The Word of Wisdom is a health code subscribed to by the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Abiding by the precepts of the code is one of the requirements to be worthy to enter the temples of the Church.
The Mormon prophet, Joseph Smith, Jr, claimed to receive a revelation in 1833 from which he dictated the precepts of the Word of Wisdom. This dictation is recorded in section 89 of The Doctrine and Covenants. Initially this teaching was not given as a commandment, but merely as an admonition. Thus, in the early period of the Church a number of Latter-day Saints including Church leaders still occasionally consumed things against which the Word of wisdom advised. However, by September 9, 1851 at a General Conference of the Church, Brigham Young, the president and prophet of the Church at the time, proposed that the admonition be accepted as a binding commandment for all Latter-day Saints from that time forward, and the body of the Church sustained the decision.
While the precepts of the Word of Wisdom have been developed somewhat overtime, its modern, primary precepts are summed up as follows:
Although section 89 does not refer to alcohol, coffee nor tea explicitly, General Authorities of the Church from Smith's time to the present have expressly stated that alcohol, coffee and tea are what is referred to by the terms "strong drinks" and "hot drinks". They have suggested that at the time the Word of Wisdom was introduced the strong drinks and hot drinks being consumed at that time were alcohol, coffee and tea. Presently, tea includes iced tea. Presumably, many of the hot, herbal teas with no obvious, harmful ingredients are not officially prohibited under the Word of Wisdom, but the Church does not officially endorse their use. Latter-day Saints are moderately divided in their stances on the use of such drinks. Some members choose to avoid them since they are not specifically excluded under the Word of Wisdom. Others see no harm in consuming them believing that some herbal teas contain ingredients that are especially healthy for the body.
The permissibility of consuming caffeinated products such as caffeinated sodass is a longstanding issue among Latter-day Saints. Because of the statements of various Church leaders (which are not official statements nor practices of the Church), some adherents and even non-members believe that caffeine is officially prohibited under the Word of Wisdom. If this were so, other things which contain caffeine besides soda drinks would be prohibited too such as chocolate. Some members who hold that caffeinated sodas are prohibited distinguish between things with naturally occurring caffeine and those things where caffeine is an additive although any difference in the chemistry and effect of caffeine as an additive or naturally occurring are
negligible. In short, members are divided on their stance of consumption of caffeinated beverages, though it is not usually a point of great contention. The Church has no official stance on the consumption of caffeinated beverages and the consumption of such does not constitute breaking the Word of Wisdom (that is, you can obtain a temple recommend if you regularly consume caffeinated beverages).
Adding to the caffeine issue is the broader question of why tobacco, alcohol, coffee, tea and possibly caffeinated-sodas are prohibited at all. The harmful health effects of tobacco are nearly universally recognized. It is presumed in the case of coffee and tea that these drinks are prohibited because of their caffeine content. Thus, the condemnation of caffeine or caffeinated-sodas by some Church leaders. However, some Church leaders have also stated that God has not revealed why some things have been prohibited under the Word of Wisdom. Some suggest that the reasons will not become known for some time as in the case of tobacco. Some have stated further that: the primary purpose of the Word of Wisdom is, like all commandments, for spiritual benefits; and like some other commandments, earthly benefits are merely incidental. For example, there
are a number of promised rewards contingent on obedience to the Word of Wisdom not all of which appear to be direct health consequences of obedience to the dietary code. These rewards stated in section 89 include:
In regards to the consumption of alcohol—or more particularly, ethanol—it has very little reedeming qualities: ethanol is toxic to the human body; it damages many organs and cells in the body including the brain and liver and gives rise to a higher incidence of cancer by hindering the immune system.
Recent scientific research was conducted into any possible health benefits of alcohol, which in the minds of some was an effort driven at least in part to justify moderate or light drinking. The research indicates that ethanol may provide a mild benefit to help prevent coronary heart disease. However, most, if not all, of this benefit can be achieved by other means without incurring the substantially greater harmful effects of ethanol. For example, the beneficial compounds found in red wine, polyphenols and resveratrol, are also found, although to a lesser extent, in peanuts, grape juice and cranberry juice.
In the December 1997 issue of the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, an editorial concludes that the recommendation to be a light drinker is "not only meaningless but also irresponsible" given that the many obvious health hazards of alcohol outweigh "the benefits of alcohol [which] are small and ill-understood" particularly when so many other cardiovascular treatments are available.
Section 89 does not specifically address illicit drugs, such as cocaine,
methamphetamines or marijuana, although the Church has officially denounced their use as a violation of that doctrine. Beyond illicit drugs, there are innumerable subjects related to the Word of Wisdom that have not been addressed in fine detail by the Church: exercise, medical treatment, junk food, etc. This is in keeping with the teachings of the Church that Latter-day Saints, having been given the Gift of the Holy Ghost, are entitled to personal revelation guiding them to make personal choices that are based on individual circumstances and are consistent with the doctrines and practices of the Church. It is not the purpose of the Church to give detailed rules for every aspect of living a Christian life. The Word of Wisdom is no exception. Thus, Latter-day Saints are expected to make wise choices pertaining to personal health that are not specifically addressed by the Word of Wisdom. This principle allows sufficient latitude for varying circumstances. For example, the specific application of the Word of Wisdom could be potentially more restrictive for a person susceptible to obesity, but that determination is solely in the discretion of the individual.
Given the latitude in applying the Word of Wisdom to personal circumstances, many Latter-day Saints feel that the consumption of caffeinated-sodas falls in the category of personal discretion; while some may consider consumption of caffeinated-sodas permissible, others may not. More strict Latter-day Saints hold that while no official prohibition restricts the consumption of caffeinated-sodas, consumption by any member does indeed violate the spirit of the Word of Wisdom, and a member receiving proper inspiration will recognize this as so.
The majority of Latter-day Saints acknowledge that generally the treatments of modern medicine and the advice of their physicians and the guides issued from the FDA is in keeping with the Word of Wisdom. In contrast to this more moderate position, a small minority of Latter-day Saints are wary of modern medicine and have interpreted the Word of Wisdom somewhat less conventionally. This group favors some aspects of alternative medicine—especially herbal or homeopathic treatments—to modern medicine as a more effective treatment of health problems. (Other alternative lifestyle choices, such as home schooling or a strong interest in the La Leche League, often appeal to this group of Latter-day Saints although interest in a particular, alternative lifestyle is not necessarily inclusive of other popular, alternative lifestyles among the Latter-day Saints.) While alternative treatments might also include acupuncture for a few, magnet therapy would be too radical. Still some of the practices, such as the heavy consumption of colloidal silver for common colds, directly contradicts the conventional wisdom of modern medicine and the precautions advised by the FDA. Latter-day Saints generally consider most forms of alternative medicine to be quackery or based on pseudoscience. Thus, although Joseph Smith permitted a phrenologist to examine his head in the 19th century, nearly all Latter-day Saints now-a-days reject the validity of phrenology, an academically respected field of research in its day.
A 14-year study conducted by UCLA epidemiologist James E. Enstrom tracked the health of 10,000 moderately active married LDS couples. Of these non-smoking, monogamous non-drinkers, Enstrom concluded from the study "that LDS Church members who follow religious mandates barring smoking and drinking have one of the lowest death rates from cancer and cardiovascular diseases—about half that of the general population... Moreover, the healthiest LDS Church members enjoy a life expectancy eight to 11 years longer than that of the general white population in the United States." (LDS Lifestyle May Be Secret to Long Life, Associated Press)
This study and others conclude that Latter-day Saints live significantly longer, healthier lives compared to the general U.S. populace, a consquence that correlates to their health code, the Word of Wisdom. Thus, Latter-day Saints extol the prohibition against even moderate consumption of alcohol, coffee, tea and tobacco as divine guidance whose wisdom will be recognized in time.
Critics reject these studies in part because other factors may be credited for Latter-day Saints' longevity and health.
Brief History
Basic Precepts of the Word of Wisdom
Contrary to the suggestions of some, the Word of Wisdom is not a code of vegetarianism. Moreover, the original restriction in section 89 that meat only be eaten in times of winter, cold or famine appears to have been relaxed somewhat given modern means of storing and preparing meat.The Meaning of "Strong Drinks" and "Hot Drinks"
Caffeinated-Soft Drinks
Purpose of the Word of Wisdom
Alcohol
Health Subjects not Explicitily Addressed
Caffeinated-Soft Drinks and Personal Discretion
Views toward Modern and Alternative Medicine
Health Studies regarding Latter-day Saints
External Links
