The Word of Wisdom and common sense!

[estradling75]

The law of the WoW is what we have now at hand, and it could stand forever, or it could change at some point. Christ himself lived by a different health law than we do now.

Indeed. Personally I think we are going to head more and more toward the 'teach correct principle and govern ourselves' idea. But as verse 3 points out people are weak. Sometimes no is just a more effective answer.

[applepansy]

Same with prescription drugs, a person who has a prescription of oxycodone can enter the temple tweeked out of their mind, but the dude who drank a glass of iced tea at lunch is evil.

Key word "prescription"... and not all patients who take oxycodone are "tweaked out of their mind." I find your words very prejudicial against chronic pain patients.

This is one of my soap boxes: Its attitudes like this which make it very hard for people in constant and excrutiating pain to get the relief that is available. Try living with chronic pain or with a loved one who suffers, then you can judge.

[Family_Man]

The early members of the chruch in this era lived the law of consecration, and that law is no longer in effect. And I can't imagine it going into effect now, even though it is a higher law.

Have you been through the Temple?

[Backroads]

I think we've discussed situations on this board where bishops were frustrating. One bishop might give a sin a little more than a slap on the wrist while another bishop took a way a temple recommend for an entire year for the exact same sin.

[swampgeek]

Not on the whole drugs line, but I remember the first time I ever went to the temple (Atlanta) and I was in the cafeteria and saw these herbal teas. I was like what the heck is going on here. Tea, no tea. Tea is tea, right? Apparently not as there is a difference between herbal tea and tea leaves commonly used for regular ole tea and there are clarifying articles about this fact ( LDS.org, gospel topics, Word of Wisdom) . Yada yada yada....Being from the south (deep south) I would say that if they would lift the ban on sweet iced tea that the conversion rate would jump a hundred fold ( I am kidding before I am pummeled ).

The section on the LDS.org site about the Word of Wisdom also goes into more detail about illicit drugs and the abuse of ANY substance. You can eat too many blue berries folks (not on the site), but anything can be over done.

As for colas, from the first days of my time in the LDS faith I have heard this argument over and over. There are plenty of issues, but again, moderation is the key. The SPIRIT of the law is way more important than the LETTER of the law. Lest we all follow down the path of the pharisees. From holyfetch.com: There is a true story in which David O McKay asks to drink a Coke. The following is an excerpt from "David O McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism" (Pg. 23):

During intermission at a theatrical presentation, his host offered to get refreshments: "His hearing wasn't very good, and I got right down in front of him and I said, 'President McKay, what would you like to drink? All of our cups say Coca Cola on them because of our arrangement with Coca Cola Bottling, but we have root beer and we have orange and we have Seven-Up. What would you like to drink?' And he said, 'I don't care what it says on the cup, as long as there is a Coke in the cup.'" McKay's point was simple and refreshing: Don't get hung up on the letter of the law to the point where you squeeze all of the spirit out of life.

[Dravin]

The early members of the chruch in this era lived the law of consecration, and that law is no longer in effect. And I can't imagine it going into effect now, even though it is a higher law.

Actually the Law of Consecration is still in effect (particularly for those who have been through the temple), the United Order however is not. Think of it this way, the Law of Sacrifice is still in effect but we no longer perform animal sacrifices.

Edited April 1, 2011 by Dravin

[Maureen]

...The following is an excerpt from "David O McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism" (Pg. 23):

During intermission at a theatrical presentation, his host offered to get refreshments: "His hearing wasn't very good, and I got right down in front of him and I said, 'President McKay, what would you like to drink? All of our cups say Coca Cola on them because of our arrangement with Coca Cola Bottling, but we have root beer and we have orange and we have Seven-Up. What would you like to drink?' And he said, 'I don't care what it says on the cup, as long as there is a Coke in the cup.'" McKay's point was simple and refreshing: Don't get hung up on the letter of the law to the point where you squeeze all of the spirit out of life.

The telegraph machines back in the 1970's weren't working very well, because the Canadian Mormons didn't get this message. The group of Mormons I hung out with, all frowned upon the consumption of Coke, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, etc. :)

M.

Edited April 1, 2011 by Maureen

[Dravin]

The telegraph machines back in the 1970's weren't working very well, because the Canadian Mormons didn't get this message. The group of Mormon's I hung out with, all frowned upon the consumption of Coke, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, etc. :)

M.

That's because of people trying to apply the principles from the WoW. Now I disagree with the premise that we can conclude the reason that tea and coffee are prohibited is because of the caffeine content, but if we do then forbidding yourself a Coke makes sense. That's what I was getting at with my earlier comment about how the Pepsi is evil crowd is an example of people reading the Word of Wisdom and then using their own reasoning to extend the principles and not just live the strict don'ts.

In other words the very thing you were at one point lamenting doesn't happen.

Edited April 1, 2011 by Dravin

[estradling75]

The telegraph machines back in the 1970's weren't working very well, because the Canadian Mormons didn't get this message. The group of Mormons I hung out with, all frowned upon the consumption of Coke, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, etc. :)

M.

An many still do... Many have taken the idea of being healthy and avoiding addictive drugs and point a finger at caffeine. While not in the letter of the Law of the Word of Wisdom a case can be made for it being within the spirit of it.

[applepansy]

[quote name=RescueMom;579806

The early members of the chruch in this era lived the law of consecration' date=' and that law is no longer in effect. And I can't imagine it going into effect now, even though it is a higher law.

So that there is no confusion over the Law of Consecration here's the link to the Gospel Doctrine Lesson #14 on the Law of Consecration.

Doctrine and Covenants and Church History Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual Lesson 14: The Law of Consecration