Why hold the line on this?

Who knows? It’s vestigial from when it was culturally against the WoW even if it was never explicitly forbidden. I get the argument about avoiding habit-forming substances – loss of agency and all that if you get addicted – even if I disagree. But some clearly take it way too far.

This article from 2012 discusses this at BYU too, about halfway down:

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/1848098

Part of the confusion stems from LDS church-owned Brigham Young University, which neither sells nor serves caffeinated drinks. But BYU spokeswoman Carri Jenkins explains that is “not a university or church decision, but made by dining services, based on what our customers want.”

There has not “been a demand for it,” Jenkins said Thursday. “We are constantly evaluating what those needs and desires are.”

Indeed, fully caffeinated colas are available in the church’s Joseph Smith Memorial Building, and in the Lion House Pantry, next to the faith’s headquarters in downtown Salt Lake City.

So in 5 years since that article there “still isn’t a demand for it?” Do a student survey and see. That line is complete BS. They are holding out for another reason – someone with decision making capacity still sees caffeine as against the spirit of the WoW and doesn’t want students making that decision for themselves.

To be fair, if there are plenty of businesses making good profit off of them near campus, there really isn’t an actual **demand** for them on campus. 😆 😈

If I owned a business that sold them near campus, I would be praying hard that the policy not change – and, honestly, I personally would rather have the money go to a small business owner than to BYU. It’s a stupid policy, in and of itself (and, to make a statement, I would like to see it change), but, on a practical, business level, I actually don’t mind.

There are certain things in LDS culture that are outgrowths of “good ideas”

Abstaining from coffee is good. Abstaining from caffeine is better.

Abstaining from gambling is good. Abstaining from face cards is better.

Covering cleavage is good. Covering shoulders is better.

Over time people that follow the more restrictive model can be seen as more valiant and those that do not can be seen as less. I remember over 10 years ago being told about a branch president’s wife that brought a 2 liter bottle of coke to a branch pot-luck. I explained to the sharer that coke is actually not against the WoW. They responded that “yes, technically, but shouldn’t the wife of a church leader be a better example of the higher law?”

(As an aside, there does seem to be an expectation in the church that we are practicing some form of preparatory gospel in order to ease into a more celestial form later on. Those individuals that only do what is required may be seen as half-milers that will not be prepared for the millennium.)

They are holding out for another reason – someone with decision making capacity still sees caffeine as against the spirit of the WoW and doesn’t want students making that decision for themselves.

I think the other part of this is that our young single adults are viewed as something less than full adults. Therefore, they may need tighter and more numerous guardrails to help prevent them from making mistakes.

My good mother is a saint and means well, but she can be a little too extreme for me. An ordinary discussion eventually turns into a Gospel Doctrine class so I avoid it sometimes. I recently brought a sugar-free Monster energy drink to a dinner at my parennt’s home. I was lectured and practically raked over the coals for consuming such an abomination. I’m fit, eat healthy, 8% bodyfat, workout and pretty much avoid junk food. I brought up the fact that there’s many obese, unhealthy members of the church who are feeding their faces full of junk, sugar, fast food, but I get dinged for drinking an occassional energy drink. Holy crap! The point is this: there’s so many more harmful things a person can put in thier bodies than caffeine.

My question is, why are maple-bacon donuts still being served at the Cougar Eat? God really needs to update his Word of Wisdom. We’ve got a real health crisis in the Church.

Mmm… those are so good… and so evil. They’re the real forbidden fruit.

My theory is this, take it for what it’s worth. When I was at BYU We had a Rodin sculpture exhibit and the members of the church protested “the kiss” as being too explicit for adult college students to see. Politically BYU receives a lot of money from some pretty staunch LDS people who have a lot of influence at the school. I’d wager that if you follow the donors there’s at least a couple of old timers whose large funds would be at risk if they started allowing caffeinated drinks. Usually stuff this weird is financially or politically motivated.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Usually stuff this weird is financially or politically motivated.

I agree. And often it is the principle of the matter to some…even if the thing itself is silly or weird.

Is it really integrity to hold the line on something that is meaningless?