out the harmful effects of tobacco, but this fact was even known in Joseph Smith’s day! This also begs the question: Since the article was written to young people and caffeine seems to be the big taboo, then why are energy drinks such as Monster, Red Bull, and Rock Star not discussed? Electronic vaporizers or e-cigarettes are devices people use to inhale mist, usually with various flavors. Although the facts of a person’s circumstances and their cultural and environmental influencers may mean that they are overweight, have limited access to fresh food, were raised with bad eating habits, or any number of other factors, that doesn’t mean they are destined to be unhealthy, Cordell said. Even Apostle Bruce R. McConkie wrote. Or not? What does it mean to live an intentional life? The Doubling Down of the LDS Church: The Word of Wisdom Ain’t Going Away, At Least for Now By Eric Johnson (Revised 8/27/2019) Prior to the April 2019 General Conference, there were some who were predicting a possible change in Mormonism to allow coffee and tea, both of which are banned in the Word of Wisdom. One study showed that nearly two-thirds of teen e-cigarette users thought that the pods they were vaping contained only flavoring. I have to admit, I was a bit surprised by this New Era article that came out just a few months after the massive speculation. In fact, D&C 89 doesn’t say anything about soda or other drinks with caffeine, even though I have been told by many former Mormons that they were taught this by their local leaders. .” Given time, however, the Word of Wisdom provided no revelation that would make someone in the 21st century say, “Oh my, how did Joseph Smith know?” Instead of showing that coffee and tea are harmful, science has shown that they can be beneficial in moderation. . After giving “some facts” about the Word of Wisdom, including that “the Lord forbids our using tobacco and ‘hot drinks,’ which, Church leaders have explained, means tea and coffee,” the article systematically went after four different items that some young people might get confused about. If it’s healthy today, wasn’t it healthy at the time that Smith supposedly received his “revelation”? Education Week attendees listen and take notes during devotional at BYU Education Week in Provo, Utah, on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2019. Before we discuss the church’s double-down move, we must first understand what Joseph Smith claimed to be told by God in the LDS scripture called the Doctrine and Covenants. Second, there is the culture that comes from being part of a church and a faith community. What will Starr’s response be now if the church ever allowed for this change? Shouldn’t these be banned too? “The Atonement allows us to break down the boxes we put ourselves in,” he said. During his presentation, Cordell broke down some of the key parts of each of these influencers and how they can be used to help members of the Church improve their physical health based on their understanding of the gospel and its role in their lives. Why not? As part of a culture of faith, Latter-day Saints understand that each person is striving to become like Christ — to become perfect. Critics of the Word of Wisdom might point out that the modern-day direction seems to cherry pick a bit from the original revelation which asks, for example, that members eat meat sparingly and only in times of winter, cold, or famine. Until maybe tomorrow or next week. Education Week attendees listen and take notes during an Education Week devotional on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2019. “The nice thing is that we have the agency to choose what we do with those influencers,” he said. Prior to the April 2019 General Conference, there were some who were predicting a possible change in Mormonism to allow coffee and tea, both of which are banned in the Word of Wisdom. First, there are doctrinal influences, he said. Is caffeine bad? If there are too many complaints about female missionaries having to wear dresses, then they seem to be fine allowing them to wear slacks. Mormon Stories October 9, 2017 Addiction, Ex-Mormon Stories, Marriage & Family, Mixed-Faith Marriages, Top 15 Mental Health, Word of Wisdom 9 Comments As part 1 in a new Mormon Stories Podcast series on navigating mixed-faith marriages, we interview Kirsten and David Udy. After all, these leaders denied children of homosexual parents to get baptized or blessed in 2015, with Nelson calling this decision a “revelation” in 2016. . Jointly published by the Deseret News and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, its content supports the doctrines, principles and practices of the Church. Such habit-forming substances should be avoided except under the care of a competent physician, and then used only as prescribed. On February 27, 1833, Joseph Smith received a revelation while inquiring of the Lord. Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. In short terms, it is a health code for the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which we must abide by in order to go to the sacred temple and to have a healthy living. It’s a choice that we make … about what we want to do and who we want to be.”. In verse 4, Smith recorded the Lord saying, In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation—. One must ask, if caffeinated colas are allowed, why is “iced tea” (or iced coffees, for that matter) not allowed? In one way, I give the leaders credit for standing firm on what has been traditionally taught. We are learning, and we are growing. If these leaders decide to make this change, it will only prove once again that Mormonism’s truth claims are as fluid as the culture around them is in flux. Here are some facts about the Word of Wisdom: In Doctrine and Covenants 89:8–9, the Lord forbids our using tobacco and “hot drinks,” which, Church leaders have explained, means tea and coffee. Many things, in moderation, can be justified, including a moderate intake of alcohol or coffee. The community for those interested in faithful discussions related to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its members, known colloquially as "Mormons". In this April 2019 file photo, people arrive for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' two-day conference in Salt Lake City, April 6, 2019 | Associated Press photo by … The Word of Wisdom is a law of health for the physical and spiritual benefit of God's children. If the Word of Wisdom is supposed to be a health code, then why would God have banned things that could be beneficial, including red wine and coffee? In the Word of Wisdom, there is a list of things that Latter-day Saints are told not to consume. Perhaps because there was such speculation in April, the church “doubled down” in August 2019 and declared, emphatically, that the Word of Wisdom remains in full force. However, there is too much evidence to show how the leadership has taught all along how coffee and tea goes against the commandment of God. In the BYU Education Week course titled “Recognizing Our Doctrinal and Cultural Relationship between Faith and Physical Health” on Wednesday, Aug. 21, on the BYU campus in Provo, Utah, Cordell highlighted three main influencers that connect food and physical health to the gospel for Latter-day Saints. It includes instruction about what foods are good for us and those substances to avoid. “But there are ways that we can use our understanding of the gospel and the doctrines and the culture and the environment (of the Church) … to help us have healthier behaviors,” Cordell said. The Word of Wisdom in Mormon Scriptures According to Section 89 of The Doctrine and Covenants , 1 God revealed these guidelines to Joseph Smith on February 27, 1833. Other policy changes have been made just in the past year (2018-19), including: I remember a review of a book Bill McKeever and I wrote in 1994 (Questions to Ask Your Mormon Friends, Bethany House, 1994), now out of print. The review was written by Latter-day Saint Lance Starr who said drinking coffee and tea could lead to esophageal cancer. For example, consider this article that describes “25 Science-Backed Health Benefits of Coffee that you may not know.” If the Word of Wisdom is a “health code,” then how could coffee be shown to be beneficial? Indeed, there will be no going back on coffee, tea, or any other vice. 5:01 PM. Inspired by the words of Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles during last week’s general conference, Elder Paul B. Pieper, General Authority Seventy, spoke during an LDS Business College devotional Oct. 15 about how the gospel can help each person live … Doubling down = A Surprise for Us Looking In On From the Outside. Should Mormons be considered “Christians” because the name Jesus is in their church’s title? The Word of Wisdom is a revelation given to the Prophet Joseph Smith as a response to an inquiry. In fact, for the original April 2019 edition of the article you are reading, I had written the following: It seems to be that if the members don’t like three-hour Sunday services, then the attitude offered by the leadership is apparently accommodation. When people think about the relationship between food and the gospel in the context of the Church, often the first thing they think of is the Word of Wisdom, said Zachary Cordell, a registered dietician nutritionist, during a presentation at BYU Education Week. The gospel, in its doctrine, culture and environment — wherever that may be — can be used to help each individual better understand their bodies, their health, and how to keep growing and improving. On February 27, 1833, the Lord revealed which foods should we eat and which substances … I have yet to meet a Mormon that follows this and I’ve never met a single Mormon leader that cared. And just so we’re on the same page, here is that short “Official Church Statement” in its entirety: The church again restated that no tea, green or black, conforms to the rules. The only difference is that the leaves in black tea are fermented and in green tea they’re not. (Check out this article for evidence.) They’re both tea and against the Word of Wisdom. (For more on this and to see the teachings of LDS leaders on the Word of Wisdom, click here.). 44. This statement is true, as vaping could be just as dangerous and addictive as tobacco. ... 2019 … Is it possible that because so many Mormons are tempted by hot drinks that the church will consider making this change in the near future? Latter-day Saints, with the Word of Wisdom as a foundation and mindful of both the scriptures and the counsel of a living prophet, are encouraged to personalize their health regimen and-just like anyone else who chooses to live a healthy lifestyle-quickly realize that there are many paths and options. After describing how “wine,” “strong drink,” and “tobacco” were not good, verse 9 adds that “hot drinks are not for the body or belly.” The church interprets this verse this way on its website: Doctrine and Covenants 89:9 says we shouldn’t drink “hot drinks.” The only official interpretation of this term is the statement made by early Church leaders that it means tea and coffee. The way that D&C 89 has been generally interpreted  seems to be subjective eisegesis, or interpretation based more on one’s personal presuppositions than the context of a passage. “We believe that nothing is beyond God’s power and that we can do all things through Christ,” Cordell said. Who really knows what the leadership’s new edict or change will be in the future? But more than anything, the Word of Wisdom creates a “false humility” in the individual Latter-day Saints who somehow think they are doing God a favor through their obedience to a church’s dietary standard. Notice the phrase  “by revelation.” It’s a word that means different things to leaders today, but this was supposed to be God revealing His mind to Joseph Smith (and, ultimately, the Latter-day Saints). For another look at this issue, go to “Why are Mormons not allowed to drink coffee?”. It provides a way to overcome those barriers, he said. 1. Doctrine and Covenants / Pearl of Great Price, Mormon Objections to Christian Evangelism, Teachings of the Presidents of the Church, Is there anything wrong with drinking sodas with caffeine in them? I like how the NIV translates verse 23: “Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom . The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints canonized the Word of Wisdom, essentially going all in on it. Notice the phrase  “by revelation.” It’s a word that means different things to leaders today, but this was supposed to be God revealing His mind to Joseph Smith (and, ultimately, the Latter-day Saints). Can you imagine how embarrassing it would be for the young person visiting a coffee shop ask the barista, “Does ______ have coffee in it?”? SALT LAKE CITY — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released a statement on the Word of Wisdom.. 17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. Additionally, an understanding that Christ’s Atonement is about more than just overcoming sin can help a person develop more self-love, self-gratitude, and more respect for their body and health. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or Mormon church, recently updated its guidelines on iced coffee and tea, as well as e-cigarettes. And what are the dangers of living an unintentional one instead? That welds it to our culture and traditions. 311 posts Page 7 of 11. but should it REPLACE the smoking, then you would no longer be in line with the word of wisdom. For all the evolving personalized ways people interact with this purported revelation, probably just so they can hold their heads up in temple recommend interviews, I think tradition means a lot. However, there are many other substances which have a harmful effect on the human body, though such particular things are not specifically prohibited by the Word of Wisdom. … You’re going to continue to mess up. 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