Drinking coffee is like saying I reject the church. That is a thought I have daily as I drink my morning coffee. It’s cathartic, therapeutic, and energizing. Drinking coffee is an open act of rebellion.
Mormons are not permitted to drink coffee. It is against the word of wisdom. The word of wisdom forbids drinking coffee, tea & alcohol (or barley drinks). There is a long history of how it came to be a commandment when the original emphatically stated it was not by way of commandment. The current interpretation actually inverts some of the original and ignores much of it.
Drinking coffee is saying I reject Mormonism.
Besides the great taste and the level of normality drinking coffee brings to the human experience of today, it’s an act of rebellion. Drinking coffee is saying I reject the church, I reject the church teachings and I reject the church leaders. I disregard the so-called commandments and the “wisdom” of the leaders. I do not believe the Mormon prophets are inspired by revelation nor do I believe that the word of wisdom came from any god. Their proclamations include odd interpretations of outdated nonsensical dictation of Joseph Smith from during the temperance movement by a sexual predator. They interpret the dictation in the Doctrine & Covenants section 89 as meaning abstinence from certain caffeine drinks (but only the hot ones). The interpretation also leaves out many of the other points in the “revelation”, things like eating things in their season and eating meat sparingly.
The world accepts that caffeine is a nice pick-me-up found naturally in drinks like coffee and tea. The caffeine was so uplifting and pleasant, people began adding it to more drinks. But only the original caffeine drinks are forbidden by the church. Mormons can drink all the diet coke they want. It was even nearly blessed during a general conference.
It took a great deal of time, repetition, patience; no small amount of hope and faith; lots of reassurance from my wife; and many liters of a diet soda that shall remain nameless.
`O How Great the Plan of Our God!` General Conference October 2016
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Then Second Counselor in the First Presidency
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2016/10/o-how-great-the-plan-of-our-god?lang=eng#p13
Outlawing coffee and tea is a silly cultural peculiarity. There are debates about if it’s caffeine or if it’s certain acids or other ingredients that make it “unwise” to drink. It’s really a litmus test for how much the church can control its members. How blindly will they follow the tests of faith presented to them? What will they do? There are many examples showing that you can’t be Mormon and drink coffee. You can’t go to Mormon heaven if you drink coffee according to this general conference talk:
Defining the Word of Wisdom
The Word of Wisdom as explained by the church teaches that it bans coffee, as it declares that church leaders have taught that the term “hot drinks” refers to tea and coffee.
And again, hot drinks are not for the body or belly.
Doctrine and Covenants 89:9
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/89?lang=eng&id=9#p9
The Lord revealed in the Word of Wisdom that the following substances are harmful:
Topics and Questions: Word of Wisdom
- Alcoholic drinks (see Doctrine and Covenants 89:5–7).
- Tobacco (see Doctrine and Covenants 89:8).
- Tea and coffee (see Doctrine and Covenants 89:9; latter-day prophets have taught that the term “hot drinks,” as written in this verse, refers to tea and coffee).
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/word-of-wisdom
Baptismal Interview
The same church leaders have declared that in order to join the church an individual must have a baptismal interview first. During this interview the church leader will ask questions to ensure the individual is ready to become a member and live accordingly. They are asked:
Preach My Gospel: A Guide to Missionary Service: 12: How Do I Prepare People for Baptism and Confirmation?
- You have been taught that membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints includes living gospel standards. What do you understand about the following standards? Are you willing to obey them?
- The law of chastity, which prohibits any sexual relationship outside the bonds of a legal marriage between one man and one woman.
- The law of tithing.
- The Word of Wisdom.
- The Sabbath day, including partaking of the sacrament weekly and rendering service to others.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/preach-my-gospel-a-guide-to-missionary-service/how-do-i-prepare-people-for-baptism-and-confirmation
Temple Recommend Interview
There is also an interview members must have to enter the temple, and make the covenants with God which are required for salvation one must be interviewed and answer a series of questions. These temple recommendations expire in two years and members must return and reaffirm answers to the same set of questions. One of which asks if the member understands and obeys the Word of Wisdom. This implies that a member understands the health code as defined by the church and lives accordingly.
11. Do you understand and obey the Word of Wisdom?
Church Updates Temple Recommend Interview Questions
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/october-2019-general-conference-temple-recommend
Thus, drinking coffee (and being honest about it), will prevent a member from entering heaven. This tracks, and matches the above story and teaching of Julie Beck in this conference address.
Benefits of Coffee
As for me and my house, we will serve coffee. We reject the preposterous truth claims of the church, we don’t believe the church leaders have god in their ear. We don’t believe coffee to be any worse than Coke or Red Bull or any other diet soda that shall remain nameless.
Here’s a mormon coffee joke:
“Drinking a cup of coffee every day has great benefits”
“What are they?”
“For one, it keeps you from being Mormon!“
As you drink your next (or first) cup of Joe, consider what it means to you.
More reading:
- https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2007/04/remembering-repenting-and-changing?lang=eng#p9
- https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/word-of-wisdom
- https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/89?lang=eng&id=9#p9
- https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/october-2019-general-conference-temple-recommend
- https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/preach-my-gospel-a-guide-to-missionary-service
What a dumbass frictional comment. Mormons do drink coffee and many of them in fact. Coffee doesn’t prevent you from being a member but you already knew that.
Assuming you are referring to your own comment here as being frictional and dumb.
While many mormons may drink coffee, this would prevent them from honestly receiving a temple recommend. There may be edge cases where a Bishop still approves the recommend, but this is a factor of Bishop-roulette rather than the church changing the rules. The recommend interview must pose the question in the interview and it’s up to the Bishopric and Stake Presidency to interpret the responses and award the recommend. The letter of the law is clear, a member must live the word of wisdom to get a temple recommend, and a temple covenant is required to enter heaven. You do the math.
Also, in order to be baptized a member of the church, one must have a baptismal interview. This also includes a question about obeying the Word of Wisdom. So, drinking coffee would prevent an individual from joining the church. Again, you do the math.
We’re not stating that this is what the church should be doing. We are simple stating that it is what the church practices. Like it or not, this is the church and these are the church policies.
Kindly provide an example of a church leader excusing coffee from the Word of Wisdom, or excusing coffee drinkers from following the Word of Wisdom in baptismal and temple recommend interviews to make your point. We have points here that clearly spell out the issue showing that coffee is forbidden. We’ll wait.