Tea and Coffee

[Tough Grits]

Originally Posted by NateHowe

Scientific evidence is wonderful, but it is not the real reason we should obey the Word of Wisdom. If the Lord had intended to forbid caffeine, He would have revealed that explicitly. The revelation says "hot drinks," which in the time of Joseph Smith were coffee and tea. It could be that caffeine is one reason they are forbidden. Tannic acid is another possible component.

That said, I do not drink caffeine because I think it's bad for me, and it gives me headaches. And I do not drink coffee or tea because it is a revelation from the Lord. I do not need another reason or a scientific extrapolation as to why those substances are harmful. I know the Lord commanded me not to take them in.

I commend you, and I agree with you.

If caffeine were the main or sole culprit, then the Word of Wisdom would also direct us to not drink caffeinated sodas or consume any chocolate, or any other various items that contain caffeine.

Or, it would simply state "no caffeine in any of its forms or amounts".

It does not.

I do not buy caffeinated sodas for home consumption. But, when I am eating out I will order a coke if that is my mood.

I will say this though, if the leaders DID come out and say no more caffeinated sodas and no more chocolate, I know that I would be able to comply.

Now, I might struggle if they said no more pizza, crab-legs, and/or watermelon!!!!

By the way, I have heard that carbonated sodas (regardless of the presence of caffeine or not) is bad for your bones.

I have also heard that the darker the color of the soda or drink, the harder the body has to work to purify itself.

Fruit juice (like orange juice) is high in carbohydrates.

Milk (unless it is 2% or skim) is high in fat.

Basically, water is the way to go. That is, if it comes from a pure source and does not have pollutants in it.

Just thought I would throw those tidbits in for thought...I do not have medical or documented proof of the things that I have heard. They are what they are...just things I heard.

[SeattleTruthSeeker]

Then one can't take Theraflu, or any form of hot drink. That includes hot chocolate or even warm milk. If one were to stay true to the WoW, it mentions hot drinks and does not mention what kinds of hot drinks.

[Tough Grits]

Very true.

I don't drink hot drinks. I don't drink TheraFlu (tried it once, but that stuff tastes NASTY...YUCK!!!!!), and I don't drink hot chocolate any more either.

Mostly because I end up burning my tongue. Seriously, I burn all the taste buds on my tongue whenever I drink hot chocolate, then I can't taste anything for nearly a week!!!

So, I just gave up.

[xXTekXx]

As a missionary, we taught that one of the main reasons for obeying the Word of Wisdom was to be more receptive to spiritual truths.

[PapilioMemnon]

There's a difference between "warm" & "hot' drinks. I personally don't like "hot' drinks, and have always waited for the milk to cool down (Warm, but not hot) before I drink it. I avoid chocolate milk; the combination is not good (Not the taste).

D&C mentions "hot drinks,' and those have been identified & determined by the Prophet to be particularly tea & coffee.

[bytor2112]

Kona...... I think it also has to do with addiction as well. Lots of people depend on coffee to make it through the day. They smoke because they can't stop. Alcohol destroys lives.

I realize that not everyone abuses these substances. I think Heavenly Father must look at it like, if its not good for everyone , then it can't be good for anyone.

We should depend on him and only him. Also, we are supposed to control the physical and seek the spiritual. If you become a member of the church, there will come a time when you have progressed spiritually, that you will not desire these things and you will understand, by the Holy Spirit, the wisdom of the "word of wisdom".

[skalenfehl]

Originally Posted by SeattleTruthSeeker

Then one can't take Theraflu, or any form of hot drink. That includes hot chocolate or even warm milk. If one were to stay true to the WoW, it mentions hot drinks and does not mention what kinds of hot drinks.

In Joseph Smith's time "hot drinks" meant specifically Coffee and Tea. They didn't have Theraflu back then. In the Bible there are so many terms relevant to the day that we can't comprehend without understanding the places and culture. We need to understand the laws and principles in terms that they were written. The book of Revelation talks about many things that really don't exist but are clear when you understand the context in which they were written.

[NateHowe]

When the Church sustained the action to require compliance with the prohibitions in the Word of Wisdom to receive a Temple recommend, the commandment on hot drinks was reiterated as applying to coffee and tea. Another source on that definition:

Joseph Smith "defined 'hot drinks' as tea and coffee, the two common household beverages of the day. Joel H. Johnson, with whose family the Prophet was intimate, relates that on a Sabbath day in July (1833) following the giving of the "Word of Wisdom," when both Joseph and Hyrum Smith were in the stand, the Prophet said to the Saints: "I understand that some of the people are excusing themselves in using tea and coffee, because the Lord only said 'hot drinks' in the revelation of the Word of Wisdom. Tea and coffee are what the Lord meant when he said 'hot drinks.' " [John A. Widtsoe and Leah D. Widtsoe, The Word of Wisdom: A Modern Interpretation (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1937), 85-87.]

The Word of Wisdom, Caffeine, and Hypocrisy

[SeattleTruthSeeker]

Originally Posted by skalenfehl

In Joseph Smith's time "hot drinks" meant specifically Coffee and Tea. They didn't have Theraflu back then. In the Bible there are so many terms relevant to the day that we can't comprehend without understanding the places and culture. We need to understand the laws and principles in terms that they were written. The book of Revelation talks about many things that really don't exist but are clear when you understand the context in which they were written.

thank you for making my point... In Joseph Smith's day, they probably did not know about green tea. Btw, tea can be drank either hot or cold. Green Tree is proven to be the only tea that is processed differently (as I have previously posted and linked to) where it has antioxidants that lower cholestorol and have other health benefits.

Personally, I don't drink tea and I have cut down much of my coffee consumption.

[Maureen]

I would be curious to see, if the LDS church eventually made the WofW obsolete; and let the members make the decisions themselves of what and how much to eat and drink; how long would it take the majority to accept that decision. I would guess it would take about 20 years, one generation.

M.