Generalizing the Word of Wisdom
We are all supposed to be a little amused at the fundy types who won’t drink cokes because tea and coffee have caffeine.
(Actually there’s no bad reason to not drink coke.)
The fundy approach is assuming there is a general principle behind the specific rules from the Word of Wisdom, trying to figure out what the Word of Wisdom general principle, and then applying it generally.
That’s their logic with caffeine. They reason that coffee and tea should be avoided because they contain lots of addictive caffeine and therefore maybe we should avoid other products with high levels of caffeine. And we are supposed to think this is stupid and low class. How ignorant to think that the commandments are unknowable and arbitrary. How nekulturny to trying to be an agent instead of just doing exactly what they are told and only what they are told. How pharisaical.
Whereas the Pharisees were doing something in the opposite direction. Putting a hedge about the law means making extra sure you try not to violate any arbitrary commandment. Generalizing means assuming they aren’t arbitrary.
The reality is that treating the commandments as arbitrary and unknowable is stagnant and small. Whether its in big areas like sex roles or the male priesthood or in little things like coffee and tea.
The real problem with the fundy approach is they don’t generalize enough. Instead of just looking at coffee and tea they should be looking at the entire thing.
They should be looking at addictive foods in general. They should be looking at the general principles that are stated in the Word of Wisdom itself.
In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days,
The best article I’ve read about the Word of Wisdom is this one. I think one of you linked to it.
it’s a contingent commandment, for here & now in particular – & it’s got to do with avoiding coordinated exploitation. That seems to be the way the Church understands the principle, too – it is generally taken to encompass most addictive substances (&, to some extent, behaviors, though those are less well-defined).
My intent here is not to demonstrate the revelatory brilliance of the scripture – it just got me thinking about just how much of the modern world can be understood as a conspiracy to exploit addiction.
Look at the next couple of lines in the Word of Wisdom from the one I quoted
That inasmuch as any man drinketh wine or strong drink among you, behold it is not good, neither meet in the sight of your Father, only in assembling yourselves together to offer up your sacraments before him.
6 And, behold, this should be wine, yea, pure wine of the grape of the vine, of your own make.
In other words, if you are going to have alcohol, have it for a limited purpose and make it yourself.
I’m not actually hankering to do this. I think alcohol is bad for you and causes liver damage even in small amounts.
But it would be a lot more faithful to the general principles of the Word of Wisdom to make your own beer and drink it on occasion than it is to scrupulously avoid alcoholtobaccocoffeetea while gorging on sugar and industrial seed oils.
Maybe we should only be eating sugar that we raised ourselves and only for special purposes.
The real appeal of homesteading these days is knowing where your food came from.
seriouslypleasedropit
November 4, 2021
10/10
George Q Cannon
November 4, 2021
As hot liquids are condemned in the Word of Wisdom it follows that the Saints should avoid the eating of soups and stews.
[]
November 4, 2021
The problem with fundies attempting to build on the general principle behind the commandment is that’s not the commandment, it’s the general principle. Avoiding industrial food brings great blessings, not least because it’s done not by commandment but by words of wisdom. Whether or not brewing your own beer and drinking it is faithful to the *principle* behind the Word of Wisdom it’s not faithful to the *commandment* in front of it.
Momof6
November 4, 2021
If anything, I am becoming more radicalized in regards to the Word of Wisdom as I grow older and have more kids. I would really like to NOT be that mom that bans sugar and takes all the kids’ Halloween candy, but every time my kids have any kind of treat – even homemade brownies! – they go slightly insane. What’s a mom to do?
And when I reached my thirties, I found that I come down with a cold every time I have junk sugar cereal (I’m looking at YOU, Marshmallow Maties and Cap’n Crunchberries). Best I can figure it has to do with my gut flora.
So we have gone in WAY the opposite direction in our household. Sometimes I refer to it as The Church of Whole Wheat. Wheat for Man, as section 89 says! Pancakes, bread, tortillas, pasta. I couldn’t point to any particular health benefit as proof that this is a good thing, but as general points of interest:
1 – Our kids hate white bread and say it’s tasteless and gross.
2 – No one in our family has any gluten intolerances or any food sensitivities, or auto-immune problems of any kind.
3 – When whole grains and whole foods the norm, anything less makes you feel sick.
4 – Our kids are all healthy and all are of normal bodyweight.
Bookslinger
November 5, 2021
GQ: You have a point. I read that incidence of throat cancer is higher among those who regularly drink hot beverages.
But what if I let the soup/stew cool down first, and check it with an instant-read thermometer?
Rozy
November 5, 2021
Momof6- I raised our five on whole wheat too! They were sick much less than their peers (at church because we homeschooled) and all were normal bodyweight with no gluten intolerances or food sensitivities (except textures for some of them) or auto-immune problems. And all of them grew taller than predicted when measured as toddlers. (My sister didn’t raise her children with whole wheat and they all are shorter than predicted when measured as toddlers. Go figure.)
Every time I hear that a “diet” requires giving up grains, especially wheat I disregard it. When God said wheat for man I believe Him! Whole wheat products, not the refined junk food products. Anyway, I guess each person has to receive personal revelation and find what works for his/her body overall.
E.C.
November 5, 2021
As for our family, we eat a lot of what we grow in our 1/2 acre of garden and orchard, all through the year. I put up SO much this year – especially fruit; despite a record drought the fruit trees were jammin’ – quite literally; I made probably 40 pints of jam. Which is excessive, but the mulberries were so delicious!
We also tend to eat less meat, though my dad and brother require some because they get anemic without it. For myself, I prefer ‘but a very little meat’, but I like dairy.
Since my dad’s allergic to corn, we avoid most things with corn syrup in, which cuts out a lot of sugary junk. I still eat too much sugar, but am trying hard to reduce my consumption, because diabetes runs in the family and I’d like to not.
And yeah, we do try to eat whole grains where possible, though we do less of our own baking these past few years – too many other commitments.
Sute
November 5, 2021
I strongly agree with much of this. Certainly, sugar and refined salt/fatty/starchy carbs are massively addicting.
The issue is surely one of those conspiracies talked about. And that’s not sinister men sitting in a back room. Its focus groups and scientists and marketers finding and planning on ways to make money selling you tastey stuff that’s bad for you.
The best advice I have in this area is go a majority of without eating or drinking sugars, heavily cut back on any processed carbs that come in a box or bag, and get several hours of moderate to high intensity exercise a week.
My personal approach with the sugary starchy things is to accept that it’s inevitable at get togethers, etc so I eliminate most of them from my home meals. And I make 90% of my familes meals from scratch.
E.C.
November 5, 2021
@ Sute,
Even then it’s not inevitable at *all* get-togethers. I’ve successfully put a bug in the ear of several people planning church gatherings to give us the occasional healthy option. This resulted in yogurt parfaits (cheap, easy, build-your-own), bread and butter and homemade jam, and veggie/fruit trays. Of course there has been junk food as well, but the healthy-ish options were surprisingly well-received.
G.
November 6, 2021
Pretty inspiring comments, all.
Sute
November 6, 2021
EC,
Great idea. I LOVE the parfait buffet. Definitely doing this at the next activity.
Joe H
November 6, 2021
I recommend books by Jason Fung and Benjamin Bikman for dietary advice.
E.C.
November 6, 2021
@ Sute,
I think in general people get a little overwhelmed when every church activity they go to has sweets as the main option for ‘socializing food’. There are tons of easy hors d’oerves that are savory/healthy-ish. It mostly just requires thinking outside the box.
G.
November 7, 2021
Joe H,
Yes. Or this thread ?
Joe H
November 7, 2021
This thread is a good start!
Zen
November 7, 2021
I think it is very easy for us to wrongly assume we understand the why of the WoW, not that we shouldn’t try. I think that is true of revelations in general.
One thing I have recently been reading, is about the causes of our modern obesity epidemic. https://slimemoldtimemold.com/
Calorie intake does not appear to be the primary cause. There are things in our environment, and especially our food and water, that are not good for us. These are just not the usual suspects. For instance, lithium contamination in our water, while also following a low-sodium diet, could be part of the problem. Low levels of anti-biotics, medications and xeno-estrogens (from plastics) aren’t doing us any favors.
In any case, conventional wisdom isn’t necessarily our friend here. But making our own food probably is. And that is something the Church has talked about, in the context of eating our own food storage. One thing I have been playing with, is making my own hot sauce. Delicious, custom and pro-biotic as well!
D&C 42:40 should be interpreted more widely… not that I am a good example. I mean that, we should be more independent of the world, or begin striving to be.