I've been wondering why we (Mormons) never embraced vegetarianism as a Church, since the Word of Wisdom states the following:

"12 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;

13 And it is pleasing unto me that they should not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine."

I live in Arizona, and every ward dinner is loaded with meat dishes. No hint of "winter, or of cold, or famine" here.

Your thoughts?

ranchland is a good investment

Animals are delicious. :)

But so are vegetables. ;>)

I always thought the same thing. When I was young and newly married in the 70's, I always wanted to be vegetarian since it says so in the D&C but I never knew how. Fortunately I've figured it out - finally AFTER I left TSCC.

Because no person with a small penis and a big ego ever commanded them to be.

Mormons aren't very good at doing anything in moderation. They overdo something or don't do it at all.

Here is was I tell the doctor when he says I need to est more plants.

Cattle eat plants. I eat cattle so therefore I am eating plants by proxy.

There are even some TBM vegans in my family. Of course, we aren't in the Morridor.

Because the top 15 have never come to a consensus that they should be. The whole Word of Wisdom is just a suggestion until the top 15 decided to make parts of it mandatory. There have been some prophets who seemed inclined towards vegetarianism. I remember a church lesson that talked about a prophet who went hunting and felt so bad for the deer he was chasing and decided he would become a vegetarian, although he did still enjoy a small lamb chop on rare occasions. Lots of hunters wrote in concerned they were doing something wrong and he clarified he wasn't making a doctrinal statement. I've also seen quotes from prophets saying that vegetarianism is an apostate and evil doctrine. Until they can be unanimous on something nothing changes.

While I was active in the church, had a girlfriend who was a vegan (recent convert). As I got to know her and interacted in our wards, I was shocked at how much negative attention she got from members once they found out. They just couldn't understand it, and got somewhat hostile. "WHY DON'T YOU EAT MEAT?! It's there for us to eat!" tons of pressure.

The Mormon church owns some of the largest cattle ranches in the Nation. They also import beef from Latin America. They sell beef to Burger King. Meat is a huge source of income for LDS, Inc.

LDS,Inc. sells sugar (Amalgamated Sugar, U&I Sugar) to Pepsi Co. and Coca Cola Co. I am not surprised that they have changed their mind on discouraging these drinks. They used to sell sugar to Anhauser Busch, and maybe they still do.

They are carnivores

When I was active, my best friend was a vegetarian -- until our bishop told her during a TR interview that not eating meat was "apostasy" and that if she continued her rebellious ways, she could no longer attend the temple. He also implied that not feeding meat to her children was "child abuse" because there was no way they could get enough nutrients without consuming meat.

He cited a NT scripture about Jesus telling Peter to kill and eat an animal, but apparently didn't think about how that contradicts with the WoW edict posted above.

IMHO vegetarianism might be the one part of the WoW that JS got right -- but you'll never see Mormons following the advice to only eat animal flesh when they're starving or freezing to death.

I also heard an anecdote about TSCC going into poverty-stricken areas elsewhere in the world (don't recall which country) and supervising the locals in establishing church-owned rabbit farms so "they could get protein in their diets." The woman relating this story had served a mission there with her husband, so she had firsthand experience.

Like they couldn't get protein more cheaply and easily from the beans and other plants they were already eating.

Just another reason the WoW is bogus.

Egods. Give a spineless obeyer a little authority. . .

You can take alcohol away.

You can take coffee away.

You can take tobacco away.

You can take pre-marital sex away.

You can take their Sundays away.

You can take 10 percent of their income away.

You can take their children away.

But by gosh, you'd have a rebellion on your hands if you took sugar and meat away.

Food - the last bastion of comfort for Mormons.

MarkJ Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You can take alcohol away.
>
> You can take coffee away.
>
> You can take tobacco away.
>
> You can take pre-marital sex away.
>
> You can take their Sundays away.
>
> You can take 10 percent of their income away.
>
> You can take their children away.
>
> But by gosh, you'd have a rebellion on your hands
> if you took sugar and meat away.
>
> Food - the last bastion of comfort for Mormons.


You've got it there, I remember many times I'd hear members "joke" about how if they ever banned chocolate they'd go inactive.
You know the saying - many a true word is spoken in jest.

That were interpreting the WoW as saying that no one should have any sweets or desserts. They were completely scoffed at.

I've brought this up in sunday school before. I always get blank stares and a few "because the prophet hasn't said we should be" yeah screw that, read the damn word of wisdom mormons. You can't pick or choose what scriptures to follow...oh wait yes you can.

Anonymous for this so I don't give away too much info on myself, but I became a vegetarian in high school and was given such a hard time about it at church. It was ridiculous. People actually quoted the wow saying that eating meat sparingly meant I had to eat it. Luckily I knew that was ridiculous. I was 14/15 and had grown men telling me what I should be eating. And was constantly teased in early morning seminary whenever there was bacon (our teachers were awesome and often made us breakfast). Good thing I hated bacon and the smell actually grossed me out that I had one teacher apologize to me when she made it because she knew the smell made me sick.

Keep in mind I have never been one of those vegetarians who pushes it on anyone, I didn't even like to explain my reasoning. But I wasn't doing exactly what they were doing and therefore was constantly told I was doing something wrong.

Anonforpost Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Anonymous for this so I don't give away too much
> info on myself, but I became a vegetarian in high
> school and was given such a hard time about it at
> church. It was ridiculous. People actually quoted
> the wow saying that eating meat sparingly meant I
> had to eat it. Luckily I knew that was ridiculous.
> I was 14/15 and had grown men telling me what I
> should be eating. And was constantly teased in
> early morning seminary whenever there was bacon
> (our teachers were awesome and often made us
> breakfast). Good thing I hated bacon and the smell
> actually grossed me out that I had one teacher
> apologize to me when she made it because she knew
> the smell made me sick.
>
> Keep in mind I have never been one of those
> vegetarians who pushes it on anyone, I didn't even
> like to explain my reasoning. But I wasn't doing
> exactly what they were doing and therefore was
> constantly told I was doing something wrong.

Did you go to seminary in San Diego? If so, I think I know you. Sorry about giving you a hard time... ;)

Nope across the country! I wouldn't worry about it, people give vegetarians a hard time a lot we tend to be used to it! I just thought it was incredibly hypocritical that they were attempting to use the WOW against me. And church people were way worse than the normal ribbing that people like to give vegetarians.

It's a Liberal vs. Right Wing Nut thing.

My TBM mom is appalled when I tell her I don't like meat that much and am mostly veggie.

When my dear husband was alive (He passed away 11 months ago due to a brain bleed) he had high blood pressure and high cholesterol, she would pooh pooh me for making him healthy meals. Even when I pointed out that meat, sugar etc., wasn’t good for him and that my TBM dad was overweight and had bad health…All she could say was that men love meat and dessert.

She of course equates this with being an evil liberal...

rgg Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
> She of course equates this with being an evil
> liberal...

I think you hit the nail on the head on why most eat meat....we were vegetarians when we joined and when we left. The amount of meat at the social stuff always shocked me....meat in everything.

It's very simple really. The prophets and apostles responsible for the modern interpretation of Section 89 were prohibitionists who loved meat. The prophet's word is all that matters - more important even than scripture.

The precepts of the church come from the imaginings of its "authorities". If they didn't think of it, it wasn't thought of. Since the installation of Brigham Young only yes men who are financially dependent on the church have ever become an "authority". No original thinking in this organization. The WofW wasn't even enforced until Heber J. Grant and only when prohibition came along. So that's the emphasis.

While I was still TBM I became (mostly) Vegan for health reasons. I could not understand why there was not at least a little bit more emphasis (by more I mean any) put onto eating less meat and healthier foods. It is right there in their scriptures! Of course the entire WoW has been completely reinterpreted. It is amazing how little the scriptures are taken seriously. Of course me taking both science and the scriptures seriously led me out.

If eating meat is a religious issue, should not the negative environmental effects of producing meat also be a religious issue? I mean, aren't Mormons also charged with the obligation to be good stewards of the planet?

http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/78/3/660S.full

And what about the extraordinary animal cruelty involved in industrial meat production? I guess that's okay as long as it keeps ribs on the bbq.

http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-food/factory-farming/

And of course, it's most acceptable to make an obscene profit producing meat on your factory farms while filling up the water table with pesticides, herbicides, and fecal coliform bacteria, and pretending you actually care about the animals who die for your bank account.

If you are guided by gifted men whom God has blessed to see, predict, and reveal these ills and more, why are they not doing any seeing, predicting, and revealing? And if every priesthood holder has the gift of discernment, why are they not doing any discerning?

Mormon hypocrisy is deep-seated in this issue from every angle.

Simple: Mormonism worships men, not God. Until some creepy old white guy in a hideous suit announces that eating meat is now banned, they'll keep on eating the flesh of innocent animals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

But if the prophet were to say tomorrow that eating meat is a blasphemous thing, the very next day they'd drop it cold-turkey (no pun intended) and spit on carnivores everywhere, just like they do with coffee-consumers. They can't do anything until they get the money-driven opinion of the prophet first. They are completely incapable of thinking for themselves; that's what happens when you're in a cult. It's pretty damn sad.

Milk before meat (both are animal products), or, as the cannibals used to say, "Dairy before missionary."

I think it's because vegetarianism is associated with liberals. And liberalism is associated with free thought. Free thought does not work with Mormonism.