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On my practice of the WoW: – I don’t smoke or “do drugs” because I don’t want to do something that is damaging to my body. I understand why others are willing to do it in spite of the harm to self.
– I don’t drink coffee because I think it smells terrible and because I rarely have 7 bucks in my pocket for which I can’t think of any other use.
– I try to live a (fairly) healthy lifestyle… not a biker or gym rat, but just not twinkies and coke for breakfast. I live my life this way because I like feeling good.
– I drink Coke or Diet Coke and like it, but I am trying to cut back, because I don’t think soda is particularly good for me.
– I don’t drink energy drinks… I don’t want to develop a dependency on something like that for something as simple as energy.
– I don’t drink tea, or alcohol out of respect for my wife.
In none of these am I concerned with either the Church or with God.
On the Golden Rule:
– I know people who don’t eat pork for religious reasons. I don’t expend a second of my life fretting about them. Similarly, I don’t worry about people who don’t smoke, don’t drink alcohol, don’t drink Coke. It’s their faith and my best wishes follow them. In fact, I will defend their choices, just as I hope they will defend mine.
DA, I am curious where you think our disagreements are. My own position is much like OON’s. I don’t eat meat with those who abstain from meat, so to speak, and I have no desire personally to use any of the prohibited substances, and I hate the smell of cigarettes. Other than addiction, I think there is no reasonable excuse to smoke now that we know how damaging it is.
What others do is their business, especially if they don’t see these things as divine command.
Old-Timer wrote:DA, I am curious where you think our disagreements are…My own position is much like OON’s. I don’t eat meat with those who abstain from meat, so to speak, and I have no desire personally to use any of the prohibited substances, and I hate the smell of cigarettes. Other than addiction, I think there is no reasonable excuse to smoke now that we know how damaging it is.I don’t know if it is really a disagreement as much as a case of us talking about completely different things regarding the WoW. It sounds like you are mostly talking about what looks like the original intent of D&C 89 as a dietary code that was essentially a healthy lifestyle suggestion. From that perspective, I think it definitely makes sense for people to be careful about things like tobacco and alcohol because of the potential health risks alone. In fact, this is one reason why there are warning labels and age limits to buy alcohol and tobacco (in the US at least) to this day and even energy drinks have warning labels because of the amount of caffeine they contain.
However, what I disagree with is simply the current interpretation of the WoW as a commandment that is strictly enforced as a temple recommend requirement where Church members that don’t obey these rules are regarded as “unworthy” and unrepentant sinners. I don’t think this interpretation makes very much sense at all because of the way this interpretation was arrived at and the obvious inconsistencies involved such as Jesus and Joseph Smith apparently not feeling like it was that important to avoid wine. That’s one reason why I think it would be better to teach this as a general principle of moderation and paying attention to the possible drawbacks rather than a commandment where strict abstinence is demanded and expected of everyone.
On Own Now wrote:On the Golden Rule:…I know people who don’t eat pork for religious reasons. I don’t expend a second of my life fretting about them. Similarly, I don’t worry about people who don’t smoke, don’t drink alcohol, don’t drink Coke.
It’s their faith and my best wishes follow them. In fact, I will defend their choices, just as I hope they will defend mine.Old-Timer wrote:What others do is their business, especially if they don’t see these things as divine command. Actually I think one of the worst problems with the WoW at this point is that many Church members absolutely do not treat the choices of other Church members or even non-members regarding alcohol and tobacco as their business with a “live and let live” attitude about it but will instead typically judge people that drink or smoke harshly as being supposedly depraved sinners and dirty heathens. This current self-righteous and judgmental aspect of the LDS culture even if only an unintended side-effect of the WoW reminds me of the Pharisees more than anything Jesus ever taught according to the Bible (Matthew 15:7-14; Luke 18:9-14).
Katzpur wrote:You know, I think it would be really nice if the question asked in the temple recommend interview (if there has to be one at all) was just, “Do you take good care of the body God has given you?” There are a few people in my ward that I would imagine would be very uncomfortable answering this question with a “yes” for no other reason than that they are morbidly obese. For a few of them, being denied a temple recommend might even be the impetus they need to go on a lifestyle-changing diet. Note: I’m not advocating that anyone be denied a temple recommend for being overweight. All I’m saying is that if the Word of WIsdom is supposed to be dietary word of “wisdom” (i.e. advise, counsel, direction) — as I believe it is — then the spirit of the law ought to be more important than the letter of the law.
I typically have a glass or two of wine twice a year — at Thanksgiving and Christmas — when we have dinner with my sister and brother-in-law who are both ex-Mos who drink. Man, I look forward to that wine! There are times when I am tempted to have a glass at a fine restaurant on vacation, but I always talk myself out of it. Once I start making exceptions to my own twice-a-year rule, I can well imagine that it wouldn’t take much for me to become a regular drinker. And every time I go in for a temple recommend, I work myself into a huge basket case because I’m determined not to admit to my vice. I tell the bishop I’m living the Word of Wisdom, despite my two annual lapses, and end up leaving the interview feeling almost embarrassed for even feeling guilty. I know deep down that I
amtaking care of my body and I sincerely believe that the amount of alcohol I drink is far less of a concern to God than the kinds and amounts of food some letter-of-the-law Mormons eat. I was told by a very good doctor to drink a glass of dark wine every day–that it would be very healthy for my specific heart concern. It is hilarious to see the discussions this has brought up with TBM folks….LOL!!!!
I personally like the WoW. But, I believe the principle the JS taught, Quote:I teach them (the church) correct principles and they govern themselves.
For me, alcohol & tobacco are a complete abstinence. I don’t see the problem with tea & coffee.
For someone else, it could be different.
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