The Word of Wisdom: Not a Commandment

It's funny how long a person can go along with what they *think* is "true" doctrine, until one crack enters their neatly ordered world, and suddenly they start to look at all of the things they've been taught with new, more critical eyes. Such has been my journey as of late. I am learning so many things that I was unaware of before, and with that new knowledge comes new discernment. I can no longer just accept "doctrine" at face value, because so much of what I've heard has been edited, whitewashed, or even fudged to the point that the original intent/meaning has been lost or was never really there. I'm very slowly figuring out which doctrines are really true to me, and part of that discovery process is digging deep into some of my long-held beliefs about the things I've been taught. I hope to do a series of posts on the conclusions I come to as I continue to explore, differentiate, and adapt to what I learn. 

My first post is on the Word of Wisdom.

The Word of Wisdom was given as a “revelation” for the temporal salvation of saints, not as a commandment or by constraint (or restriction.) It is “adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest,” so that those who are prone to addictions can avoid them. It prohibits the consumption of wine or strong drinks, but then plainly states that mild drinks made from barley (which would have been assumed to be beer at the time it was written) are ordained for the use of man. It also prohibits the use of tobacco in any form, which scientifically has proven to be very good advice. It’s teachings on the reliance on fruits, vegetables, and grains and minimal consumption of meat is also scientifically valid. The use of “hot drinks” may be wise in that it avoids the possibility of addiction to coffee and/or tea (as well as the amount of money that can be saved by not buying such), but there doesn’t appear to be a consensus from research as to whether or not coffee is healthy, while tea does show some benefits. Beer seems to be the major exception to the prohibition against drinking alcohol as the Word of Wisdom is written. I also don’t see why the use of coffee, tea, wine, strong drinks, or even tobacco would disqualify anyone from entering the temple, since this advice, as written, was never meant to be a binding principle to separate people according to their health habits. Jesus never turned away people with health issues, nor does the LDS church deny entrance to the temple to people who are unhealthy because they eat too much meat or too few fruits and vegetables. My thought on this? Teach the people good principles, but then set them free to make their own choices, without placing additional burdens on them.

I feel that the Word of Wisdom is certainly wise advice, and those who follow it closely generally do enjoy greater health and strength, but it needs to be bumped down to just advice, not a constraint on people’s choices. I know that avoiding coffee, tea, tobacco, and alcohol has been one way members distinguish themselves, but I think it would be more beneficial to be set apart by how they act and how they love, rather than by what they don’t drink or use. As Jesus said in Mark 7: 18-22, “… ‘Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?’ (Thus he declared all foods clean.) And he said, ‘What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness.’” 

I am in the midst of deciding for myself what parts of the Word of Wisdom I still feel the desire or need to follow, and which I can set aside as the advice it was meant to be. I appreciate that this particular teaching gave me the incentive to quit smoking, and I know I have been healthier by following this health law. But I also recognize that many people have been denied access to the LDS church's highest saving ordinances because of addictions or practices that are not an indication of their morality or dedication to Christ. The use of coffee, tea, alcohol, or tobacco are fairly normal and common practices that have no bearing on eternal salvation (if they did, most of the early leaders and members of the LDS church would not have been allowed to join, much less enter the temples.)