🍻 Word of Wisdom

Estimated time to read: 30 minutes

The Word of Wisdom is an odd bit of Mormon culture, doctrine, and lore. It's among the more visible demarcations of who is a practicing member of the LDS church, which is both an advantage and disadvantage— in my days of practicing Mormonism, the vitriolic repulsion by coffee was something to start conversations, which are a missionary opportunity to evangelize. The social dynamics of such a conversation never really panned out the way we had been hyped for on Sundays, at least in my own experience.

Imagine this: a peer or coworker expresses strong distaste for any food item that qualifies as a sandwich, and expects you to rationalize why you would willingly, knowingly eat such a garbage consumable. When you ask why he or she reacts so strongly to something so mundane, they might reply that they know the truth™️ as revealed by their religious leaders 200 years prior. Knowing that, would you like to join?

And you begin to understand why Mormons insisting that coffee is evil just looks fucking weird to the rest of the world. Not in a quirky or "peculiar" way, mind you. Any further interaction with this hypothetical peer concerning their belief will be sullied by your recollection of their acrimonious response to a prosaic, otherwise uninteresting food item. No, you're not interested in joining—that venomous response to a goddamned sandwich is well outside the parameters of personal preference. It's weird.

 

Overview

The Lord revealed in the Word of Wisdom that the following substances are harmful:

• Alcoholic drinks
• Tobacco
• Tea and coffee

The Lord promises increased health, wisdom, knowledge, and protection to those who obey the Word of Wisdom.

Since its introduction, prophets have taught about the importance of following the Word of Wisdom. In addition, they have taught Church members to avoid substances that impair judgment or are harmful or highly addictive, whether legal or illegal. For example, vaping, the misuse of prescription drugs, and the recreational use of marijuana violate Church teachings. Prophets have taught that we should also follow healthy practices such as nutritious eating, regular exercise, proper hygiene, and getting sufficient rest.

— Word of Wisdom, Topics & Questions

 

For transparency, this source does also describe that "the Lord declared that the following foods are good," and lists fruits, vegetables, grains, and meat (sparingly.) See, it's not all that restrictive!

We've got some common sense advice here—I don't know of anyone who would insist that a diet consisting primarily of vegetables and grain as being a bad idea. ... Honestly, though, as I think about it... I don't know that we needed God to reveal that to us through a prophet. Growing up in this church, I don't think I recall hearing clear, prophetic guidance on "regular exercise, proper hygiene, and getting sufficient rest." Which session of General Conference was that in? ... Did we need a General Conference session to tell us that?

This revelation is given well before the Industrial Revolution extended to intensive animal farming. In 1833, what choice did people have, outside of fruits, vegetables, grains, and sometimes meat? What other option was there, eating sand or tree bark?

"Regular exercise, proper hygiene, and sufficient rest? Wow, thanks God! All these years I'd been chain-smoking while sitting on my ass with three hours of sleep a night, but now that I've heard this godly wisdom, I see the error of my ways." — A made up response to being told that mundane advice is of divine origin

 

Beverages

Alcohol

Wine

5 That inasmuch as any man drinketh wine or strong drink among you, behold it is not good, neither meet in the sight of your Father, only in assembling yourselves together to offer up your sacraments before him.

6 And, behold, this should be wine, yea, pure wine of the grape of the vine, of your own make.

— D&C 89:5-6

I mean, by Middle-Earth logic, does this mean that wine and strong drinks are suitable for women? 🤷‍♀️

 

To be fair, this seems to be saying that homemade wine is acceptable only in the context of sacrament services. It isn't what I had been raised to believe, that alcohol should never be ingested by any human under any circumstance.

 

Despite the injunction contained in the revelation discouraging the drinking of wine, (except for sacramental purposes) the casual nature of the allusions to this beverage suggest that many Church Authorities did not consider moderate wine drinking in the same category as the use of strong drinks.

— An Historical Analysis of the Word of Wisdom, Paul H Peterson, BYU Provo 1972

So... What changed? Was God's decisive word not clear or authoritative? Did we get another D&C section as an addendum?

 

Beer

Nevertheless, wheat for man, and corn for the ox, and oats for the horse, and rye for the fowls and for swine, and for all beasts of the field, and barley for all useful animals, and for mild drinks, as also other grain.

— D&C 89:17

Sure sounds to me like alcohol isn't the deciding factor here. Beer is a mild drink made from barley, and also some alcohol.

The same verse that describes beer as being fine and okay seems to use the same intensity of advice for what grain to feed which animal. Is that part of the Word of Wisdom? Imagine being denied access to the temple because you gave corn to your horse.

 

I guess the divine wisdom from these few verses is that "alcohol is bad for you." Alright, I suppose— I imagine that folks who've had to confront debilitating addiction in their family, or who have been affected by intoxicated motorists would agree that alcohol is bad. I think we can live with that. My own experience is that every alcoholic drink I've tried has been nasty. I don't know how people stand it.

 

It's fine, actually

Consider also that drinking water in Joseph Smith's day (or during Biblical times) was a gamble because water purity was always questionable; a little alcohol in a beverage ensured that it was free of viruses and bacteria. The development of germ theory in the late 19th century lead to chemical treatments to ensure a safe supply of public drinking water. A strict ban of all alcohol in Joseph Smith's time would have been a death sentence for many Latter-day Saints—especially during the 1832–1833 cholera pandemic, which spread its disease by water.

— "Strong drink" was initially interpreted as hard liquor, and did not include beer or lightly fermented wine, FAIR

Alright, you know what... that's a valid point. Might even call it... a fair point. FAIR also mentions germ theory emerging "in the late 19th century." This revelation was given in what I would call the "early 19th century." Is this a clear sign of Joseph Smith's divination abilities?

You know what would have been a golden opportunity to show the world that the prophet is divinely inspired?

ᙖOIᒪIᑎᘜ YOᙀᖇ ᖴᙀᙅKᙓᑎ ᙎᗩTᙓᖇ

 

Hot Drinks

And again ‘hot drinks are not for the body, or belly;’ there are many who wonder what this can mean; whether it refers to tea, or coffee, or not. I say it does refer to tea, and coffee. Why is it that we are frequently so dull and languid? it is because we break the word of wisdom, disease preys upon our system, our understandings are darkened, and we do not comprehend the things of God; the devil takes advantage of us, and we fall into temptation.

— Hyrum Smith (probably), Times and Seasons, 1 June 1842, p.800-801

To distinguish between "body & belly" probably does not mean that one's belly is not part of their body. That would be absurd. So what does it mean instead? Is this insinuating that people used to brew up a hot drink and not drink it? Use it to wash themselves off instead of ingesting it? I'm not sure that is any less absurd. What is this divine inspiration telling me? "Hot drinks are not for the body, or belly..." Oh, so I'm not supposed pour a kettle of tea all over my abdomen? Thanks, God— you really are watching out for our best interests!

 

If we can call that publication authoritative, then there we go; as early as 1842, we've got a clear delineation that yes, "it does refer to tea, and coffee." Followed up by "why are you all being such dumbasses? You're all probably getting sick because you're heating up your water and removing the microbes. Pshaw, amateurs— God put those parasites in the water for a reason, who are you to overrule His wisdom and use hot water for tea?"

I really do wonder why would God feel so strongly about water that's above room temperature. Doesn't that sanitize it? Wouldn't that be conducive to health? Wouldn't tea be safer to drink than creek water, with all the bacteria from bear poop?

 

ETERNITY IS RUINED

Though she knew it was contrary to the Word of Wisdom, she developed the habit of drinking coffee and kept a coffee pot on the back of her stove. She claimed that “the Lord will not keep me out of heaven for a little cup of coffee.” But, because of that little cup of coffee, she could not qualify for a temple recommend, and neither could those of her children who drank coffee with her. Though she lived to a good old age and did eventually qualify to reenter and serve in the temple, only one of her 10 children had a worthy temple marriage, and a great number of her posterity, which is now in its fifth generation, live outside of the blessings of the restored gospel she believed in and her forefathers sacrificed so much for.

— Remembering, Repenting, and Changing, Julie B. Beck, First Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency, General Conference 2007 April

The text transcript doesn't do it justice. The video clip shows such emotional turmoil over what the rest of the world would call mundane and pedestrian.

"We're all about family, bonding together over wholesome recreational activities! ... What's that? You roasted & ground up some beans and soaked them in boiled water, and enjoyed it with your kids? WHY ARE YOU FORFEITING YOUR SALVATION THINK OF YOUR DESCENDANTS FIVE GENERATIONS FROM NOW"

 

Diet

Meat

To me, in 2025, this sounds more like an ethical decision. I've had some phases of vegetarianism, at times extending into veganism. I don't believe there is a good rationalization for mankind to be exploiting animals for food at the scale that we are. If we as humans see ourselves as God's chosen dominant species on the planet, then yes, I could agree that only consuming animals in famine or winter is what I would call "wise."

... But, once more, I'd ask if we needed God to tell us this. I have never personally killed an animal to use for food— my suburban upbringing sheltered me from that experience. Do we need divine intervention to tell us that seeing the light extinguish from a creature's eyes, ending its consciousness, is unwise? Why are Mormons so comfortable today with meat in every meal at any time of year? Canon scripture is much more explicit about meat than it is cannabis.

If you're in a position to be interviewed for temple worthiness, consider answering the question of following the Word of Wisdom by confessing how much meat you consume, assuming your consumption isn't what you'd call "sparingly." I'm not suggesting this to shame you, but to gauge how your Bishop reacts. Would it jeopardize your temple recommend? If not, why is that part of the Word of Wisdom? It's worded much more explicitly than "hot drinks," which Mormonism has very strong feelings about, even when the source text is so vague and indirect.

 

Smoking

Growing up, I had always been told that the revelation of "tobacco bad" is a prime example of divine inspiration. The rest of humanity thought smoking was rad as hell, even doctors prescribed it sometimes!

My loose understanding is that Frontier America did think smoking was beneficial, and used to believe this well into the 1950's or so. Moreover, my understanding is that this perception is heavily influenced by cigarette manufacturers getting into legal shenanigans and very aggressive marketing.

I guess we could call this a win for Joseph Smith? I can't help but wonder if in the School of the Prophets did the cloud of tobacco smoke that obscured everyone's sight just... feel natural to everyone? No one saw any ill effects?

 

What could have been

Imagine, though, a parallel universe where the Word of Wisdom is not explicitly forbidding things, but giving it the same advice as meat—that is, to be used sparingly. My naïve outlook is that alcohol isn't objectively bad, but it can be a real detriment to one's judgment, and can lead to a substance dependency. A "use sparingly" approach to alcohol would lead to remarkably lower risk. Take the edge off of a stressful week with some Mary Jane. Not every day, of course—but to be used sparingly. If you rely so heavily on coffee in order to function as a human before 10 AM, you shouldn't need God to tell you to consider cutting back.

What if God had instead advised Joseph Smith that refined sugar is addictive and can do some real harm to your body? Smith might think "that's bonkers, I don't think we have such a thing in year of our Lord 1833. Since God sees a bigger picture than I do, I ought to write it down anyway, and maybe folks will benefit from that advice 127 years from now."

 

Maybe in this parallel universe, I would still be writing critical notes of the church and its claims to divinity being too soft or lenient. Hard to say— I am not omniscient, and I am limited to one (1) conscious existence.

 

Sanitation

The Lord's Law of Health ostensibly outlines more than dietary recommendations.

 

If we're going to frame the Word of Wisdom as divine inspiration for general health, prolonging life & longevity... Can you imagine if God had revealed germ theory decades before Louis Pasteur or Robert Koch researched it?

Imagine if God had revealed how to sanitize and purify water, rather than calling contemporary health advice divinely appointed. Imagine what impact that would have had on other pioneers and frontiersmen! Trail guides wouldn't return to the Missouri River talking about those religious recluses out west, they'd come back and say "they've got no cholera or malaria! Get this, their prophet of God said that if you boil the water first, it doesn't make you sick! And they're right!" Mormonism would have a reputation for scientific progress and divine inspiration, rather than being "those weirdo polygamists."

 

If God really intended to give the Saints a code of health—one that would prevent death and disease—God would have advised on the necessity and methodology of sanitizing water, advising on hygiene, and quarantining sick persons. God could have dispelled the theory of miasma, but did not. Instead, pioneers experienced cholera, smallpox, typhoid fever (1, 2), influenza & pneumonia, scarlet fever, malaria, tuberculosis, and scurvy, all happening well after 1833. And it could have all been prevented if God's law of health had more meaningful information than "you should eat meat sometimes, but grain the rest of the time."

But, no, hot drinks are the problem. "Actually," says God, "don't boil your water. Instead, I'll disallow 'strong drinks,' and not clarify any specifics ever again."

Gee, thanks. Truly divine inspiration.

The purpose of this law doesn't seem to be preventing disease or prolonging life, or else it would have more guidance on preventing disease or prolonging life. It must be something else, then.

 

Reactionary

Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, February 27, 1833. As a consequence of the early brethren using tobacco in their meetings, the Prophet was led to ponder upon the matter; consequently, he inquired of the Lord concerning it. This revelation, known as the Word of Wisdom, was the result.

— D&C 89 Section Heading

Not only is this describing that the revelation is reactive to what mortal, imperfect men are doing, it's reacting to their use of tobacco. So why, then, has it extended into the temperature of drinks? How did it extend to include seasonality of vegetation, and which grains to feed your farm animals?

 

Like many other revelations in the early Church, Doctrine and Covenants 89, also known today as the Word of Wisdom, came in response to a problem. ...

Every morning after breakfast, the men met ... to hear instruction from Joseph Smith. The room was very small, and about 25 elders packed the space. The first thing they did, after sitting down, was “light a pipe and begin to talk about the great things of the kingdom and puff away,” Brigham Young recounted. The clouds of smoke were so thick the men could hardly even see Joseph through the haze. Once the pipes were smoked out, they would then “put in a chew on one side and perhaps on both sides and then it was all over the floor.” In this dingy setting, Joseph Smith attempted to teach the men how they and their converts could become holy, “without spot,” and worthy of the presence of God.

— The Word of Wisdom, Jed Woodworth, Revelations in Context, Church History

 

I'm not sure what to make of the description that this revelation was given "in response to a problem." I think I can safely conclude that it means God didn't reveal this information because He loves us, or is looking out for our best interests. It also certainly appears that God didn't take initiative and tell Joseph "hey, buddy boy—listen up, I've got something important to tell you, and you've got to spread the word. This is going to impact peoples' salvation, so they need to know before their mortal bodies pass away. Ready? 𝔦 𝔣𝔲𝔠𝔨𝔢𝔫 𝔥𝔞𝔱𝔢 𝔠𝔬𝔣𝔣𝔢𝔢. it sucks. If anyone shows up with coffee-breath, they go straight to the Telestial Kingdom, no questions asked. You, in the role of prophet, must now tell the world."

Instead, it seems that God does not feels like something is important until it becomes a personal or domestic matter of concern for the acting president of the church.

 

Commandment

1 A Word of Wisdom, for the benefit of the council of high priests, assembled in Kirtland, and the church, and also the saints in Zion—

2 To be sent greeting; not by commandment or constraint, but by revelation and the word of wisdom, showing forth the order and will of God in the temporal salvation of all saints in the last days

— D&C 89:1-2

So... Somehow, we've interpreted a scriptural verse in the standard works, explicitly saying "this is neither a commandment nor a constraint" to mean "this is a commandment you must follow in order to participate in saving ordinances like baptism or temple attendance."

 

The reason undoubtedly why the Word of Wisdom was given as not by "commandment or restraint" was that at that time, at least, if it had been given as a commandment it would have brought every man, addicted to the use of these noxious things, under condemnation; so the Lord was merciful and gave them a chance to overcome, before He brought them under the law. Later on, it was announced from this stand, by President Brigham Young, that the Word of Wisdom was a revelation and a command of the Lord.

— General Conference, 1913 October, President Joseph F. Smith (remember the F)

So was the revelation not a revelation before Brigham called it a revelation? Can we get a citation for when Brigham made this into doctrine? Or why, nearly 200 years later, the canon source document still says "this isn't a commandment" after we've been told that it is?

You can follow that link and see the preceding address given by President Anthon H Lund, who says, in so many words, "yeah, it says it isn't a commandment, but that explicit wording doesn't mean it's optional!" It appears that President Smith wanted to interject, and so he delivers the above quote to expound on what Lund had said.

 

Promised blessings

18 And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones;

19 And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;

20 And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.

21 And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen.

— D&C 89:18-21

19th century revelations pertaining to health sure seemed a lot more bold than "take your vitamins!" Who said anything about a destroying angel? Where do we draw the line— if I eat a ribeye steak more than twice a month, I'm going to have a destroying angel slay me? Why was the destroying angel involved in the first place? If I order a matcha latte from Starbucks, I'll get murdered? Who else but God would command, influence, or direct this destroying angel? What the hell, God?

This Word of Wisdom, presented as "here's some friendly advice for a fulfilling life" takes a really sharp turn at the end: "do what I say and I won't kill you~ 🥰"

 

Running

D&C 80:20 warrants some scrutiny. Of the four listed blessings associated with adhering to the Word of Wisdom, being promised that we "shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint" seems the easiest to quantify. Should I then expect to see triathlon participants disproportionately consist of Mormons? Based on what I'm reading, if we avoid tea and become vegetarian, we should be ready for a marathon, right? Or a 5k run at minimum... right?

I remember when I was in my early-to-mid-twenties, I got into running as an exercise & hobby. This being well before I ever tried coffee, I remember slowly building up the stamina to run five kilometers, taking a breather two or three times throughout. I also remember when I would struggle to keep pushing forward, I would assure myself how much worse this experience would be if I hadn't been following the Word of Wisdom. It made me wonder "how would anyone get into this hobby if they had coffee every day? They'd never break one mile! If I'm feeling this weary while following God's guidance, imagine how awful this would be for the rest of the world!" Turns out, I was misinformed, out of shape, and the only real risk of drinking coffee before a run is that it sure does get your digestive tract moving. If the nearest bathroom & supply of TP is two miles away, you're in for a bad time.

 

I remember when I was preparing to be trained as a fighter pilot. We spent a great deal of our preliminary military training in physical exercise. [And so] we ran and we ran and we ran some more.

As I was running I began to notice something that, frankly, troubled me. Time and again I was being passed by men who smoked, drank, and did all manner of things that were contrary to the gospel and, in particular, to the Word of Wisdom.

I remember thinking, “Wait a minute! Aren’t I supposed to be able to run and not be weary?” But I was weary, and I was overtaken by people who were definitely not following the Word of Wisdom. I confess, it troubled me at the time. I asked myself, was the promise true or was it not?

— Continue in Patience, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, General Conference 2010 April

Whoa, slow down, there, Uchtdorf— you might cause people to consider that the most obvious blessing of obeying this commandment friendly advice may not actually come to fruition. We do now have some written precedent of the promised blessings not being realized. How does Uchtdorf conclude his experience with cognitive dissonance? ... It's a bit vague.

The answer didn’t come immediately. But eventually I learned that God’s promises are not always fulfilled as quickly as or in the way we might hope; they come according to His timing and in His ways. Years later I could see clear evidence of the temporal blessings that come to those who obey the Word of Wisdom—in addition to the spiritual blessings that come immediately from obedience to any of God’s laws. Looking back, I know for sure that the promises of the Lord, if perhaps not always swift, are always certain.

...

"It all worked out in the end, don't worry about it."

It doesn't get "fulfilled in the way we might hope"? Bro it literally says right there in the scriptures "follow this guidance, receive this blessing." I think my expectation could be described with a word stronger than hope. Uchtdorf saw "clear evidence" "years later", and... just kind of leaves it at that.

 

Interpretation

Maybe it's a commandment... maybe it's some strongly encouraged advice. Maybe it's entirely bullshit.

I'll review and summarize the points presented:

• This is not a commandment
• Three out of four outlined drinks are bad
  • Bad: wine, strong, hot
  • Good: mild; if made from barley, is acceptable
• Eat produce in season
• Meat is only to be used in famine or winter. Grain in all other conditions
• Do this, and you'll be healthy, able to run, and also God won't kill you

 

How does this pan out in practice today?

• This actually is a commandment
• Alcohol is bad in any volume
• When we say "hot drinks" we don't mean temperature, we just mean tea & coffee. Iced decaf isn't permissible.
• Thanks to the industrial revolution and foreign imports, famines are no longer a relevant factor in diet choice— meat is fine all year round
• ... Well, God hasn't killed me yet

 

This advice commandment is a metric for temple-worthiness. If the Lord's Law of Health was really about health, we wouldn't see any obese temple participants. I recognize that numerous factors affect one's BMI—I'm not trying to criticize these individuals nor their life choices, but I am observing that the purported "law of health" doesn't seem to be contributing to temple patrons' health. I would expect to see a statistically significant disparity between rates of, say, Type 2 Diabetes among practicing Mormons and the rest of the world. I should also expect to not see 4XL temple clothing available for purchase. However, the dirty apostate heathens who both drink coffee and run marathons are forbidden from the temple because they don't follow the Lord's Law of Health (which isn't a commandment.)

 

According to God's guidance in the Word of Wisdom, Mormons are advised to avoid coffee.

...

As with all of God's commandments, Latter-day Saints are free to choose. However, to qualify for temple worship or baptism they must refrain from drinking coffee as well as live all other aspects of the Word of Wisdom.

— Can Mormons drink coffee? FAQ, churchofjesuschrist.org

I need you to understand that both of those sentences are in the same answer to the question. "We're advised to avoid coffee, but if you do drink it, you're not allowed to be baptized nor enter the temple—both of which are necessary for your salvation." I don't know that advised is the word I would use for something that determines your candidacy for not burning in hell for eternity.

 

Advising 19th century frontier America that "you should eat foods when they are in season" becomes more ridiculous the more I think about it. What choice did they have in 1840? If a food is out of season, it doesn't grow! If you have some on hand from the previous season, it's likely to have decayed and rotted. Did you really need God to tell you to not eat the moldy four-month-old tomatoes? The technology to preserve food was being used in France by 1809, and I will concede that canning did exist in America as early as 1812. I'm not sure that God factored this into the revelation, though. If canning peaches makes them safe to eat in February, what's the problem? I'm not sure how commonplace it was in Illinois. And, as mentioned before, in today's global economy, we can import food from another hemisphere if it isn't in season where you live. How literally should we take this advice commandment?

 

Temperature of drinks

Each week Web site administrators compile a list of the top 25 questions submitted to the site. They then check the questions against those currently posted. If a question is frequently asked but not included on the page, the question is posed to the Brethren who decide whether the question and its answer should be added to the site.

The following questions are from the top 10 most frequently asked questions from 2004: “How can I obtain more information about the Mormon faith and beliefs?” “What do you believe about heaven, hell, salvation, and eternal life?” “Please explain the Word of Wisdom. What is it that is bad? Is it caffeine or hot drinks? What about decaf, hot chocolate, iced tea, herbal teas, or caffeinated soft drinks?” ...

— Using Mormon.org to Share the Gospel, Liahona 2005 December

I encountered this page while searching for any clarification on "iced tea" specifically, hoping maybe it'd include guidance on, say, cold brew coffee, or an iced decaf mocha. Instead, I got this acknowledgment of those questions, followed by a dead end. I implore you to follow that link and find where they actually answer these questions (and the others posed, but omitted in this quote.) I would expect that they'd have a link to those answers—they specifically said they were available.

Maybe it took them fourteen years to come with a good answer.

 

New Era 2019

In 2019, before the church-published magazines all rebranded or merged into the Liahona, this blurb from the August Ensign offers this teaser:

Find these and other topics in the August issue of the New Era.

Articles answer:

• Is iced coffee okay?
• Vaping?
• What about marijuana where it’s legal?
• Sexually explicit texts?

Get the facts to help you have the conversations youth need.

— Back cover of the August 2019 Ensign (Does not load in the Gospel Library mobile app; can be read in a web browser)

Well, hot dog, that sounds promising. Let's go find the August 2019 New Era!

 

There are a few candidates for which article will have these answers. This one seems to be the closest match. It says absolutely fuck-all about iced coffee.

Look, I know the answer that I'm looking for, I'm just trying to find it in writing. Coffee is bad at any temperature, don't ask why. Somehow, "hot drinks" includes iced drinks. If we've stretched those two words to span the entire range of temperatures that humans can call palatable for beverages, then why not just rule out any liquid that isn't parasite-ridden creek water?

 

Right before this one is another article on the Word of Wisdom. It reveals answers to the question that has plagued generations of teenagers: "what actually is food?"

It's a short read, go on and skim through it for your own edification. It later explains what the Word of Wisdom is not, so temper your expectations. Elder Packer is quoted as saying that it isn't a guarantee that you will be healthy. After those short quotes, the article lists "some ways For the Strength of Youth mentions that you could be blessed[,]" including "a healthier body."

...

Not only are the blessings vague, but we've added a qualifier that they might not even happen. You might get blessed, but there's no guarantee. Better follow the 19th century health advice anyway, just to be on the safe side. Yes, iced drinks are hot drinks. Don't think about it.

 

Culture

The Word of Wisdom is one thing, and ignorance, superstition, or bigotry is another. I wish people to come to an understanding with regard to the Word of Wisdom. For illustration, I will refer to a certain brother who was in the church once, and President of the Elder's Quorum in Nauvoo. While living at that place there was a great deal of sickness among the people, and he was sometimes called in to lay hands on the sick, but if he had the least doubt about their drinking tea, if he even saw a teapot, he would refuse. I recollect he went into a house where a woman was sick, who wanted him to lay hands on her; he saw a teapot in the corner containing catnip tea, but without stopping to enquire he left the house, exclaiming against her and her practices.

...

You may think I am speaking extravagantly, but I remember a tea drinking match once in which fourteen cups apiece were drank, so you see it can be done. But to drink half a dozen or even three or four cups of strong tea is hurtful. It injures and impairs the system, benumbs the faculties of the stomach, and affects the blood, and is deleterious in its nature. If a person is weary, worn out, cast down, fainting, or dying, a brandy sling, a little wine, or a cup of tea is good to revive them. Do not throw these things away, and say they must never be used; they are good to be used with judgment, prudence, and discretion.

— Brigham Young, Word of Wisdom, JoD 12 https://scriptures.byu.edu/#:t1d4c9:j12

That guy sounds like a real douche, ngl

While I haven't found a quote to back up the claim that it was the Lion of the Lord himself, Brigham Young who solidified this teaching into a hard and fast doctrine, I can find a direct quote of him saying "look, don't just throw out all liquids that aren't room-temperature tap water. Maybe get a cuppa once in a while, but know your limits and boundaries." Or, in other words, be wise. That's kind of the whole point of a revelatory word of wisdom.

 

Actually, you know what? After writing all of this... just to spite Elder Oaks, I'm gonna go drive down to the cannabis dispensary. Then we'll see who's high on a mountain top. 😏

 

Reading Material

https://www.letterformywife.com/part-one-the-early-church#viewer-8nn2j52947

Comments