At the age of 39 Sister Josephine Kennedy finally felt ready to go to through the temple. She had passed the interview with the Bishop and completed the temple preparation course. She was hoping to be at her sister’s temple wedding two weeks from now. Yet when I met with her the spirit warned me that something very serious was amiss. In our discussion on the question of obeying the Lord's law of health I was horrified to learn that she regularly partook of Green Tea. She claimed that just as members are now permitted to decide for themselves whether to drink Coca Cola she too, as a grown woman, should be able to decide for herself whether or not to drink green tea. She also said that according to her research and her doctor it was in fact a very healthy habit.
From this month’s *Ensign we learn that "Those who struggle with sin sometimes rationalize in an attempt to minimize the consequences of their behavior. But somewhere inside themselves, they are aware of what they have done and know they are in spiritual bondage. Almost everyone I have met struggling with addiction suffers from a terrible sense of shame and a belief that he or she is broken, defective, and beyond the love and grace of God.”
I assured Sister Kennedy that she could overcome this addiction and warned her that the leaves used to make green tea are the very same ones as in regular tea and thus carry the very same danger.
Sister Kennedy tried to tell me that it wasn't an addiction but a conscious health choice but I assured her that it takes faith, hope, and time to heal from the patterns of self-deception that accompany such addictions.
Sister Kennedy asked whether the Saviour would still consider her worthy to enter the Celestial Kingdom if she continued to drink green tea. I told her that in most cases it will be the little things that keep people from the highest degree of glory. Drinking green tea is in fact not little though, I explained, it renders one unclean and unworthy to enter into the holy temples where sacred covenants, essential to one’s salvation, are made with the Lord.
Sister Kennedy, who was probably fearing that the Lord would cast her out for her disobedience, humbly accepted my offer of a priesthood blessing. Through me, an authorized servant of the Lord, she was blessed with tenacity, courage, and a strong desire to be clean as she marched toward recovery. She was counseled to press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope. She was warned that she must not give up or decide that because temptations and cravings return, there is no hope; there is always hope in Christ and He is the hope of recovery.
After the blessing I encouraged her to report back to me in three months with regards to her progress, at which point I am hopeful that the Lord will consider her to be both clean and worthy to enter into His house and make sacred eternal covenants. I also lovingly assured her that her sister would completely understand.
I am thankful for the gospel and the way in which it helps each child of our heavenly father strive to become more like the Saviour, and I leave these thoughts with you in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.
I know this is only satire, but sometimes it makes my blood boil because I know this is really happening to people. As always President, you never cease to amaze me.
ReplyDeleteit makes my blood boil that you think only mormons can achieve celestial glory, green tea isn't make from normal tea leaves, but from other herbal sources! while your at it why not forbid lds members to eat, chocolate, crisps, cake, macdonalds, why not bar them from the temple if their overweight? beause these things are worse then green tea!
ReplyDeleteDear Sister Smith,
ReplyDeleteI don't believe this is satire. In fact I can testify that I had the same situation. I was preparing to go on a mission and had gone through all of the prepatory steps, speaking with 2 Bishops (the one whose Ward I was currently in, and the one whose Ward I would be leaving from) and having passed both interviews, went to see the Stake President. It was he who was inspired to ask probing questions and who banned me from going on a mission due to a sin I committed 6 months previously. I am amazed that he would ask the specific question he did, which makes me firmly believe the Spirit whispered to him. Anyways, I was sorely upset that Christ immediately forgave in the New Testament, yet in modern days we must go through a year's worth of probation. I never pursued going on a mission again.
~A. Nonymous Wan
I testify that through the Atonement we can overcome addictions like green tea. Stevie doesn't understand that the first and most important law unto the heavens is obedience to the Lord through his Prophets. President Thomas Monson is His Prophet today and President Paternoster is one of his chosen elect.
ReplyDelete*** NOTE TO THE READER OF THIS BLOG ***
ReplyDeleteThis is NOT a website sanctioned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Nor is "President Paternoster" a stake president within the Church. Rather, the content of this site varies from farce to pointed criticism [which is, at times, painfully accurate].
Many, but not necessarily all, of the posts are written in mockery of those who are sincerely striving, albeit imperfectly, to follow Jesus.
Caveat utilitor.
President, I too fear I may have gone astray. You see, I regularly partake of grape juice which I understand comes from the same fruit that could be made into wine which I would never dare to drink. As you counseled this sister about green tea should I also repent of my grape juice consumption?
ReplyDeleteI fear I may be cast out. If only I was in your stake and could receive a blessing at your hands.
What about tea with no caffeine? I know a lot of green teas have caffeine, but the ones are don't are a herb tea. ?
ReplyDeleteYes, as a former member the hypocrisy I see about the word of wisdom with members is mind blowing.
ReplyDeleteThere are lots of members walking around 350 lbs+ and in leadership positions. - addicted to junk food. Yet are smug enough to think they are more righteous and worthy then others because they can answer yes to the word of wisdom question.
Yet these same people are killing themselves due to their bad health eating habits.
In makes me wish I was somehow back in the Bishopric so when these members come in for their temple recommend renewal interviews and I ask about keeping the word of wisdom, and they answer yes, I can say really??? really?? You weigh a ton, look like a whale and you want me to sign off that you are keeping the word of wisdom? The Logic defies the mind.
Is this the woman's real name? Or did President P. continue his practice of changing names to protect the privacy of people? I'm sure the woman felt the love of the Savior as she was reminded while sitting outside the temple that she must repent of her iniquity.
ReplyDeleteNope, sorry, notta happening. You eat boogers when no one is looking and therefore you are unholy and unpure. You see, green boogers are slimy or sticky and both are unholy and unrighteous situations.
ReplyDeleteWe can not allow booger eaters in the temple along side all those who sacrifice to not partake of the other tasty green treat.
But, your husband who emotionally and verbally assaults you on a daily basis, well, as long as he doesn't indulge in the sticky delights or join that woman in her sinful leaved drink she permits to pass by her lips and down that slippery slope, he is deemed worthy to enter into the holy house of the gold plated Moroni. He is clean and pure. Nevermind the brown mist he emits (oops) as he approaches the altar with another woman (not his unholy booger-eating wife) with whom he is having an affair with that he didn't have to confess since he already had a recommend in his pocket. You know, the recommend he received when he didn't skip a beat when asked if he has any conduct contrary to the teachings of Christ with his family. And unlike you, he didn't confess to that slippery habit of defiling your body with sticky matters that has rendered you unclean to enter the doors of the temple.
After all, he is man- hear him roar- as he has the holy special powers to speak in the name of God since is a man and a non-booger eater.
*I left out a very important part of his role in approaching the altar.
ReplyDeleteHe was ADAM and she was EVE as the "witness couple" since neither confessed to their sexual fling for weeks before entering the house of the gold plated Moroni. He didn't think twice about walking as a couple with her in the temple and not saying NO to the temple worker when asked if he'd be the witness couple with his new EVE while is unclean wife who confessed to her habit of eating boogers was not allowed to enter the holy house of hypocrites.
How sweet, how pure, how clean...
You have to be legally married to be the witness couple. Your story is flawed.
Delete@stevie, @Molly
ReplyDelete"... it makes my blood boil ..."
You'll be OK as long as you don't use that boiling blood to make tea (;=)
It's funny. I've never been LDS, but I've heard this from more than one Mormon coming out of Mormonism: One of the first things they do here in Arizona is drink a gallon of iced tea.
ReplyDeleteFrom a Mormon perspective President P - How can this poor sister overcome the addiction through the atonement?
ReplyDeleteThe verses about Jesus sweating as it were great drops of blood are highly suspect and Biblical Scholars agree that these verses did not exist in the original Gospel of Luke.
The verses themselves when they were added to the Bible can be traced to sometime during the second century - and even then they only reside in a few extant manuscripts as a textual footnote.
But for a Mormon the atonement rests in the garden theologically speaking. Its where Jesus paid for your sins apparently. Jesus himself even said so in D&C 19:16-20..
BUT if Jesus never actually did this historically and we know when this story was added to the traditions of Jesus - how can she be forgiven?
666 = Pte.Patemoster.
ReplyDeleteI have thick blood according to doctors. (I actually had to take blood thinners BEFORE surgery!) My body makes inflamatory reactions to everything. Green tea treats these symptoms. I drink my green tea decafinated. Since I started, a side benefit is I no longer have kidney stones. I was given the okay in my temple interview and got my recommend. Because of discussions like this and the fact that my son-in-law yelled at me because I drink green tea, I hold a recommend but voluntarity stay out of the temple. If there was a healthy alternative to the tea that I could take, I would. Please, let me know what it is. Until then, I'll just suffer with guilt.
ReplyDeletePS I'm a different anonymous than the one posting before me. -Thick Blood.
ReplyDelete¿no tiene otra cosa más importante en que preocuparse que en el té?.."-no contamina lo que entra en la boca del hombre sino lo que sale del corazón".Hijo de Satanas.
ReplyDeleteGreen Tea never ruined anyone (outside of Mormonism).
ReplyDeleteYou see the Word Of Wisdom, though good for your health, is more of a question of faith.
ReplyDeleteOne can argue the affects of Tea or Coffee either good or bad. The fact is, that really doesn't matter. God said no tea or coffee and that is good enough for me.
Comparing wine/grape juice to green/black tea is ignorant at best.
Many have smoked cigarettes and lived long full lives. Many have drank a beer a day and have lived full lives. Many drove drunk and never got in a car accident. That doesn't make it right.
We are commanded to be a peculiar people, and me not partaking of tea, coffee, and alcohol does pose questions from my peers which is often a great missionary opportunity.
The question is not about health, but are you willing to submit to the father with faith of child. (Mosiah 3:19)
The grape juice comparison is very reasonable.
ReplyDeleteThe statement that "comparing wine/grape juice to green/black tea is ignorant at best" is ridiculous, insulting and makes the poster sound like a moron. It betrays an underlying aversion to knowledge and a tendency to blindly attack anything that doesn't naturally jive with your personal biases. You think of that as "faith," no doubt. I do not.
Making no further value judgements here, and only attempting to point out a few simple facts:
"Green" tea and "black" tea come from the same plant. Wine and grape juice come from the same plant.
To produce black tea, the tea leaves are intentionally fermented, which causes dramatic chemical changes in the leaves. To produce green tea, the leaves are intentionally prevented from fermenting, which minimizes the chemical changes in the leaves. Isn't there just a tiny clue in the fact that when the leaves come off the live plant, they are green, and that the leaves used to make green tea are still green, while the leaves used to make black tea are in fact dark brown to black in color? That's because those black tea leaves have been fermented, while the green tea leaves have, again, been intentionally prevented from fermenting.
Wine is made from fermented grapes--the very same grapes that could have been used to make grape juice instead. The fermentation process changes the chemical composition of the grapes. Grape juice is made from fresh grapes that have been prevented from fermenting.
Am I the only one who sees the parallels, here?
So wine is chemically quite different from the fresh grapes that it derived from, like black tea is chemically quite different from the original leaves of the tea plant that it derived from.
Grape juice is chemically nearly identical to the grapes it derived from, like green tea is chemically much closer chemically to the original leaves of the tea plant that it derived from.
Black tea and green tea are in fact different substances despite their common origin. Wine and grape juice are in fact different substances despite their common origin.
To "THICK BLOOD"; I can't see any reason why you should suffer any guilt over drinking the green tea that is treating multiple serious medical conditions, and I certainly don't see any reason why you should intentionally avoid the temple over that specific issue. The Coumadin (most likely) that was administered to you as a blood thinner before your surgery was savagely bad for your body, while there is certainly no evidence that green tea is unhealthy or addictive. Coumadin is a brand name for warfarin. Warfarin is rat poison. It fundamentally changes your body chemistry for a long time after administration and can easily kill you. On the other hand, from all professional/medical accounts, green tea is actually good for your body, and I've never seen any evidence that it is an addictive substance. I know people who have been in cancer remission for many years and they and their (LDS) doctors are convinced that green tea is a vital component of them staying cancer-free. There is plenty of (mounting) evidence that green tea is a cancer preventative. I'm not sure I've seen any actual doctrinal prohibition specifically against green tea. But there are plenty of people who would rail against it who happily take varying combinations of blood pressure medications, cholesterol medications, blood thinner medications and all manner of other medications which have heinous interactions and side effects and no doubt consider themselves totally "pure" and "worthy" because they won't touch green tea.
ReplyDeleteLike other posts here, I am certainly aware of plenty of people who are frankly flat-out fat who would consider themselves worthy Word of Wisdom followers when clearly they aren't.
If it's a straight matter of faithfully following a commandment, the commandment itself was pretty vague. The one clarification back in the good 'ol days that hot drinks meant "tea and coffee" no doubt was a reference to black tea, as green tea was probably completely unheard of in early America and the wild west.
We all know that tea is a specific plant, right? Herbal "teas" are not tea. At all.
Tea itself, in the good 'ol days, was grown in far-flung places like China and India. It was processed and shipped by a handful of companies like the Dutch East India Company that had the market completely locked up and would shoot you to prove it to you. They didn't ship green tea. They fermented the tea leaves, which was virtually the only way they knew to keep them leaves from rotting. So they shipped black tea.
Consequently, in the 1830's and 1840's, "tea" meant black tea.
I'm not at all sure I'm convinced, personally, that green tea falls in the same category as black tea with respect to the Word of Wisdom, and superstition is pretty uninteresting to me. Green tea and black tea simply are not the same stuff.
What I do know is that there is a surplus of people who have a strong tendency to completely ignore their own deep faults while tromping around telling other people what to do, and using all the power of shame that they can bring to bear on people to try to compel them, threatening hellfire and eternal damnation if they don't conform to that individual's view of righteousness. That, as far as I am concerned, is actually evil.
Frankly, I think your son-in-law sounds more than a little bit like a self-righteous prick who may well have his head buried so far up his own backside that he can't recognize himself. He would probably be better served spending a little more of his anxiety on his own faults, like that secret porn habit, or watching R movies when he's alone, or staring at women's bodies when he thinks he isn't being observed, or that affair he didn't confess to, or whatever it is. If he claims there isn't anything amiss in his own life, he's either a liar, or the most boring person every born (and consequently one of the most boring people every born).
Dear Anonymous:
ReplyDeleteIn response to your post
"On the other hand, from all professional/medical accounts, green tea is actually good for your body, and I've never seen any evidence that it is an addictive substance. I know people who have been in cancer remission for many years and they and their (LDS) doctors are convinced that green tea is a vital component of them staying cancer-free. There is plenty of (mounting) evidence that green tea is a cancer preventative. "
I would like to suggest that you read WebMD: http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-960-GREEN%20TEA.aspx?activeIngredientId=960&activeIngredientName=GREEN%20TEA
According to this link, the evidence that Green Tea is linked to cancer is still insufficient. If it does, its role may be because it takes many chemicals, both vital and toxic out of the body. For example, it is documented that women who drink green tea prior to conceiving may have children with birth defects because it robs the body of folic acid. Additionally the toll Green Tea takes on the body taking nutrients and toxins out of the body are documented to lead to liver damage/failure.
That said, it might be considered in those cases where Green Tea does help with cancer, it is linked to help in the similar way that chemo therapy helps treat cancer, eliminating all nutrients good and bad from the body. I don't know what your thoughts are on chemo therapy, but as a non-cancer patient I don't see this as the type of toll on my body that I would be willing to subject myself too. Perhaps that analogy is too strong, but the point is, there is clearly more folklore of Green Tea as a "cure-all", than true science reveals.
Studies on Web MD do note, however, that Green Tea does in fact help with alertness and increase energy. It is documented that the stimulant in green tea is caffeine, which comprises of 2 to 5 % of Green Tea servings. The church does not prohibit caffeine, but your statement reads: "never heard of it being addictive", when in fact, addictions to caffeine as a stimulant are well documented.
Just adding in a little more research on the topic. I am sure that there is prudence and timing in all things. Thank you for your comment, I do not mean to come across strong, but it is my belief that the Word of Wisdom recommends herbs, in place of teas as they also encourage "good, better, best" in all things.
The church does teach by the spirit of the law, not the letter of the law, which allows us to build a relationship with the holy ghost in seeking direction in caring for our bodies.
Finally, you mention that people wont touch the stuff because they want to be "pure and worthy".. Isn't that a good thing? For example, I wont drink soda, at all, but that has nothing to do with the temple recommend process and everything with my decision of putting only the best foods I can find into my body. Why waste calories on something that will taint my delicate system (I have type 1 diabetes).
With Love,
a fellow commenter.
Hi Evangeline,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments. A few things come to mind. One of the first is sincere kudos for not drinking any soft drinks. Your diabetes might have been the main factor in that decision, but either way, refined sugar is an evil thing. Glucose is the only fuel that your cells actually burn for energy (with various vitamins and trace minerals required as catalysts for cellular activities), but just flat-out refining the stuff and eating raw glocuse (or sucrose) is an invitation for everything from diabetes to cancer even if you are in perfect physical health. Bad stuff. In fact, I'm tempted to draw attention to some of the similarities between refined sugar and things like cocaine and heroin: white, refined crystalline... yeah, I'm calling sugar a drug. In fact, without looking for sources, I'm pretty sure I have heard that sugar is one of the main ingredients that cigarette companies learned to add to the cigarettes to increase addiction.
You know, there seems to be mounting medical evidence that coffee is atually good for you, including drastically lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes. I mean good aside from the bad breath and yellow teeth...
With respect to the Word of Wisdom and "herbs instead of teas" ... I'm a little bit confused as to what the specific differences are between a leaf from an herb plant and a leaf from the Camellia Sinensis (tea) plant that makes one an "herb" and makes the other the tool of Satan.
You can't convince me that all of these herbs are "healthier" than tea. Some of them would probably kill you in fairly low doses: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/factsheets/herbs/common_names.html
You know peppermint oil is actually flat-out toxic, right? Is peppermint prohibited?
(continued...) Honestly, I've probably started to shift into the camp who view the Word of Wisdom as being far more about making the herd unique from other herds, than about actual health benefits. And that's fine.
ReplyDeleteThat's an interesting article regarding green tea. I think that additional sources should be sought out, though, with respect to what green tea does or doesn't do.
Let's face it, neither you nor I can name the last person whose hair all fell out from drinking green tea. Chemotherapy, on the other hand... (right?)
In addition to the comments about the polyphenols in green tea improving joint health, fighting inflammation (inflammation being one of the major contributors to cancer growth), and helping the body fight off HPV, it says that "Caffeine is thought to stimulate the nervous system, heart, and muscles by increasing the release of certain chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters." But I'm pretty sure that statement is wrong, or at least misleading. My point being that the wrong/misleading statement is in the same article, from the same source, that the information about the green tea is in. Caffeine itself is not a stimulant, although it interacts with the body (brain) in such a way that the body's naturally-occurring stimulants (dopamine, epinephrine) are not suppressed like they normally would be when adenosine builds up (adenosine is a natural by-product of cellular metabolism).
As an interesting aside, what about the high levels of goitrogenic compounds in plants like broccoli and kale (all the cruciferous vegetables), which attack your thyroid gland, and high levels of oxalic acid in raw spinach, which causes digestive tract irritation and potentially contributes to joint problems, and the fact that cooked tomatoes provide far higher levels of nutrients than raw ones. Yet the raw food movement would have you believing that nobody should be cooking their vegetables. Are raw cruciferous vegetable prohibited? They're probably worse for you than green tea. The truth is that plants are very, very good at producing natural pesticides and you are probably better off cooking virtually all of them. And by cooking, I mean steaming or lightly boiling (or maybe microwaving), not frying them or boiling them into mush. And discard the water you cooked them in.
(continued...) My point is that I'm a little suspicious of research until I see it backed up from multiple reliable sources; sources which do not have a financial, existential or deeply philosophical or religious stake in whatever the truth turns out to be. Those kinds of sources are pretty rare.
ReplyDeleteTake salt, NaCl, good old Sodium Chloride. We all know it increases blood pressure and leads to atherosclerosis and heart attacks, right? Well, as it turns out, that's true for maybe 23% of the population, heavily dependent on your individual genetic makeup, and that for a sizable portion of the other 77% of people, studies show their blood pressure increasing when they reduce sodium intake. Huh. That's the opposite of what the medical profession keeps claiming is universally true. It turns out that most of the anti-salt propaganda is driven from a flawed, biased 1970's study. Scientific American has published a number of articles--look them up. So taking salt shakers off of tables might actually be killing some people, while benefiting a smaller group.
You know your body also produces a certain amount of caffeine on its own, right?
As far as caffeine addiction, the withdrawl period is about a week. It is nothing like hard drug addiction. Having said that, pregnant women should drastically reduce their intake or stop completely, babies certainly shouldn't have the stuff, nor should children unless (I suppose) it has been prescribed for something like ADD treatment (that's a whole other bag of worms.)
What gets me is the mental gymnastics that people will go through trying to convince themselves and their group (because nobody else cares) that whatever they're doing fits the "rules" despite possible appearances to the contrary. I'm relating this to the issue of people trying to convince themselves that they're "pure and worthy." And then the lengths they'll go to trying to enforce their particular notion of "pure and worthy" on everybody else. For example, I had somebody (LDS) describe an energy drink mix as "containing substances that cause your body to produce 'natural' caffeine." So I looked at the list of ingredients.
ReplyDeleteThe drink contains green tea extract. Sorry, but that means the drink contains straight-up caffeine, period.
So they should just stop kidding themselves and the other overly-credulous dupes that pay attention to them.
Don't go around kidding yourself or making other people's lives more difficult just because you (and I mean "you" hypothetically, not specifically "you, Evangeline") have a certain fixed idea of how things are. I have come to the conclusion that in 99.5% of cases when people are absolutely, staunchly convinced that they know what's really going on, they really don't actually have a clue and they're just trying to protect what they WANT things to be like because the alternative scares them or makes them feel like they'll lose something. And 99.5% of the time, the thing they'll lose is some form of control over something they have no business trying to control, anyway...
Which segues smoothly into a thought on your final paragraph, where you ask if it isn't a good thing that somebody wants to be "pure and worthy." My point was that I honestly believe people are totally hung up on the wrong notions. In many cases, they're causing themselves and other people (their children, their spouses) very real, very serious, very detrimental psychological distress over things that frankly aren't that big of a deal. What is a big deal and what does do real harm is shame, because it damages people. I'm not talking about guilt. Guilt is legitimate, and it should be an incentive for course corrections. Shame is a different animal, almost always imposed from outside, and it is evil. I'm not saying there isn't "right" and "wrong." I very clearly believe that there is right and wrong. I believe that the greatest wrong, as Dr. M. Scott Peck has alluded to in his writings, is coercing other sentient beings to do things "your way." And that jives totally with the notion that Lucifer/Satan was cast out because he wanted to force everybody to do "right" and then wanted all the credit for it. Honestly, I have seen people who I had just met for the very first time and recognized them almost immediately as LDS not because of some spiritual aura or silver pool of light surrounding them, but because they had a compulsive tic to be worthy and "do right." And honestly, it would have driven me stark raving nuts to have to spend much time in the presence of their psycopathy. Because it often is at least a mild form of psychopathy. And of course, I have also known well-adjusted (apparently, at least) LDS people who seem to be plenty happy and don't want to go around making people do things exactly their way. But honestly, there really is a cultural aspect to all of this. And that is decidedly not all positive and healthy.
So, no, I wouldn't think somebody should go around compulsively flogging themselves if they use green tea medicinally. Or even recreationally. But I don't suppose that will stop them, and I know it won't stop the good Sunday Mormons who berate them for their willful, sinful ways.
With love right back at you (sincerely).
What a fascinating story! I am so pleased it all worked out for you in the end. Either doctors don't know anything about fertility or your husband's vasectomy was not 100% successful and his doc just didn't want to admit it.
ReplyDeleteSo, it boils down to the issue of addiction, I assume... What if green tea consumption has NOTHING to do with addiction? I have never struggled with tea addiction, did not drink tea my entire life as member, yet starting to drink and eat the green tea leaves because I believe there is much health benefit in it.
ReplyDelete"Which segues smoothly into a thought on your final paragraph, where you ask if it isn't a good thing that somebody wants to be "pure and worthy." My point was that I honestly believe people are totally hung up on the wrong notions. In many cases, they're causing themselves and other people (their children, their spouses) very real, very serious, very detrimental psychological distress over things that frankly aren't that big of a deal. What is a big deal and what does do real harm is shame, because it damages people." That you described is the real problem. Living our belief is a good thing, imposing on others is Satan's way. Persuasion with love and patience is the Lord's way. Anything involved shame is just flat wrong, doesn't mater who you do that to- your children, your family... anyone.
ReplyDeletePlease forgive my offering another consideration: Naaman, an Old Testament man of importance, traveled all the way to Elisha, the Prophet appointed with the authority to speak for The Lord, to seek healing from leprosy. Elisha, having been appointed by God, gave a special commandment to Naaman: to wash in the river Jordan three times. This guidance was given through Elisha's servant. Naaman rationalized whether to obey. He did and was blessed with healing, from God, of his leprosy.
ReplyDeleteThe question, in my heart and mind is: if The Lord speaks through His appointed servants, and I know He does, then it becomes up to me whether to rationalize or to simply obey. I know Obedience to God, (whether spoken by The Lord or His appointed servant, "it is the same".
This principle is very important because we all can speak with the Lord's appointed servant and receive specific guidance that is personal to our own specific needs. My goal is to have the humility required to simply obey.
I have loved my own personal counsel received from my leaders. I must admit,meow ever, in complete and sincere honesty,, that I remember two incidents where my feelings differed. In both situations, I chose to humble myself before my maker, in humble prayer. In both cases, I was generously shown that I was wrong. I was able to repent.
In additional, over the last 32 years, I have been delivered from many hardships and overwhelming challenges, including cancer, financial hardship for my wife and I and our 5 children, and too many difficult trials to name hear.
At the time of my cancer, I had decided not to receive treatment, before meeting with my Bishop. He asked to meet with me. I was grateful to meet with him, and felt much love from him. He provided me with counsel and a blessing. As I left his office, I knew that I was wrong. I proceeded to obtain treatment, was cured of cancer, my life was spared, I was able to serve a mission then at age 21, that was a tremendous additional blessing. I was blessed to marry an amazing woman in the temple,and have five amazing children.
Thus, we can all see the huge gulf between my thinking and God"s personal guidance through His appointed servants.
I cannot express my humble gratitude for the fullness of the restored gospel.
Without my Bishops, and other leaders, I never would have survived cancer, served a joyful mission that provided soooo many huge blessings, married my wonderful bride in the temple, and have five amazing children.
Of much less importance, The Lord blessed our finances too as we always paid our tithing. I eventually graduated from law school Magna cum Laude. Thus, we could help our children more, because of these blessings that come from obedience.
The Lord would have a humble people. We can be compelled to be humble, through trials and tribulations, or we can choose to be humble.
Please forgive my bad example, as I was blessed with trials and tribulations. But I now pray and beg for humility.
Naaman exercised humility when he listened to his own servant that persuaded him to go and wash in the river Jordan seven times. He received the cure of leprosy. I was similarly cured by following the specific and personal counsel given by my Bishop.
It's truly an act of love that The Lord gives each of his children their own personal Bishop that can provide specific personal guidance. Stake Presidents of course are an additional blessing and help.
I humbly pray to follow the personal counsel received from my Bishop and my other appointed leaders. I pray for humility.
With love,
Bill, a very weak and imperfect convert of 32 years. I know this church is The Lord's church and contains the fullness of the restored gospel. Simply by reading the Book of Mormon, with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Jesus Christ, all can receive their own special witness of these things.
One thing that should be mentioned, is that when the WoW was given, the drinks of choice were Water, Milk, Coffee and Tea (Black Tea). Herbal Teas existed, but were not widely consumed. Could it be the Lord was suggesting that the regular ingestion of Hot Drinks was a poor substitute for water and milk (note before we homogenized and pasteurized it).
ReplyDeleteToday we have all sorts of drinks, most are fairly harmful, including HFCS, sugars, energy chemicals etc. But the basics still hold true. You should be drinking water daily, if you want to be healthy.
Of course there is the addiction aspect of it, but ALL (and i mean ALL) commandments are given to keep us connected to the spirit of the Lord.
Holy... hahahaha! I didn't realize this was satire... it's almost too true to life!
ReplyDeleteThere sure are a lot of people here named Anonymous...
ReplyDeleteI posted pretty early on that in the days that the WoW was first scrawled out on a piece of parchment, "green tea" wasn't really a thing people drank on this side of the planet. The tea leaves were intentionally fermented in part to keep them from rotting during long months of transport on creaky, dank, unsanitary, rat-infested old-timey sailing ships.
Also interesting is that the WoW says "hot drinks," not tea or coffee. The latter were offered some time afterward as a clarification of what "hot drinks" meant. Is hot chocolate not a "hot drink?" What about that?! What about hot flippin' apple cider? Oh my heck, people!
Also, "herbal tea" is not tea at all. Tea is a very specific plant: camellia sinensis. So your "Lemon Zinger" and peppermint and echinacea and whatever other herbal "teas" you're drinking and feeling guilty about... just stop it. I mean the feeling guilty part. Unless you take the "hot drinks" business literally, in which case you'd better toss out your hot chocolate and hot apple cider, too.
The "stevie" poster early on who said that green tea isn't tea, but is made from other herbal sources, is also completely wrong. Green tea is tea. The leaves just aren't fermented as with black tea. But both green and black tea are made from the same plant. Both wine and grape juice are made from the same plant, too, by the way. Food for thought.
Also, the LDS church has recently made a statement about caffeine. Apparently, caffeine is not Satan, and all the decades of people getting their shorts in a bunch and not drinking Pepsi because it has caffeine in it were sort of overblown if not pointless. Now, the refined sugar in Pepsi is a whole other story...
Did you really use a sisters' name? So much for confidentiality
ReplyDeletewhether this is a satirical article or not, the point of the word of wisdom is not, "don't do this or this or this; other than that, go crazy". it's a way to keep the body clean from any kind of addiction. whether it be tea, drugs, or cookies. 5 substances are specifically named for us to abstain from (none of which are caffeine. caffeine hasn't been "officially banned") because they can cause severe health problems. Isaiah 55:8 reminds us not to start thinking we're smarter than Him. Just 50 years ago smoking was thought to be good for you. Just because there are studies saying tea can have some health benefits, doesn't mean there isn't something that can cause detriment to our health. even beer has been proven to have health benefits. doesn't mean it can't cause cirrosis or other health problems. this is also where that whole "faith" thing comes into play. if we were meant to know absolutely everything right now faith wouldn't be hammered so much in the scriptures. If you're a member struggling with the word of wisdom just remember to have faith and make sure you have a testimony of the Book of Mormon. If you have that, that's really all you need because everything is based on the truthfulness of that book. If you're not a member, I'd just like to invite you to read the Book of Mormon and pray to God to find out yourself. Don't listen to what anyone else might say, no matter if that someone is or is not of the LDS faith, in the end, they are just men. God answers prayers, so He will let you know.
ReplyDeleteIs it REALLY? Or is it more that it's a way to keep this herd (sorry, flock) distinct (peculiar) from other flocks?
ReplyDeleteI had a friend who was bishop in our ward who professed that synthetic medicine was all bad and that in fact I should,nt even go to a doctor,and then due to not visiting a doctor he died at the age of 60 last year,because his state of health was not being monitored.
ReplyDeleteHe had blocked arteries even though thin.
As regards Green Tea a certain Stake president directed members (in my Stake) to drink it as it contains virtually no caffeine and is a proven ant-oxident,it is actually the very small central leaves from the tea plant that contain virtually NO Caffeine.
I personally suffered from a chronically blocked bile duct which cause massive bowel blockages.I clinically died on one emergency visit to the hospital,the cause:- a chronic lack of natural caffiene in my system due to my obedient behaviour and adherrance to the 'Word Of Wisdom'.
Caffiene is a naturally occurring substance found in Tea,Coffee,and Chocolate and many other plant based foods.
The amount of overweight members who give talks on the need for healthy food and then bring chocolate,cake,sausage rolls and horribly fatty food to church functions demonstrate how hypocritical
church laws have become that a fat person can be found worthy to die young from sytemic heart failure whislt a health freak can be refused the very things that can help him/her.
I know now I "trust not in the arm or flesh" but study,ponder,then make my own decisions about what goes in my mouth.
I have researched so much church history,I'm done with it(the history) as I have discovered so many condradictions.
Not for me to disagree with those who consider themselves sheep.
I prefer to lead,even if it gets me thrown out of priesthood for proving a certain prophet had nine wives when the church sanctioned book shows only two.I have a nice photo of the prophet with nine wives(and children) well after the church discontinued the practice.
My advice,if you want to find truth,use your own 'gift' of spiritual enlightenment and act.It says only the luke warm' get spat out not those who act in good faith,in their spiritual belief,not the dictates of bigotry and third part conduits.
If some see 'sin' and others 'righteousness', then refer to the biblical topic 'One man's meat is another man's poison'.
Then according to your own belief/s you will be judged!
ReplyDeleteIs it REALLY? Or is it more that it's a way to keep this herd (sorry, flock) distinct (peculiar) from other flocks?
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the leaves used to make green tea are the very same ones as in regular tea and thus carry the very same danger.buy matcha powder melbourne
ReplyDeleteIt's truly an act of love that The Lord gives each of his children their own personal Bishop that can provide specific personal guidance. Stake Presidents of course are an additional blessing and help. buy matcha powder perth
ReplyDelete@jowdjbrown Knock it off. Really. One instance of blatant advertising here was obnoxious enough, but to keep posting repetitively? Stop.
ReplyDelete