Mormons and Caffeine

[AndOne]

Why is it that Mormans aren't allowed to consume caffeine? Or perhaps I should first ask - it it true Mormans aren't allowed to drink caffeine?

 

[Vanhin]

It is not true. Our word of wisdom prohibits coffee, tea, alcohol, and tobacco specifically. Avoiding other harmful substances is also in keeping with the Word of Wisdom.

We are generally counseled to avoid habit forming drugs, but drinking caffeinated beverages does not affect one's standing in the Church.

See the following for more info on the matter: The Word of Wisdom, Caffeine, and Hypocrisy

I personally no longer consume caffeinated beverages, mainly because I was drinking way too many sodas and it was making me fat.

Regards,
Vanhin

P.S. It's "Mormons" not "Mormans". Just a friendly tip.

 

[AndOne]

It is not true. Our word of wisdom prohibits coffee, tea, alcohol, and tobacco specifically. Avoiding other harmful substances is also in keeping with the Word of Wisdom.

So why can't you drink coffee or tea then? They are not harmful substances.

 

[AndOne]

P.S. It's "Mormons" not "Mormans". Just a friendly tip.

Sorry about that...

 

[Vanhin]

So why can't you drink coffee or tea then? They are not harmful substances.

Because we believe God has commanded us to not drink them (see D&C 89). We do not know specifically why they are prohibited.

Regards,
Vanhin

 

[Vanhin]

Sorry about that...

Oh no worries, common mistake.

Vanhin

 

[Moodshadow]

BB, some Mormons drink caffeinated beverages, some don't - but they are required to abstain from coffee and tea if they want to qualify for a temple recommend. As has been mentioned, the Word of Wisdom specifies "hot drinks," and that has been defined as coffee and tea by church leaders. Section 89, given in 1833, says it was given "not by commandment or constraint," and it was not officially considered a commandment until 1851. But ever since then it has been a requirement of faithful Latter-day Saints, and that means that yes, drinking iced tea could theoretically keep you out of heaven.

 

[Sophrosyne]

how about chocolate?

 

[AndOne]

BB, some Mormons drink caffeinated beverages, some don't - but they are required to abstain from coffee and tea if they want to qualify for a temple recommend. As has been mentioned, the Word of Wisdom specifies "hot drinks," and that has been defined as coffee and tea by church leaders. Section 89, given in 1833, says it was given "not by commandment or constraint," and it was not officially considered a commandment until 1851. But ever since then it has been a requirement of faithful Latter-day Saints, and that means that yes, drinking iced tea could theoretically keep you out of heaven.

Yikes.... Seems silly to me. Scary too.

 

[Moodshadow]

how about chocolate?

You can find super-devout Mormons who will tell you that since chocolate contains caffeine, using foods made with it is violating the WoW. However, once again, coffee and tea are the only things specifically proscribed, even though hot chocolate is both a hot drink and contains caffeine. There are zillions of cookbooks published by and for Mormons, and probably all of them have recipes containing chocolate. Some ward bishops strongly suggest to their ward members that they be more circumspect about keeping the WoW more strictly, but technically the temple recommend cannot be denied unless the the member confesses to drinking coffee and/or tea and/or alcoholic beverages - or, of course, using tobacco or illegal drugs.

 

[Sophrosyne]

You can find super-devout Mormons who will tell you that since chocolate contains caffeine, using foods made with it is violating the WoW. However, once again, coffee and tea are the only things specifically proscribed, even though hot chocolate is both a hot drink and contains caffeine. There are zillions of cookbooks published by and for Mormons, and probably all of them have recipes containing chocolate. Some ward bishops strongly suggest to their ward members that they be more circumspect about keeping the WoW more strictly, but technically the temple recommend cannot be denied unless the the member confesses to drinking coffee and/or tea and/or alcoholic beverages - or, of course, using tobacco or illegal drugs.

so caffeine is bad.... but could they put a pork steak through a blender and drink it?

 

[Vanhin]

so caffeine is bad.... but could they put a pork steak through a blender and drink it?

As per the rest of the posts, caffeine is okay to partake of in our religion. Like everyone else in the world who have different diets and health habits, Mormons are no exception. Some, like myself, do not drink caffeine (except on very rare occasions) - but it is not against the Word of Wisdom if I did.

Blending a pork steak and drinking it is okay too.

Regards,
Vanhin

 

[Rescued One]

As per the rest of the posts, caffeine is okay to partake of in our religion. Like everyone else in the world who have different diets and health habits, Mormons are no exception. Some, like myself, do not drink caffeine (except on very rare occasions) - but it is not against the Word of Wisdom if I did.

Blending a pork steak and drinking it is okay too.

Regards,
Vanhin

It will taste YUCKY unless you enjoy baby food meat!

 

[Vanhin]

It will taste YUCKY unless you enjoy baby food meat!

I do enjoy baby food "vegetables" but not the meat. So, I won't be making any meat smoothies for myself anytime soon.

Regards,
Vanhin

 

[Moodshadow]

so caffeine is bad.... but could they put a pork steak through a blender and drink it?

Theoretically, yes - but I'd rather put funeral potatoes AND green jello in the blender than that pork steak!

 

[Rescued One]

Theoretically, yes - but I'd rather put funeral potatoes AND green jello in the blender than that pork steak!

I've never heard of funeral potatoes. I only attended two LDS funerals. Do they have a meal at the chapel or do they deliver it to the family's home?

Utah Funeral Potatoes - A Recipe for Utah Funeral Potatoes

 

[A New Dawn]

so caffeine is bad.... but could they put a pork steak through a blender and drink it?

It's not really the caffeine, I know plenty of LDS who drink/drank Mountain Dew, which has the highest caffeine content of all the sodas.

 

[Sophrosyne]

It's not really the caffeine, I know plenty of LDS who drink/drank Mountain Dew, which has the highest caffeine content of all the sodas.

yup the Dew will just about give you a caffeine buzz for sure

 

[Moodshadow]

It's not really the caffeine, I know plenty of LDS who drink/drank Mountain Dew, which has the highest caffeine content of all the sodas.

I had a bishop who conducted temple recommend interviews with a gigantic plastic cup of ice on his desk, which he would fill and refill as needed from a nearby six-pack of Classic Coke. Some people drink decaf coffee, but that's not really kosher, if you'll pardon the pun, because (for the zillionth time) it's not supposed to be about the caffeine.

 

[curleom]

It is not true. Our word of wisdom prohibits coffee, tea, alcohol, and tobacco specifically. Avoiding other harmful substances is also in keeping with the Word of Wisdom.

We are generally counseled to avoid habit forming drugs, but drinking caffeinated beverages does not affect one's standing in the Church.

See the following for more info on the matter: The Word of Wisdom, Caffine and Hypocrisy

I personally no longer consume caffeinated beverages, mainly because I was drinking way too many sodas and it was making me fat.

Regards,
Vanhin

P.S. It's "Mormons" not "Mormans". Just a friendly tip.

Too bad for you guys, that you take the word of Mr. Smith over theWord of Jesus Christ, it Is Jesus who says "it aint what goes in the mouth that defiles ya, but what comes out that does that job" (paraphrase)

Jesus tells us one thing, Smith tells you another.

Sure the Mopologists will try to explaiin it away, but then again people have been trying to explain Jesus away for a long time now. Too bad for them

Who do yo choose to believe?