I get really tired of mormons using the Wow as some kind of sign that they are supernaturally healthly.

Instead of alcohol, coffee, tea prohibitions they should require members to be within 5 points of their optimal BMI. Add that to the temple interview questions.

I can already hear the howls of the mormon faithful

If they are going to follow the Wow, then they need to follow all of it! But they leave most of it out and harp on a couple.

Yes. I don't know any mormon who eats meat sparingly

I'm not sure what's on their sandwiches would pass for meat.

I know that mine do...

No apologist or any Mormon has ever successfully reconciled for me, or for anyone I know for that matter, the selective reading of D&C 89 and the word of wisdom as a whole. All the stuff about eating food in season, and meat sparingly, and exactly what hot drinks means, and how we are supposed to pack our animals wounds with tobacco, etc.

These days, or maybe always, it seems like the higher-ups are good at digging in their heels about stuff that is arbitrary or is wrong, so I am sure it will be the same with this, but they really ought to loosen up on some of this nonsense. The health benefits of moderate wine drinking and coffee consumption have been proven. And maybe if they truly wanted members to adhere to the spirit of the word of wisdom, they should include something about having a proper diet. Or better yet, maybe they should leave members personal health choices to themselves instead of making annual probing, inquisitive interrogations about their worthiness, but we all know that's never going to happen.

Another thing I find funny is how people consider the word of wisdom so revolutionary and prophetic, even though Joseph Smith essentially ripped off all the ideas from common temperance movement ideals of the time, especially ones that were popular and widespread in the Northeast. Am I right about this?



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/02/2016 12:53PM by midwestanon.

In Brazil I was often offered Cevada, one of the most vioe tasting beverages of all time.

It was served hot. It was a sunstitue for coffee and tea, though I understood tea to be beverage made after steeping an ingredient in water.

I understand there is a simular beverage served in the orient.

midwestanon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Another thing I find funny is how people consider
> the word of wisdom so revolutionary and prophetic,
> even though Joseph Smith essentially ripped off
> all the ideas from common temperance movement
> ideals of the time, especially ones that were
> popular and widespread in the Northeast. Am I
> right about this?

You most certainly are! Here's a little piece I wrote about it:

http://www.mormonism101.com/2015/02/the-word-of-wisdom.html

Here are the real reasons for the WoW, none of which have anything to do with health.

The first is separating the saints from the rest of the world. It's a marker of the clan. "We are the people who don't smoke or drink alcohol or coffee."

The second is to keep the believers from mixing with those outside the clan by making the believers fear outsiders, by turning them into judgmental asses who drive outsiders away, and by making the believers uncomfortable in social situations with outsiders.

The third is to give believers something to feel superior about. "We're better than other people because we have the strength of character to blah blah blah."

The forth is as an external measure of internal belief and loyalty. The church has no real way to measure those except by behavior.

So the particulars of the WoW are irrelevant. Any jumble of vaguely healthy sounding prohibitions could serve the church's purposes just as well.

The Word of Wisdom like tithing is quantifiable. It presents evidence of your belief and loyalty. Stray Mutt is correct. The Word of Wisdom really has little to do with health and everything to do with obedience. It is the social boundary between those who are and those who aren't.

When I was at BYU I worked at the local hospital. I was amazed at the number of overweight and obese Mormon's coming in with heart problems, needing heart catheterizations, etc. (And yes, I know they were Mormon because they were wearing their garments.) I'm sure they all could have proudly bragged how coffee and alcohol had never passed their lips.

I run marathons. I've always wished a Mormon would say something to me about the WoW. I would tell them that the "promise" of the WoW is to run and not be weary and walk and not faint. If they'd agree to run a marathon with me, and they made it to the finish line, they could tell me anything they want about the WoW (while I drink my celebratory beer, of course). Anyone think I'd have any takers?

Yep. They can brag about not drinking coffee and if they did drink it they might not be having heart problems. I know from personal experience.

bezoar, I know a Morman that is 55 and does 26.2 in 3hrs 1min 11sec. He will rum with u

redkoolaidmonster (logged out) Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Instead of alcohol, coffee, tea prohibitions they
> should require members to be within 5 points of
> their optimal BMI. Add that to the temple
> interview questions.

But...the BMI is a "philosophy of men." It's not magical miraculous god-given "wisdom." So it's worthless...

:)

The Word of Wisdom is not so much about a health code as it is
about slave like obedience to the slave masters