Are Mormons allowed to drink...

  • Thread starter Thread starter GoLatin
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
Sure, why not? Mormons are forbidden to drink alcoholic beverages, coffee and tea. Fruit juices are fine.

In prior decades, caffeinated soda was also forbidden and could keep a Mormon out of the temple. But that was changed during the 90’s. My LDS sister now drinks diet coke by the case and is considered perfectly “worthy”. But she is sure I am going to outer darkness because I enjoy green tea. Oh well. :rolleyes:
Paul
 
The specific scriptural prohibition is against wine and strong drink. Wine was permitted for sacramental use only for a short time. Mild beverages made from grain are encouraged by this scripture and some early Mormons took the rather Bavarian approach that meant that they were supposed to drink beer.

Strong drink was later defined as all alcoholic beverages.

The other scriptural prohibition is against Hot Drinks. Some early Mormons took this to mean anything that was Hot. (cocoa, soup, etc.) But that any of these beverages could be enjoyed cold.

This was later defined as Coffee and Tea.

Some LDS reasoned that since both contained caffeine that it really meant to abstain form caffeine and thus cokes, mountain dew, etc. were verboten. Some even took this to mean that coffee and tea were OK if they were decaf.

The current doctrine “seems” to be all coffee and all tea are prohibited. (however you will still find some variance in actual enforcement by local bishops)
 
Mormons are “allowed” to do anything we want to do. But, we are advised to abstain from Alcoholic drinks and anything that is habit forming, or health threatening.
I know from personal experience that alchohol is not good for the body. I lost my father to alcholism and had a very tramatic childhood because of his drinking binges. I lost a friend to alcohol 10 years ago two days past his 51st birthday, sitting at his bedside for six months watching him die was not a pleasant experience. I have seen many people who I love and respect make total fools of themselves by drinking too much and I could go on and on, as I am sure some of you could too about the habitual drinkers.
There are many people who can not drink on a social level and there are many lives ruined by alcohol and drugs.
My thoughts are that the body does not need this drug to survive, so why tempt fate, and possibly ruin your life and those of your family.
I think that this is a good admonition of the LDS Church to keep members and their families strong and healthy.
BJ
 
40.png
PaulDupre:
Sure, why not? Mormons are forbidden to drink alcoholic beverages, coffee and tea. Fruit juices are fine.

In prior decades, caffeinated soda was also forbidden and could keep a Mormon out of the temple. But that was changed during the 90’s. My LDS sister now drinks diet coke by the case and is considered perfectly “worthy”. But she is sure I am going to outer darkness because I enjoy green tea. Oh well. :rolleyes:
Paul
Click to expand...
I too drink diet coke(decaffinated) by the case at least 1 can every two days, and occasionally a diet coke or pepsi(no discrimination here) with all the caffiene left in it(like at restuarants)
I do not think you will go to outer darkness(where ever that is)because of green tea. In fact I do not think anyone will go to outer darkness for drinking anything at all that they wish to drink.
I go into Starbucks every day to get my husband his Cappucino, and I do not think he is going to outer darkness, but he has switched to decaffinated and feels better for it. Says he can’t tell the difference in taste.
For myself, caffiene keeps me up all night and makes me jittery, so I personally try to avoid it.
BJ
 
BJ Colbert:
Mormons are “allowed” to do anything we want to do. But, we are advised to abstain from Alcoholic drinks and anything that is habit forming, or health threatening.
Click to expand...
Oh BJ,
If your bishop finds out that you drink alcohol, he will take away your temple recommend, drop you from whatever callings you may have, and probably disfellowship you. That is more than a friendly admonition. You are commanded under threat of losing your membership privileges.

That’s not to mention the threat of being shunned by the other members.

Paul
 
I don’t drink alcohol, just had family who did, and I did at one time in my life, but wasn’t a practicing member then.
BJ
 
And Jesus said: Hear, and understand: Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man, but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

My new answer to the word of wisdom.
 
Ah, got it. I just wondered where he got the credentials to tell you what your bishop would do. Thanks for clearing that up for me! 🙂
 
40.png
PaulDupre:
Oh BJ,
If your bishop finds out that you drink alcohol, he will take away your temple recommend, drop you from whatever callings you may have, and probably disfellowship you. That is more than a friendly admonition. You are commanded under threat of losing your membership privileges.

That’s not to mention the threat of being shunned by the other members.

Paul
Click to expand...
your bishop would withdraw your temple recommend and possibly any callings you have but you would not be disfellowshipped for drinking. see section 89 of doctrine and covenants .
verse 3 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.
smoking, drinking, using drugs will not get you excommunicated but the spiritual affects of abusing them will reduce there ability to recieve spiritual blessings.
i am sure this applies to any church not just the lds.
yours
paul barlow
 
40.png
PaulDupre:
Sure, why not? Mormons are forbidden to drink alcoholic beverages, coffee and tea. Fruit juices are fine.

In prior decades, caffeinated soda was also forbidden and could keep a Mormon out of the temple. But that was changed during the 90’s. My LDS sister now drinks diet coke by the case and is considered perfectly “worthy”. But she is sure I am going to outer darkness because I enjoy green tea. Oh well. :rolleyes:
Paul
Click to expand...
:rotfl:
That’s pretty dang funny that she drinks caffinated soda and considers herself “ok”, but sees you as going to hell (outer darkness) for drinking green tea! Who knew the effects of green tea were so significant…
:rotfl:
 
paul barlow:
your bishop would withdraw your temple recommend and possibly any callings you have but you would not be disfellowshipped for drinking. see section 89 of doctrine and covenants .
verse 3 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.
smoking, drinking, using drugs will not get you excommunicated but the spiritual affects of abusing them will reduce there ability to recieve spiritual blessings.
i am sure this applies to any church not just the lds.
yours
paul barlow
Click to expand...
LDS doctrine doesn’t distinguish between use and abuse when it comes to alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs. It also doesn’t distinguish between use and abuse on other things that I think would make sense if it did. How does it spiritually damage a healthy, fit, person to have a glass of wine occasionally? How does it not damage someone spiritually to eat wrong, never exercise and be obese? Yet, which of these two individuals holds a temple recommend?

The only sense that can be made of the WoW is that LDS should follow it because the LDS Church says it’s a discipline from God, a matter of faith, and not because it makes any sort of sense. Because, in practice, it doesn’t.
 
40.png
Tmaque:
LDS doctrine doesn’t distinguish between use and abuse when it comes to alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs. It also doesn’t distinguish between use and abuse on other things that I think would make sense if it did. How does it spiritually damage a healthy, fit, person to have a glass of wine occasionally? How does it not damage someone spiritually to eat wrong, never exercise and be obese? Yet, which of these two individuals holds a temple recommend?

The only sense that can be made of the WoW is that LDS should follow it because the LDS Church says it’s a discipline from God, a matter of faith, and not because it makes any sort of sense. Because, in practice, it doesn’t.
Click to expand...
correct we don’t distinguish in usage. we are concerned with thoses who are weak somebody who is an addict will find it hard to be spiritual. and as it is one of our beliefs which we agree to before baptism we should obay it. simular to sexual behaviour does your church not teach that we must keep to the promises that we make or is it ok to do what we want. and the lord will understand.
 
paul barlow:
your bishop would withdraw your temple recommend and possibly any callings you have but you would not be disfellowshipped for drinking. see section 89 of doctrine and covenants .
verse 3 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.
smoking, drinking, using drugs will not get you excommunicated but the spiritual affects of abusing them will reduce there ability to recieve spiritual blessings.
i am sure this applies to any church not just the lds.
yours
paul barlow
Click to expand...
Well, then things sure have changed since I was LDS. During the 70’s and 80’s I served as counselor to a branch president (while I was a district leader on my mission) and 2 bishops afterwards. I sat on many church courts. Most were for adultery or apostacy, but some were for WofW violations (sometimes in combination with other things).

If the violation was drinking coffee or tea, the member would be released from her callings and monitored. If she had a temple recommend (usually not) it would be revoked.

If the violation was smoking or alcohol the member was disfelllowshipped. No question.

Now I must comment that LDS church courts were places of great compassion and great sadness. Even the bishop I served under who was a real SOB was very decent when it came to church discipline.

God bless,
Paul
 
40.png
PaulDupre:
Well, then things sure have changed since I was LDS. During the 70’s and 80’s I served as counselor to a branch president (while I was a district leader on my mission) and 2 bishops afterwards. I sat on many church courts. Most were for adultery or apostacy, but some were for WofW violations (sometimes in combination with other things).

If the violation was drinking coffee or tea, the member would be released from her callings and monitored. If she had a temple recommend (usually not) it would be revoked.

If the violation was smoking or alcohol the member was disfelllowshipped. No question.

Now I must comment that LDS church courts were places of great compassion and great sadness. Even the bishop I served under who was a real SOB was very decent when it came to church discipline.

God bless,
Paul
Click to expand...
intresting
i only joined in 1988 so i cant say what was happening in the 1970s.
but to be disfellowshiped or exed you need to do more than break the w of w.
lets say smoking the only way i can see somebody being exed is if they were actively promoting an activity that is against church teachings (or combined with an activety that would result in them being exed being inactive is not enough). each bishop would view it as the last action possable so it seems extreme to me. the other items ie adultery etc. you would but even then its part of the repentance process. a bit like your church members not being allowed to take the sacrament. does your church not ex people anymore and if not when did it change. we all except certain moral obligations when we join a church and thoses obligations must be kept or the church we’ver mine ,yours or what have you would fail.
as you i have sat on a few courts and the overwelming theme is love we would want the person to repent and come back any other course is not of the Lord and would be wrong to say the least. the lord is love and he loves his children but like any parent he must teach and if needs be correct children look at the world and see what happens when children are allowed to run astray.
yours
paul barlow
 
Funny story;

In 1995, I had a boss who was a bishop in the mormon church. He was a wonderful person and treated all of his employees like family. Because of his example, I came to have a good attitude towards the lds though I totally disagreed with their religion.
I brought my boss a a lunch one day of spaghetti and meat suace I’d made. He raved about how it was the best he’d ever eaten and wanted the recipe for his wife.
When I gave it to him and he saw “1 cup of burgandy”, he paled.
“I can’t have wine in my house” said he, “suppose some friends saw a bottle of wine in my cupboard?” I explained that the alcohol burned off during the cooking process but he said “never mind about the recipe, but when you make it again, just bring me some.”
I thought it rather hypocritical, but loved that guy non the less.
 
40.png
catsrus:
Funny story;

In 1995, I had a boss who was a bishop in the mormon church. He was a wonderful person and treated all of his employees like family. Because of his example, I came to have a good attitude towards the lds though I totally disagreed with their religion.
I brought my boss a a lunch one day of spaghetti and meat suace I’d made. He raved about how it was the best he’d ever eaten and wanted the recipe for his wife.
When I gave it to him and he saw “1 cup of burgandy”, he paled.
“I can’t have wine in my house” said he, “suppose some friends saw a bottle of wine in my cupboard?” I explained that the alcohol burned off during the cooking process but he said “never mind about the recipe, but when you make it again, just bring me some.”
I thought it rather hypocritical, but loved that guy non the less.
Click to expand...
his attitude was hypocritical or was he making the best of a bad job. however if you find breaking somebody’s beliefs funny well thats your problem are you really saying you did not know about our w of w. would you do the same to a jewish person or muslim. and take it from a mormon the alcohol does not completly burn off.
you said you had a good attitude to the lds church then you must have known we are commanded not to consume alcohol. even in a nice spag bog.

yours
paul barlow 😛
 
40.png
PaulDupre:
If the violation was drinking coffee or tea, the member would be released from her callings and monitored. If she had a temple recommend (usually not) it would be revoked.

If the violation was smoking or alcohol the member was disfelllowshipped. No question.
Click to expand...
I can’t speak from personal experience, but this doesn’t seem right to me. Smoking is no more serious an offence in the LDS Church, from a moral standpoint, than drinking tea or coffee. Both of them consist of “breaking the word of wisdom,” and the same disciplinary action would be applicable for both. None of them I believe are causes for disfellowshipment.

amgid
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top