What is this all about? I'm glad you asked!
This is about keeping the Word of Wisdom. This is a code of health that mormons believe Joseph Smith was given by god. It is the 89th section of the Doctrine and Covenants .
So the story goes after one of the men's meetings, Emma Smith was disgusted by all the tobacco all over the floor that they had left for her to clean up and she went to Joseph and complained and he decided to "inquire of the Lord." The result was the Word of Wisdom--which at the time was not commandment, but has since become commandment.
Most mormons are pretty good at the big don'ts--tea, coffee, alcohol, tobacco--but really stink at the smaller ones. the code pretty much suggests that people are meant to be vegetarians; "12Yea, aflesh also of bbeasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used csparingly;
13And it is pleasing unto me that they should not be aused, only in times of winter, or of cold, or bfamine." so . . . eat it, but only if you have to . . . this is largely ignored by the carnivorous population of the church. There are also restrictions on fats, but you wouldn't know it if you attend an LDS pot luck.
The Word of Wisdom does not specify caffeine and there is some debate as to what substance in coffee and tea god really wanted his children to avoid--caffeine? or tanic acid? (at least I heard a lot of this growing up). This is how come some mormons avoid all caffeine and some guzzle the coke and pepsi.
The word of wisdom is said to be a "principle with a promise"--if you follow it you will live a long and healthy life. Well there is truth to that. Clean living does help you live longer and mormons are famed for their clean living.
It is one of those principles that is cherry-picked though. People do the big parts, and skip the smaller.
Got a question? send it my way at askanexmormon@gmail.com
Totally should've used a portion of our chat on this...
ReplyDeleteme: Oh yeah, and the next member that tells me that mormons are superior because of the Word of Wisdom and they don't drink/smoke is gonna get punched.
Molly: facepalms
while they waddle away from you?
me: Yes, I think smoking is vile. That said, substituting those vices for ice cream and jello and heaps of meat and sitting on their asses as we all gain 75lbs...
I seriously almost spat my delicious iced latte all over the keyboard when I reread that!
ReplyDeleteThis is actually something I do some of my academic work about. The interpretations of the Word of Wisdom have changed, drastically, over the years. The best article about it was written by a great historian, Thomas Alexander and published in Dialog. Alexander taught at BYU but was one of the first big names to endorse what became the "New Mormon History" by trained historians who were willing to write about Mormonism and the Mormon experience "warts and all" by being as objective as possible (meaning that the story would not be mere apologetics but would also treat the subject fairly).
ReplyDeleteHere's an archived copy of his article http://www.dialoguejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/sbi/articles/Dialogue_V14N03_80.pdf
When I was googling for the quotes I wanted to use and the links for this one I came across this: http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/transcripts/?id=118
ReplyDeleteinteresting article but not how I learned things. it does specify though that those views are not "official" church view.
The Maxwell Institute used to be FARMS. They just gave it an official-sounding, academic name.
ReplyDeleteThat is interesting. Scary and awful. but interesting.
ReplyDelete