A few weeks ago, a friend shared with me what is called a scoby, or kombucha starter. It's a fermentation of tea (?) that is supposed to have all sorts of beautiful health benefits. I wanted to make my own, because the ones in the store are supposedly all made with black or green teas. I've been taught to avoid those types of teas because of the Word of Wisdom.
In D&C 89 it reads in verse 9, "And again, hot drinks are not for the body or belly."
Several years ago I read a book called Joseph Smith as Scientist, by John A. Widtsoe. The main thesis of the book is to point out that the Word of Wisdom as absolutely inspired, as there was little to no scientific evidence of any of the health facts at the time regarding many of the substances referenced. He points out that this was absolutely a revelation, and by revealing it, Joseph was indeed a revelator. Agreed!
With this in mind, I would like to point out a few things, and raise a few questions. But first let me say I have no problems abstaining from the things we are told to abstain from. I've never tried wine. Never smoked once. Never tried coffee or black tea, and really the thought disgusts me. I have no desire to break any "commandments", although I believe God was very clear upon revealing this that it was to be use "not by commandment or constraint, but by revelation and the word of wisdom, showing forth the order and will of God in the temporal salvation of all saints in the last days" (vs. 2). Question 1: why would God reveal through Joseph something that was NOT to become a commandment, and then turn around with Brigham and say, "Nah, changed my mind. It really IS a commandment. Just kidding!"
After all, it is "Given for a principle with promise, adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all saints, who are or can be called saints" (vs. 3). It's given for a principle, not a law. And what a beautiful promise! If it were a commandment or constraint, many might falter, and be prohibited from beautiful blessings. So it's not a commandment or constraint, right Jesus? But wait.
The traditional narrative I was always taught was that Brigham received a revelation changing all this. It's somewhere in our history books somewhere (or been lost to history), so we just assume it's true because it's what we've been told. At least I've always believed that, hence never having tried it.
One documented record reports that many years after we believe Brigham to have "changed" this to a commandment, that he was still struggling with giving up his tobacco habit. How could this be??? By saying this am I un-sustaining my leaders? Absolutely not! I'm just saying the documentation of this becoming a "commandment" I would assert implies differently than what we pass along by word of mouth. Does Brigham approve of this, if we were to lay claim to our stance on him? Would he approve, if he knew the course we have taken in turning his words into a commandment when God has indicated otherwise? Do our current leaders today give us guidance here? Sure. Year after year there is undoubtedly a Conference or Ensign talk that hammers this home. Do they have a source to point me to for when this changed from what is canonized to what we accept as true? A scholar was granted access to our history annals to dig up some official sources, but nothing was found. However it was found that things changed officially after Prohibition.
Some will say that our current prophet and leaders have received modern revelation on this. Is this true? Or are we simply following a tradition, as we did with blacks and the Priesthood? (Poor Brigham can't get a break with this stuff!)
Back to verse 9. Hot drinks. Hot drinks. One online blogger I found today said that Brigham said Joseph said this was tea and coffee. (Sounds like a game of telephone!) And then somehow we know that it's black tea and green tea. The same source I mentioned actually had arguments about which plant it is, down to the scientific name, and then went into tanic acid vs. caffeine.
A few verses after verse 9 God explains which grains are good for various animals, and delineates between wheat, corn, rye, barley and oats. Let's put 2 and 2 together.
God knows the difference between wheat, corn, rye, barley and oats. If He has a preference that we avoid black and green teas, and that herbals are ok, as well as hot chocolate, Stevens' Pumpkin Spice, or any other hot drink, why not delineate between them? If He prefers that we don't drink mate (Argentina - sorry, I'm too lazy to find the accent for the e!), or Iced Tea, why not delineate?
Any why do we delineate? It's hot drinks! Is it warm drinks? I would think it would have been clarified. Why didn't Joseph clarify too, if he knew what it was? Apparently it was obvious then, but only when we start nit picking and imposing judgment on others is when the trouble arises. I say I'll agree with the Lord; hot drinks are not for the belly. Agreed. Sustained. Done! No trouble here Bishop.
So what of kombucha? That's where this whole post came from. Jury's still out. I made mine with herbal tea, but it was certainly cooled. It's ready now to be used, but most websites I'm reading are saying it's imperative to have the black or green tea to keep the pH at a certain level, or to maintain the health of the scoby and to not pass on pathogens. So all my work in preparing this carefully might be in vain.
Maybe I could ask God and get an answer for myself on that? He's actually the best resource I could go to - better than Google, for sure. Any thoughts on this one?
In D&C 89 it reads in verse 9, "And again, hot drinks are not for the body or belly."
Several years ago I read a book called Joseph Smith as Scientist, by John A. Widtsoe. The main thesis of the book is to point out that the Word of Wisdom as absolutely inspired, as there was little to no scientific evidence of any of the health facts at the time regarding many of the substances referenced. He points out that this was absolutely a revelation, and by revealing it, Joseph was indeed a revelator. Agreed!
With this in mind, I would like to point out a few things, and raise a few questions. But first let me say I have no problems abstaining from the things we are told to abstain from. I've never tried wine. Never smoked once. Never tried coffee or black tea, and really the thought disgusts me. I have no desire to break any "commandments", although I believe God was very clear upon revealing this that it was to be use "not by commandment or constraint, but by revelation and the word of wisdom, showing forth the order and will of God in the temporal salvation of all saints in the last days" (vs. 2). Question 1: why would God reveal through Joseph something that was NOT to become a commandment, and then turn around with Brigham and say, "Nah, changed my mind. It really IS a commandment. Just kidding!"
After all, it is "Given for a principle with promise, adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all saints, who are or can be called saints" (vs. 3). It's given for a principle, not a law. And what a beautiful promise! If it were a commandment or constraint, many might falter, and be prohibited from beautiful blessings. So it's not a commandment or constraint, right Jesus? But wait.
The traditional narrative I was always taught was that Brigham received a revelation changing all this. It's somewhere in our history books somewhere (or been lost to history), so we just assume it's true because it's what we've been told. At least I've always believed that, hence never having tried it.
One documented record reports that many years after we believe Brigham to have "changed" this to a commandment, that he was still struggling with giving up his tobacco habit. How could this be??? By saying this am I un-sustaining my leaders? Absolutely not! I'm just saying the documentation of this becoming a "commandment" I would assert implies differently than what we pass along by word of mouth. Does Brigham approve of this, if we were to lay claim to our stance on him? Would he approve, if he knew the course we have taken in turning his words into a commandment when God has indicated otherwise? Do our current leaders today give us guidance here? Sure. Year after year there is undoubtedly a Conference or Ensign talk that hammers this home. Do they have a source to point me to for when this changed from what is canonized to what we accept as true? A scholar was granted access to our history annals to dig up some official sources, but nothing was found. However it was found that things changed officially after Prohibition.
Some will say that our current prophet and leaders have received modern revelation on this. Is this true? Or are we simply following a tradition, as we did with blacks and the Priesthood? (Poor Brigham can't get a break with this stuff!)
Back to verse 9. Hot drinks. Hot drinks. One online blogger I found today said that Brigham said Joseph said this was tea and coffee. (Sounds like a game of telephone!) And then somehow we know that it's black tea and green tea. The same source I mentioned actually had arguments about which plant it is, down to the scientific name, and then went into tanic acid vs. caffeine.
A few verses after verse 9 God explains which grains are good for various animals, and delineates between wheat, corn, rye, barley and oats. Let's put 2 and 2 together.
God knows the difference between wheat, corn, rye, barley and oats. If He has a preference that we avoid black and green teas, and that herbals are ok, as well as hot chocolate, Stevens' Pumpkin Spice, or any other hot drink, why not delineate between them? If He prefers that we don't drink mate (Argentina - sorry, I'm too lazy to find the accent for the e!), or Iced Tea, why not delineate?
Any why do we delineate? It's hot drinks! Is it warm drinks? I would think it would have been clarified. Why didn't Joseph clarify too, if he knew what it was? Apparently it was obvious then, but only when we start nit picking and imposing judgment on others is when the trouble arises. I say I'll agree with the Lord; hot drinks are not for the belly. Agreed. Sustained. Done! No trouble here Bishop.
So what of kombucha? That's where this whole post came from. Jury's still out. I made mine with herbal tea, but it was certainly cooled. It's ready now to be used, but most websites I'm reading are saying it's imperative to have the black or green tea to keep the pH at a certain level, or to maintain the health of the scoby and to not pass on pathogens. So all my work in preparing this carefully might be in vain.
Maybe I could ask God and get an answer for myself on that? He's actually the best resource I could go to - better than Google, for sure. Any thoughts on this one?
