Beer Good. Meat Bad. But we do the opposite.

[Cydonia]

So the Word of Wisdom says: "Yea, flesh also of beasts 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 sparingly; And it is pleasing unto me that they should not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine."

In other words: "Meat's OK if it's cold and/or you don't have much else to eat."

And the Word of Wisdom says: "...and barley for all useful animals, and for mild drinks, as also other grain."

In other words: "Barley's good to feed working animals and to make beer with."

But if I have a beer I'm in deep trouble. However, I've seen three meat sandwiches and hotdogs served at summer functions in the chapel.

So why does the WoW say beer good, meat bad (OK, that's an oversimplification) and yet we do the opposite?

[Seminarysnoozer]

I wouldn't call beer a 'mild drink' especially after someone drinking a 'mild drink' killed my cousin, drunk driving. In the trial it was revealed, that's all he had was beer.

[Cydonia]

I'm sorry for your loss, but that's an argument of semantics. It doesn't in any way address my question.

[rampion]

A lot of what people actually do becomes more cultural than doctrinal. Utah was a pretty good environment for a ranching culture to develop, and ranchers grow beef, and so that gets eaten and marketed. Maybe people weren't so sure about the division between "strong drinks" and "mild drinks," and decided to go with no alcoholic beverages at all. In the society that has developed, we can see that beer is sometimes over-used, and can lead to significant problems. Wine and alcohol weren't prohibited in earlier scripture either, but we can see that alcohol doesn't mix well with cars and modern stresses and responsibilities.

Anyway, eating meat became such a big part of the culture that we are thought peculiar among the LDS people if we choose to avoid meat. I'm vegetarian, and I dread ward dinners and such, because there is little likelihood of there being much that I can eat there, and almost no willingness to understand why I don't eat the same food as everyone else, let alone to accomodate.

Once someone called me to ask if my family would attend a Cub Scout banquet. I said that we would be there, and that two of us are vegetarian. The reply from the caller was, "Well, I don't think that matters. We have to put chairs out anyway." Every food available was meat-based at that banquet, except for thinly-sliced oranges used as a garnish. Someone offered me a large bowl of garnishes (I think that was my husband, though). I never know if I'll be able to make do, or if I need to eat before events like these so that I don't go away starving.

I probably wouldn't have such a problem with meat if it were used in moderation, but the wide over-consumption has led me to the conclusion that a meal for me is not worth taking an animal's life. Please don't kill any creatures on my behalf.

[Seminarysnoozer]

Originally Posted by Cydonia

I'm sorry for your loss, but that's an argument of semantics. It doesn't in any way address my question.

But it does ... there is no question if you don't consider beer a 'mild drink.' To ask that question, I think you have to show that beer is a 'mild drink.' How is it that you drew the line there? There were probably more drinks that were made from grains back in the day that contained very little if any alcohol. Nowadays, I think it would be very hard to include all beers, by just saying the name 'beer', into a category of 'mild drink.' That's my opinion. But often times I try to follow the commandments without understanding the purpose or reasoning behind them.
I just think you need to explain why you think 'beer' is a 'mild drink' to include any non-drinkers in the conversation.

[talisyn]

The only 'mild drink' I can think of for barley is soup. If you want a barley drink that's mild you better start up your PR campaign.

Only someone who has never had a steak so good you can cut it with a fork can say that meat is bad

[Cydonia]

My whole family are vegetarians, too, rampion. So you hit right at the heart of why I'm asking.

I've found it very frustrating that what is said in section 89 of the D&C is not what is said in the Word of Wisdom pamphlet and certainly isn't what's followed. And I'm wondering why.

If meat is OK during the dead of summer when they're are plenty of other food options available at the local grocery store, then why does the WoW say otherwise? Conversely the WoW says mild barley beverages are OK, but we can't have those.

Why doesn't the WoW pamphlet match what's in the D&C?

[pam]

I'm not sure why when people hear the word barley drinks they automatically think of beer. Probably a cultural thing because that's what is thrown into our face all the time. There are other drinks made from barley that have nothing to do with beer. There is barley water and another called barley grass juice. So perhaps when the WOW was revealed they were referring more to the herbal side of mild drinks with barley than what we read into it as beer as beer being good for us.

[FunkyTown]

Err... In defense of cydonia, I should point out that there aren't a heck of a lot of drinks that aren't alcoholic you can make from barley.

"Ah, good ol' Slurry!"

Thankfully, I asked Cydonia's question myself when the missionaries taught it. "If the only drinks you can make from barley are things like beer or harder alcoholic drinks, does that mean beer's okay?"

"The word of wisdom was clarified by later prophets to include all alcoholic drink."

[talisyn]

Originally Posted by pam

I'm not sure why when people hear the word barley drinks they automatically think of beer. Probably a cultural thing because that's what is thrown into our face all the time. There are other drinks made from barley that have nothing to do with beer. There is barley water and another called barley grass juice. So perhaps when the WOW was revealed they were referring more to the herbal side of mild drinks with barley than what we read into it as beer as beer being good for us.

Thanks Pam, I didn't know there were any barley drinks besides beer out there