Mormons have different commandments or laws that they should keep and one of them has to do with their health.
Their law of health is called the word of wisdom.
The Word of Wisdom was supposedly revealed by the Lord to Joseph Smith
The revelation is recorded in section 89 of a book called “Doctrine and Covenants”
The Word of Wisdom commands Mormons to abstain from:
- Alcoholic drinks
- Tobacco
- Tea and coffee
- Illegal drugs
These are some thoughts and things that you probably haven’t heard about the Word of Wisdom.
Table of Contents
Word of Wisdom: FAQ
These are some of the most common questions that people have about the word of wisdom.
What events Led to the Word of Wisdom Revelation?
Joseph Smith, the first president of the LDS church was in charge of teaching a class to the men of the church.
Emma, Joseph’s Wife was in charge of cleaning the room used for those meetings.
Many of the men who participated in those meetings or classes smoked pipes or cigars.
Some of the men chewed tobacco and spit on the floor.
Emma found the work disgusting so he complained to Joseph about it.
Joseph Smith allegedly asked the Lord and as a result, he got the health code, which Mormons call the Word of Wisdom.
Is there any Influence from the Temperance Movement?
Yes, The LDS church has admitted that the temperance movement also influenced the creation of the health code known as the Word of Wisdom.
Some Mormons claim that God listened to the complaints made by Emma and also the complaints of people out of the Church who also found some of those substances harmful to the body.
Did Joseph Smith Keep the Word of Wisdom?
Joseph Smith and many Mormons didn’t keep the Word of Wisdom as faithful Mormons do today.
The next image from MissedinSunday shows how the Church was trying to hide the fact that Joseph Smith drank beer, even when God allegedly recommend Mormons not to.
Joseph Smith drank alcohol in Carthage Jail prior to being martyred
Is the Word of Wisdom a Health Code?
The Mormon health code wasn’t anything that people of the time hadn’t already figured out.
The word of wisdom doesn’t cover all you need to abstain from to live a healthy life and asks people to abstain from substances that have proven to bring health benefits.
Mormons can drink all the doughnuts, French Fries, Hamburgers, and Energy drinks they want.
Video: Word of Wisdom
This is a video from the Mormon Stories YouTube Channel in which John and Mike discuss the origins and the Creation of the Word of Wisdom.
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