coffee evidently contains no caffeine, and therefore shouldn’t be habit forming. When I was not an active member, I drank cola drinks and enjoyed them. We are obligated as members of the Mormon Church to obey the precepts taught therein. Herbal teas are rather common drinks and not only contain no harmful substances, but in many cases have beneficial effects on the body. So, what’s the problem? Dear Ruth, Tea, coffee, alcohol and tobacco are against the Word of Wisdom. All Rights Reserved.​​​. In 1937, Elder John A. Widtsoe and his wife, Leah, wrote the first major book on the Word of Wisdom, speaking strongly against caffeine, saying, “Whenever a drink is advertised to 'give you a lift,' the 'lift' is likely to be caused by the drug which it contains. However, we should keep in mind this counsel given by President Boyd K. Packer: “The Word of … Coke is not formally against the Word of Wisdom since it is not mentioned in the scripture, although it is heavily loaded with caffeine. If containing caffeine is the problem how about Cola drinks? The Word of Wisdom also never states that coffee is okay as long as it is 99% caffeine free. No one would see it coming. Dr. Clifford J. Stratton, a Doctor of Human Anatomy at the University of Nevada in Reno, says, “I counsel inquiring members that eating or drinking anything that may result in bodily harm is probably a violation of the spirit of wisdom enjoined … My family is fucking retarded. If the U.S. 1st Amendment was banned, would the Church follow it? Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart, It is well and appropriate to keep ourselves from the very appearance of evil. Both Frankincense and Myrrh, that were given by the Wise Men to Jesus at his birth, are oils distilled from herbs. My sis even defended it saying that it is NOT against the word of wisdom. The only official interpretation of this term is the statement made by early Church leaders that it means tea and coffee. Featuring inspiring and informative stories for the Latter-day Saints, from Moroni Channel, your online source for gospel-centered contents. I think there is an element of pridefulness that accompanies the consumption of coffee and tea, and it seems evident in all cultures. In other words, we should also avoid decaffeinated coffee and tea. Concerning all the other foods and drinks that contain caffeine, such as chocolate, it is left for each individual to use his own judgement and common sense with respect to what he takes into his body. History and scripture both give examples of such a notion, one being an unjust cause, the other being a just cause but one that could easily be adapted into an unjust operation in the last days. Yea, and the herb, and the good things which come of the earth, whether for food or for raiment, or for houses, or for barns, or for orchards, or for gardens, or for vineyards; (D&C 59:17-18). The "Word of Wisdom," which one must abide by in order to go to the temple, prevents members from using or consuming alcohol, illegal drugs, tobacco, coffee, tea, and "harmful substances. The religion teaches that tobacco and “hot drinks” — tea and coffee — are forbidden through divine revelation, known as the Word of Wisdom. Iced tea or coffee is a blatant violation. The first is the formal document as recorded in the 89th section of the Doctrine and Covenants. LDS family struggling with Word of Wisdom. Also, in the Doctrine & Covenants we are counseled to use herbs for medicinal purposes-, And whosoever among you are sick, and have not faith to be healed, but believe, shall be nourished with all tenderness, with herbs and mild food, and that not by the hand of an enemy (D&C 42:43. Thus decaf coffee became chemically altered and degraded when compared with the non-decaffeinated coffee beans. Before 9/11, the general public had never imagined anyone would use airliners as weapons of mass destruction. Make your Inbox more interesting with Moroni Channel. First regarding decaf. The following two tabs change content below. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recently released a statement regarding its stance on the use of vaping or e-cigarettes, coffee-based products, marijuana, and opioids.. When the Word of Wisdom was given, black tea and coffee were the popular "hot drinks". Consumer Reports weighs in on whether decaffeinated coffee is bad for you. There’s been a lot of speculation over the years that the reason for this section of the Word of Wisdom had to do with caffeine and other chemicals, and thus decaf coffee would be okay. We should use wisdom in all things. Many herbs and plants have been provided by the Lord to be used for restoring health. This website is not owned by or affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the Mormon or LDS Church). The Word of Wisdom doesn’t mention it. I did not mean to imply that drinking coffee in any form is acceptable according to the Word of Wisdom. LDS church leaders have defined "hot drinks" as coffee and tea. Perhaps we could help others to see and rejoice in the goodness of God in providing for “the benefit of man” . What’s even worse is they all already know it has coffee in it. Decaf coffee has been shown to cause significantly less acid reflux than regular coffee (29, 30). It was dictated in 1833 by Mormon founder Joseph Smith and bars consumption of wine, strong drinks (alcohol), tobacco and "hot drinks," which have been defined by church authorities as tea and coffee. Not an official website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. With all the health benefits of green tea, can we use it in supplement form? “Decaffeinated coffee is like a hooker who only wants to cuddle.” Like many quotes on Instagram, this one is styled in a cutesy sans serif font and has the beigeness of … It is part of our responsibility of “Every member a missionary.” If someone not of our faith sees us drinking either coffee or Coke-and by the way, it would be rather difficult to carry around a big sign saying, “This is only Decaf.”-they could easily, and often do, make the judgement that “There goes another Mormon disobeying the tenants of his own religion!” It is highly appropriate that as members of the Church, we should avoid the very appearance of evil. Obesity, for instance, often results from our inability to control our appetite; and thus we impair our health. Around 63 BC, Captain Moroni freed all the Nephite prisoners in the city of Gid by administering strong wine to the Lamanite troops guarding the city. However, church leadership has come out and said it’s not about the caffeine, and so decaf is a no-go. Green Tea and Iced Tea: According to the New Era, both green tea and iced tea are still considered tea and are against the Word of Wisdom. Doctrine and Covenants 89:9 says we shouldn’t drink “hot drinks.”. by Ilyan Kei Lavanway, Moroni Channel | Sep 26, 2016, “Behold, verily, thus saith the Lord unto you: In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation …” (see Doctrine and Covenants 89:4). And there were some who died with fevers, which at some seasons of the year were very frequent in the land-but not so much so with fevers, because of the excellent qualities of the many plants and roots which God had prepared to remove the cause of diseases, to which men were subject by the nature of the climate– (Alma 46:40). Information shared are subject to our Privacy Policy. We provide fresh articles from members of the LDS Church and feature real-life stories of their trials, conversion, missionary work, and personal experiences. Should you only get one blessing for an illness? coffee evidently contains no caffeine, and therefore shouldn’t be habit forming. The Word of Wisdom lists the drinks as 'hot drinks' and church leaders have told us that means black teas and coffee. Decaf coffee typically only has between two and 15 milligrams per 8-ounce cup, according to the FDA. The Word of Wisdom is a section of the Doctrine and Covenants, one of the church’s four volumes of scripture. Hot drinks in the Word of Wisdom have been defined as tea and coffee. ... code reference to hot drinks "does not go beyond" tea and coffee. Particularly in our diet, we should avoid becoming the slave of habit or addiction to any food or drink. Everything changed, literally over night. The chemicals used on decaffeinated coffee used to be toxic, but there are newer techniques. Drinking two or more cups of decaf coffee per day has also been linked with up to a … This is not against the Word of Wisdom, but it is certainly against the practice of wisdom. Those who orchestrated the tragic events of that day caught the world completely off guard. As with regular coffee, there’s clearly a lot of variability here. “Given for a principle with promise, adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all saints, who are or can be called saints.” (Doctrine and Covenants 89:3). After the Lamanite troops were drunken, Moroni was able to free his people and take back the city without bloodshed (see Alma 55:3-24). For the offcial church websites visit ComeUntoChrist.org. coffee and Coke- Decaf. MCH is a selection of Church News, LDS trends, Stories, Mormon Lifestyle and other useful ideas for the LDS community. Not an official website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There are many other things that contain caffeine, such as chocolate and many other soft drinks. Some don't drink any kind of tea. Jul 11, 2010 | Current issues, Doctrine & Covenants, Health, Word of Wisdom | 1 comment. So, before you try some new drink, here are a couple of rules of thumb: (1) If you’re in a coffee shop, the drink you’re ordering probably has coffee in it, so always ask if there’s coffee in it. Except God. In other words, we should also avoid decaffeinated coffee and … The Word of Wisdom has been interpreted as referring to tea and coffee when it speaks of "hot drinks", whether or not they are actually hot. We all know that tea and coffee contain caffeine and the use of either would prevent receiving a Temple Recommend. Decaffeinated coffee stimulates the production of stomach acid because the roasting of coffee beans releases harsh acids and oils that irritate stomach linings. “both to please the eye and to gladden the heart.”. Caffeine is not the reason why Coffee and Tea are prohibited in the Word Of Wisdom. Mormons believe God revealed in 1833 the … And not for the better. The Word of Wisdom prohibits tea and coffee, but we are left to make our own decisions on other foods and beverages which contain caffeine. Whatever the case, I am certain the Lord has other reasons, known only to him, for warning us and forewarning us to avoid coffee and tea. No part of this content or the data or information included therein may be reproduced, republished or redistributed without the prior written consent of the Publisher & Moroni Channel except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial and church uses and purposes permitted by copyright laws. Decaf coffee is still coffee. Caffeine is not specifically mentioned as the reason not to drink these drinks. coffee and herb tea be in violation of the Word of Wisdom? coffee and Coke- Decaf. When I served in the military, I noticed that those who used coffee, in particular, but also tea, to some extent, walked around with mug in hand as if they were better than others, or as if their mug of coffee or tea were some sort of unspoken status symbol that elevated them above the common man. Any conspirator could easily use the predictable behavior surrounding coffee and tea to plan a mass poisoning, or distribute biological or chemical agents to a large demographic who would never suspect it, never see it coming. It is not something that is impossible to follow. Moroni’s cause was just, but one can imagine how easy it would be for conspiring men in the last days to employ such a tactic using coffee and tea as transmission vectors for any number of harmful or fatal agents (viruses, bacteria, chemicals, nanotechnology, etc.) Decaf coffee was not even a thing back when the Word of Wisdom was introduced so of course no mention is … Removing the caffeine does not make it stop being coffee. Some drink herbal teas. It would be virtually undetectable until after the fact. How will it be heaven if our family members aren’t with us. But, of course, partaking of the good things of the earth is not evil. We have the Word of Wisdom and the word of wisdom. We all know that the Word Of Wisdom pertains to Hot Drinks and has been defined as tea and coffee. Kind of a side note, but some folks have reasoned that drinking decaffeinated coffee should now be ok, but the Church clarifies that it is still against the Word of Wisdom. In 2012, church leaders clarified that the Word of Wisdom did not prevent members from drinking caffeinated soft drinks. Drinking tea is against the Word of Wisdom, the official doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.The Word of Wisdom is the label Mormons use to refer to a revelation received by Joseph Smith on February 27, 1833. . My rule of thumb has always been, if I can eat/drink the item and still feel as though I’m obeying the spirit (or intent) of the Word of Wisdom, … We will never go back to the way it was before 9/11 (at least not until the second coming of Jesus Christ). We can rationalize that the reason the Lord gave a commandment against tea and coffee was because of the caffeine that they contain, and there is … At the time of General Moroni, about 72 B.C., the Book of Mormon account mentions the beneficial effects of plants and roots in controlling fevers-. “How much caffeine is … This revelation is Section 89 in the Doctrine and Covenants, a book of scripture. For the offcial church websites visit, Latter-day Saint Church Donates $3.3 Million to Shelter the Homeless in 2021, Church Office Building Plaza Renovation Is Underway, Church Leaders Condemn Violence in the US Capitol, Church Leaders Thanked Donald Trump for his Service. Coffee/tea flavored ice cream: Marginal, but probably not a Word of Wisdom violation. It says coffee. The prohibition in question is against ‘hot drinks.’ The Church has, as a body, accepted that the hot drinks in question are coffee and tea. Is a prayer given while kneeling more powerful? (2) Drinks with names that include café or caffé, mocha, latte, espresso, or anything ending in -ccino usually have coffee in them and are against the Word of Wisdom." 2. And he has already warned and forewarned us to avoid ingesting coffee and tea. Nevertheless, it was discernible. Ruth, from California. The fact that the Presiding Bishop possibly made the statement that decaf is not against the Word of Wisdom is by no means a recommendation for its use (if such a letter exists). Several earlier LDS leaders, including apostle Bruce R. McConkie, considered imbibing Coke as a violation of the "spirit" of the Word of Wisdom. Therefore other beverages with caffeine are not prohibited, per se. And we should remember that the Word of Wisdom is designed so that even the weakest among us can live by it. My opinion, which I think is the mainstream one, is that decaffeinated coffee is against the word of wisdom. My parents drink sodas such as Coke and Dr. Pepper. While coffee and tea without caffeine may still be. Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress. Several earlier LDS leaders considered drinking caffeinated soft drinks as a violation of the "spirit" of the Word of Wisdom. "Black Coffee" as opposed to the not so popular Green Coffee or Green Coffee Extract. Headline news and op-eds delivered to your inbox weekly. Many could not even begin a functional work day until they had their mug of coffee in hand or positioned prominently on their desk. Rockledge Florida, USA My personal opinion (not doctrine) is that the prophetic interpretation of the Word of Wisdom that declares we should avoid ingesting coffee and tea has nothing whatsoever to do with caffeine. I also believe there is a vulnerability that exists in the predictable pattern of behavior that often accompanies the use of coffee and tea. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the position of the Church. Some don't drink any decaffeinated beverages. Salt Lake City — In an article published by Mormon Newsroom, the church indicated that caffeine is not explicitly against the church’s Word of Wisdom — a set of guidelines for members that forbids the use of tobacco, alcohol and “hot drinks.” Church Response to the said manner: “Despite what was reported, the Church revelation spelling out health […] (Remember, this is the family that made me move out because of a single cup of coffee consumed within the house). The reason why anything is prohibited in the Word of Wisdom … ), And the Lord states that herbs “are made for the benefit and use of man.”. I am continually amazed at how people try to split hairs and walk as close to the line of disobedience as possible without breaking any rules. I think the reason hinges on the designs of conspiring men in the last days. I have two questions: 1. Mocha, Latte, Macchiato, Espresso: The word coffee isn’t always in the name of coffee drinks. Vaping is clearly against the Word of Wisdom. ​My personal opinion (not doctrine) is that the prophetic interpretation of the Word of Wisdom that declares we should avoid ingesting coffee and tea has nothing whatsoever to do with caffeine. He would not have his prophets declare this warning to us without reason, or without consequence. Hot drinks = coffee and tea. I myself am old school. Both the caffeinated and regular coffee lose antioxidants during the roasting process. The views expressed by individual users are the responsibility of those users and do not necessarily represent the position of the Church. Should we eat meat only in winter and famine? But decaf coffee has higher loss of chlorogenic acids because of the chemical changes that it underwent during the decaf coffee process. I am sure many were not even aware they were creating such an impression or assuming such a posture. For the official Church websites, please visit churchofjesuschrist.org or comeuntochrist.org. Each of us as members of the Church has a responsibility to represent the Church in the best light possible. Now concerning herbal tea. LDS Church-owned Camp in New Zealand Offers Visitors a Unique Experience, Copyright © 2020 by Moroni Groups. Everything else is personal interpretation. Could the use of decaf. There seems to me to be a very important reason to avoid both those drinks. . If we were to have a cup of herbal tea in a public restaurant, where it would be served in a regular tea cup, it could be assumed by others that we were drinking conventional tea. Some are fine with it. Dear Bill, First regarding decaf. Coke is not formally against the Word of Wisdom since it is not mentioned in the scripture, although it is heavily loaded with … In such a case it might be prudent to avoid drinking the herbal tea to prevent the possibility of giving others a wrong impression. Rather common drinks and not only contain no harmful substances, but many... 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