Gordon B. Hinckley: No to caffeine, coffee and tea. Mormonism Answers: Why Youth Serve Missions. How about medicines such as Excedrin, which contain caffeine? “Why Do Mormons Have So Many Family Traditions? In the Word of Wisdom, the Lord states that fruits and vegetables should be partaken of with “prudence and thanksgiving” D&C 89:10-11). mormons are not allowed to drink coffee or tea. Drugs would include all illegal substances, as well as caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco. Part of the confusion stems from Brigham Young University. During an interview with Larry King in 2004, President Gordon B. Hinckley of the Mormon Church discussed the Word of Wisdom: Gordon B. Hinckley: The word of wisdom covers many things. Mormons, as most folks around here know, don't drink alcohol, tea or coffee. Must have something to do with caffeine. This rumor also likely stems from the fact that Mormons do not drink hot drinks like coffee and tea. "Part of the issue is that nonofficial remarks by certain church leaders get selectively spread around," Jorgensen writes in an email. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, also called the Mormon or LDS Church, is a Christian sect established in the 19th-century United States. Mormons aren't supposed to drink caffeinated beverages. Mormon Caffeine Policy Clarified, Coke And Pepsi Officially OK For Latter-Day Saints. Mormon Apostle John A. Widtsoe, on page 96 of his book, Joseph Smith As Scientist, called caffeine a ‘vegetable poison.’ He states, “Without going into further details, it is readily seen that the teachings of Joseph Smith, in 1833, in relation to the value of tea and coffee in human drinks, harmonizes with the knowledge of today. It has long been assumed that because tea and coffee contain caffeine (which is addictive), that was the reason for avoidance. 2. the mormons that were very strict and drank nothing with caffeine in it. If caffeine were against the Word of Wisdom, he says, it would open the door to lots of questions and judgment calls. Well it is now 100 percent official - Mormon's are allowed to drink coke and more specifically caffeine, just not tea or coffee. Mormons don't drink green or black tea (caffeinated teas). Subsequently LDS prophets said that hot drinks referred to coffee and tea. Mormonism Answers: What Is the Plan of Happiness? However, since the punctuation was added by CNN, it is not clear whether President Hinckley was listing things we say no to, or whether he was clarifying the “no to caffeine” statement by adding the “coffee and tea,” in which there are lots of caffeine. Mormons can drink caffeine? others just don't drink it because caffeine is a stimulant and wearing on the circulatory system. Can Mormons Drink Soda?Why can mormons drink Coke? others just don't drink it because caffeine is a stimulant and wearing on the circulatory system. A study conducted in 1979 showed a 7% increase in distance cycled over a period of two hours in subjects who consumed caffeine compared to control tests. Latter-day Saints are taught not to drink any kind of alcohol (see D&C 89:5–7). Tag: Can Mormons drink Caffeine Is Caffeine against the Word of Wisdom? Mormons can choose! That’s a good theory and may have something to do with it, though it’s led to the misconception that Latter-day Saints can’t drink soda that has caffeine in it, which isn’t the case. The church has never come out and said that caffeine is behind the prohibition of hot drinks mentioned in the Word of Wisdom. Many "Mormons" take that to mean caffeinated beverages, so they will not partake of coffee or soda that contains caffeine. It condemns alcohol, tobacco and "hot drinks," which church leaders have subsequently described only as "coffee and tea." Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, The Mormon Church distributes free copies of the King James Version of the Bible and the. Although the Church does not specifically prohibit it, they do not endorse it either. OK, the actual passage was about "hot" beverages. (Which the Mormon Church has never formally come out against, as I understand it). Bar owners in downtown Salt Lake City need not gear up to serve the hordes of Mormons who will throng Temple Square during next weekend's LDS General Conference. 9 Missionaries Can Only Play Half-Court Basketball. Some believe it's the reason so they abstain from caffeine. I don’t happen to like Coke, but I don’t think I’m going to hell if I drink it. The Church does not prohibit Coke or Pepsi, however. Among other instructions, it prohibits the use of alcohol, tobacco and hot drinks. Followers of the religion adhere to strict fundamental rules that prohibit any drug use. That doesn't mean church leaders view drinks that contain it as healthy. Dew,' " he said, proudly displaying the sizable collection of Mountain Dew memorabilia he has in his office. Question. To avoid this, some Mormons choose not to drink caffeinated sodas at all, others just try to drink them sparingly. Caffeine is widely acknowledged to be a stimulant and an addictive substance. From 1899 to 2006 the word “caffeine” is mentioned only eight times in the Semi-annual General Conference reports of the church. December 9, 2018 May 12, 2020 Certina. Since moving to Cedar City to take a job teaching chemistry at Southern Utah University, the LDS professor has "carved out a place for [himself] as 'Dr. Well, some Mormons choose to avoid caffeinated soda because they believe, as mentioned above, that God wants us to avoid caffeine. Following this interview, many Mormons immediately quit drinking caffeinated sodas. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the position of the Church. Being addicted to any substance is proven unhealthy, and addictive behaviors should be avoided. They have specifically stated that Coke, Pepsi, and any other form of caffeine is completely fine as long as it’s not heated. Not sure why, but I have seen the blessings of it. Courtesy of stock.xchng. This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. Mormons have been instructed through a revelation known as “the Word of Wisdom” to not drink coffee or tea. Well that is what they believe NOW. Such misunderstandings continue to irk Matthew Jorgensen, a Mormon and self-described devotee of caffeine-stoked Mountain Dew. mormons can drink caffeine..... what they can't drink is coffee and tea - and while the reason for that is not given - many ASSUME it is because of caffeine and so make the choice to abstain from any caffeinated drinks. Can Mormons Drink Caffeine? Would decaffeinated coffee or iced tea be OK? When it comes down to it, the point of the Word of Wisdom is to take care of our bodies. During an interview with Larry King in 2004, President Gordon B. Hinckley of the Mormon Church discussed the Word of Wisdom: Gordon B. Hinckley: The word of wisdom covers many things. It covers, in a very particular way, the use of tobacco and alcohol. It’s not rocket science that soda provides no health benefits to our bodies, and it would not be considered healthy to “need” soda to get by day-to-day. Well it is now 100 percent official - Mormon's are allowed to drink coke and more specifically caffeine, just not tea or coffee. Since coffee and tea both have caffeine, some members took to avoiding all drinks with caffeine. “, Father’s Day: How Mormon Fathers Are Different. They have specifically stated that Coke, Pepsi, and any other form of caffeine is completely fine as long as it’s not heated. Any beverage that contains ingredients harmful to the body should be avoided. There are many positive effects of caffeine. Caffeine is addictive, and while avoiding it has never been a commandment in Mormonism similar to the prohibition against alcohol, nevertheless, Mormons have been counseled to avoid it. And if the argument is against high levels of caffeine, Jorgensen writes, "then the problem is that 'high' is completely arbitrary.". Are they against the Word of Wisdom? Breaking it is considered a major sin in Mormonism. 'Dew' tell. Though it does not state so, some take this to also mean not to drink caffeine in general. Some Mormons assume that anything with caffeine should be prohibited, especially soft drinks and chocolate. Nor has is said caffeinated soft drinks are prohibited. Many Mormons who grew up in Read More … Can Mormons drink Caffeine… They can drink decaff, non decaff, eat chocolate. Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) The LDS restrictions involving coffee and tea are fairly well known, though many people may not really know the details behind it. Caffeine is an ergogenic: increasing the capacity for mental or physical labor. In 1860, he counseled those chewing tobacco in church meetings to at least be discreet and not excessive, but did not charge users with sin. Mormons are free to down a Coke or Pepsi. Mormons believe that bodies are a gift from God and should be respected and taken care of, both inside and out. While it certainly CAN be, so can water - you can die from water intoxication. The LDS Church's health code, known as the Word of Wisdom, was issued in 1833 by Mormon founder Joseph Smith. Earlier this summer, Jorgensen was chosen to be "the face of White Out" in one of Mountain Dew's promotions. But it also mentions "hot … Gordon B. Hinckley: By saying, by proscribing those things. It is fair to say, therefore, that the caffeine content of a glass of coca-cola is just about equal to that contained in a cup of tea or coffee.” In October 1939, the Improvement Era ran another article titled “Caffeine in Cola Drinks.” Mormon Apostle John Widtsoe warned that “cola drinks contain the drug, caffeine. But convenience stores and fast-food eateries should brace for an onslaught of conferencegoers craving Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Mountain Dew or other caffeinated beverages. However, it seems that many Mormons follow what the health code advises without questioning why. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has clarified its position on caffeinated soft drinks, noting the news media often incorrectly states that its members are forbidden to drink caffeine according to a news article published by Heraldextra. Some think it’s because of caffeine levels. 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