Why lds dont drink tea

Mormons consider it a privilege as well as a responsibility to follow the Word of Wisdom and are grateful for the blessings of health and strength that come as they live by its counsel. In the Word of Wisdom, the Lord commands Mormons to abstain from harmful substances. Latter-day prophets have also taught that Mormons should abstain from using illegal drugs and abusing legal drugs see For the Strength of Youth [booklet, ], In addition to giving instruction on what not to partake of, the Word of Wisdom gives wise counsel about things that are good for our bodies.

Mormons believe that obeying the Word of Wisdom is a small price to pay for these beautiful blessings. Rather, they believe the Word of Wisdom is a gift. It is a sacred revelation from a Heavenly Father who wants His children to be healthy and happy. Members of the Church treat the Word of Wisdom as a gift — a holy revelation from a Heavenly Father who simply wants His children to become healthy, strong and happy. Additional Resources Click here to learn more about modern revelation from God.

Word of Wisdom — what is it all about? In , President and Prophet Herber J. Grant was inspired to make it compulsory by complete abstention. This requirement is still currently in force and is expected to continue. Some drinks are called teas, but true teas come from the Camellia sinensis plant. These include the following:. These flavors and types of true teas sometimes come from how tea is processed and prepared. There is no prohibition on herbal teas in the Word of Wisdom or in church guidance.

Herbal teas, by definition, do not come from the Camellia Sinensis tea plant. They are sometimes classified with terms such as:. Teas like chamomile and peppermint fit into this category. You can generally assume that if a tea is labeled as an herbal, caffeine-free tea then it does not come from the tea plant and should be acceptable. The Word of Wisdom actually encourages the use of herbs in verses 8 and Some people assume that tea and coffee were prohibited because they contain caffeine.

Caffeine is a stimulant and can have harmful side effects. Research on caffeine is a modern phenomenon and obviously did not exist in when the Word of Wisdom was given to the Church. But while they were packing the wagons, they may have contemplated the advantages of quitting any coffee or tea habit they had acquired while living in Illinois.

So, to some extent, the rejection of tea and coffee amongst the Mormon Pioneers was a mechanism for building Mormon identity at the most basic, formative, constitutive level. During the Temperance movement years, the Mormons referred to the Word of Wisdom to eschew alcohol consumption and became associated with strict Prohibition reform. Around , the Mormon Church switched from the use of wine in religious ceremonies to water.

Today, it seems that full participation in the Church participation in the Mormon Temple is granted to those who are strict adherents to the Words of Wisdom.

Even today, there is a lot of discussion about whether it is just coffee and tea, whether cola is ok, whether decaf coffee and tea are ok, etc. Essentially, the Church leaders recommend the rejection of any drink that might be habit forming.

Any beverage that contains ingredients harmful to the body should be avoided. Now, coffee is seen as part of that slippery slope that leads away from God. Coffee, booze, marijuana, cocaine… all a defilement of the temple that God gave us. So, in lieu of coffee, what hot beverages do Mormons enjoy?