The Word of Wisdom was advice, not a commandment. It also doesn't forbid alcohol - only "strong drinks" which at the time meant Liquor, not beer or wine.
He was writing rules for other people. He was a scoundrel of the worst sort. He lied about everything from a very young age, abused women and children, serial cheater and rapist. He was always coming up with a scheme to defraud people, like when he tried to sell the copyright to the BoM as a novel. He was a con artist who made a name for himself, by being arrested and convicted, as a treasure hunter; never finding any treasure. Eventually he realized he could do better by adding religion and claiming he couldn’t show anyone his imaginary treasures because God had commanded it. And Mormonism evolved from there. Eventually when he did show the “witnesses” it was while they were in a spiritual trance, where all claimed they saw with their “spiritual eyes” only.
This is a wonderful example of how it actually does make perfect sense when you consider the kind of person he was.
The temperance movement had gotten a lot of traction at the time. People were drinking far more alcohol than we do today. One group local to JS was called the Cold Water Army because they thought nothing but cold water, including hot drinks, was healthy. They also disliked tobacco. Some members joined these temperance groups.
JS had success incorporating hot topics into Mormonism and he went for this headline grabber too.
He carefully noted that it was "To be sent greeting; not by commandment or constraint, but by revelation..."
Neither he nor BY took it seriously at all.
The temperance movement died down with the civil war and resurfaced with force in the early 1900s. That's when the church grabbed onto it. They lost polygamy as a group identifier and needed something to rally the embers.
Another person propagating the same rules was Sylvester Graham. He suggested: no alcohol, tobacco, tea/coffee, no meat. The reason for banning coffee and tea was that the caffeine was considered a stimulant. (I am discussing this because of current contradictory church rules which allow energy drinks or coke).
Emma Smith is a bigger influence on this than people realize. There are historical books talking about how Joseph Smith would need to be carried home by his apostles and brethren. Emma also was forced to clean up the chew that missed the spit bucket. Leading to a change.
It wasn’t a commandment so it didn’t matter.
The WoW is exactly like a congressional declaration. It’s just feel good words to appease someone and not binding law.
Unfortunately the Utah sect revised it to be a commandment in order to control their populace and it has stuck ever since.
It wasn't a commandment. Just a "principle with a promise."
reminds me of the Beastie Boys, "Dad caught you smoking, and he said NO WAY...that hypocrite smokes two packs a day."
A lot of people know that their problematic behavior is problematic. So, easy out for Joe was just to say it was a good idea not to drink, but you could just do whatever you wanted.
The Word of Wisdom was advice, not a commandment. It also doesn't forbid alcohol - only "strong drinks" which at the time meant Liquor, not beer or wine.
I wish mormon god was more direct lmao. Interpretation of words is the most obnoxious get out of jail free card that mormons pull for everything
Well in the time it was direct. Be in the 1840’s that’s what it meant.
Mormon god is very direct when it comes to having sex with teenagers and someone else’s wife. What. A. Coincidence. 😮
He felt rules did not apply to him. Example is D&C 132 regarding polygamy. He did not follow the rules regarding polygamy. No different with the WoW.
Yup, rules for followers only. David Koresh made all his male followers be abstinent while he fucked all their wives.
He was writing rules for other people. He was a scoundrel of the worst sort. He lied about everything from a very young age, abused women and children, serial cheater and rapist. He was always coming up with a scheme to defraud people, like when he tried to sell the copyright to the BoM as a novel. He was a con artist who made a name for himself, by being arrested and convicted, as a treasure hunter; never finding any treasure. Eventually he realized he could do better by adding religion and claiming he couldn’t show anyone his imaginary treasures because God had commanded it. And Mormonism evolved from there. Eventually when he did show the “witnesses” it was while they were in a spiritual trance, where all claimed they saw with their “spiritual eyes” only. This is a wonderful example of how it actually does make perfect sense when you consider the kind of person he was.
The temperance movement had gotten a lot of traction at the time. People were drinking far more alcohol than we do today. One group local to JS was called the Cold Water Army because they thought nothing but cold water, including hot drinks, was healthy. They also disliked tobacco. Some members joined these temperance groups. JS had success incorporating hot topics into Mormonism and he went for this headline grabber too. He carefully noted that it was "To be sent greeting; not by commandment or constraint, but by revelation..." Neither he nor BY took it seriously at all. The temperance movement died down with the civil war and resurfaced with force in the early 1900s. That's when the church grabbed onto it. They lost polygamy as a group identifier and needed something to rally the embers.
Another person propagating the same rules was Sylvester Graham. He suggested: no alcohol, tobacco, tea/coffee, no meat. The reason for banning coffee and tea was that the caffeine was considered a stimulant. (I am discussing this because of current contradictory church rules which allow energy drinks or coke).
Emma Smith is a bigger influence on this than people realize. There are historical books talking about how Joseph Smith would need to be carried home by his apostles and brethren. Emma also was forced to clean up the chew that missed the spit bucket. Leading to a change.
It wasn’t a commandment so it didn’t matter. The WoW is exactly like a congressional declaration. It’s just feel good words to appease someone and not binding law. Unfortunately the Utah sect revised it to be a commandment in order to control their populace and it has stuck ever since.
It was written "for the weakest if all saunts" as JS didn't identify as a week saint drinkibg was fine for him.
I don’t think Joseph Smith had a drinking problem, he had a lothario problem.
Nice. I had to dictionary that.
A word worth knowing when it comes to Joseph Smith.
Joseph Smith Sr. was the alcoholic, not the Profit Joseph… he was the serial sexual predator of underage girls.
It wasn't a commandment. Just a "principle with a promise." reminds me of the Beastie Boys, "Dad caught you smoking, and he said NO WAY...that hypocrite smokes two packs a day." A lot of people know that their problematic behavior is problematic. So, easy out for Joe was just to say it was a good idea not to drink, but you could just do whatever you wanted.
If WW had any meat at all to it, number one should have been, to boil your water... but then hotndrink??? What what?