Mormon Church warns that coffee, vaping are no-nos despite fancy names, alluring flavors

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has issued a warning to members that coffee is prohibited no matter how fancy the name, that vaping is banned despite the alluring flavors and that marijuana is outlawed unless prescribed by "competent" doctors.

The new guidance in the August issue of a church youth magazine does not include fundamental changes to the religion's strict health code, but clarifications are significant and seem to reflect growing concern about young Latter-day Saints' adherence to the rules.

The article says it aims to clear up issues that could be confusing for young people within the religion's "Word of Wisdom," a set of rules about what foods and drinks are good for members and what substances they should avoid.

The rules prohibit alcohol, tobacco, illegal drugs and coffee and tea. They are based on what church members believe was a revelation from God to founder Joseph Smith in 1833. The faith's rejection of coffee has long generated curiosity and more than a few jokes, including a scene in the biting satirical Broadway musical called "The Book of Mormon" where dancing cups of coffee appear in a missionary's nightmare.

The new instructions about coffee make clear that there's no gray area allowing coffee-infused drinks and allude to the wide variety that could tempt members of the faith widely known as the Mormon church.

"The word coffee isn't always in the name of coffee drinks. So, before you try what you think is just some new milkshake flavor, here are a couple of rules of thumb: One, if you're in a coffee shop (or any other shop that's well-known for its coffee), the drink you're ordering probably has coffee in it, so either never buy drinks at coffee shops or always ask if there's coffee in it,"

I don’t know what church you belong to, but if your congregation believes in this ‘rebuking’, then I guess it’s ok to do it among yourselves.

Amoung yourselves?

I've noticed NO Protestants hanging out the shingle of what ever denomination they belong to here on FR.

It looks like they consider themselves to belong to the big umbrella of "Christianity"; therefore, like iron sharpening iron, we work out our 'differences' in full view of the world.

Any of these offshoot groups that want to claim that only THEIR way is the 'right' way are going to be in for a LOOOong day on FR!

https://religionnews.com/2019/06/18/20-changes-the-new-mormon-president-has-made-to-appeal-to-millennials-and-generation-z/

Titus 1:11
They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach--and that for the sake of dishonest gain.

Romans 16:17
I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them.

1 Corinthians 4:17
For this reason I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.

1 Corinthians 11:2
2. I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the teachings, just as I passed them on to you.

2 Thessalonians 2:15
So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

2 Thessalonians 3:6
In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us.

1 Timothy 1:3-4
3. As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer
4. nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God's work--which is by faith.

1 Timothy 1:7
They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.

1 Timothy 4:1-2
1. The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.
2. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.

1 Timothy 6:3-5
3. If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching,
4. he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions
5. and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.

2 Timothy 2:15-17
15. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
16. Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.
17. Their teaching will spread like gangrene.

2 Timothy 3:16-17
16. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
17. so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Titus 2:1
You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine.

Titus 2:15
These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.

Hebrews 13:9
Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings.

2 Peter 2:1-3
1. But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them--bringing swift destruction on themselves.
2. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.
3. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.

I need to apologize for getting somewart personal in my reply. I get frustrated with only cut and past answers and I let myself uae anger when answering.

Well; I use cut and paste so people CAN'T argue over MY words.

This way; they are opposing what organizations and 'leaders' have expressed.

"Any Latter-day Saint who denounces or opposes, whether actively or otherwise, any plan or doctrine advocated by the 'prophets, seers, and revelators' of the Church is cultivating the spirit of apostacy..."

(Improvement Era, June 1945, p. 354)

Reinforced here......

MP3 File

This is the audio clip of Dallin H. Oaks, current Mormon Apostle leader, from the PBS documentary, "The Mormons", declaring unequivocally:

"IT'S WRONG TO CRITICIZE LEADERS OF THE (MORMON) CHURCH, EVEN IF THE CRITICISM IS TRUE."

Don't criticize?

Dallin H. Oaks, Mormon Apostle

And here:

Temple Recommend Questions:

1 Do you have faith in and a testimony of God the Eternal Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost?

2 Do you have a testimony of the Atonement of Christ and of His role as Savior and Redeemer?

3 Do you have a testimony of the restoration of the gospel in these the latter days?

4 Do you sustain the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the Prophet, Seer, and Revelator and as the only person on the earth who possesses and is authorized to exercise all priesthood keys? Do you sustain members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as prophets, seers, and revelators? Do you sustain the other General Authorities and local authorities of the Church?

5 Do you live the law of chastity?

6 Is there anything in your conduct relating to members of your family that is not in harmony with the teachings of the Church?

7 Do you support, affiliate with, or agree with any group or individual whose teachings or practices are contrary to or oppose those accepted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?

8 Do you strive to keep the covenants you have made, to attend your sacrament and other meetings, and to keep your life in harmony with the laws and commandments of the gospel?

9 Are you honest in your dealings with your fellowmen?

10 Are you a full-tithe payer?

11 Do your keep the Word of Wisdom?

12 Do you have financial or other oblgations to a former spouse or children? If yes, are you current in meeting those obligations?

13 If you have previously received your temple endowment:

Do you keep the covenants that you made in the temple?

Do you wear the garment both night and day as instructed in the endowment and in accordance with the covenant you made in the temple?

14 Have there been any sins or misdeeds in your life that should have been resolved with priesthood authorities but have not been?

15 Do you consider yourself worthy to enter the Lord's house and participate in temple ordinances?

Oh, they can say that their leaders were NOT speaking for GOD when they said WHATEVER but that's NOT the same as criticizing!

( Remember fellow Christians: the Mormon's criticize US because they've been taught that they CAN'T criticize ANY of their leaders; so they HAVE to vent somehow! )

I guess I’d judge the efficacy of my ‘ironing sharpening iron’ ministrations by how they are received. I’ve gotten the impression over the years that neither Mormon nor Catholic appreciate yours.

There’s a saying: A lot of us are going to be surprised by the people we find next to us in Heaven, and surprised by the ones we see gone to the ‘other place’.

Tax collectors, prostitutes, all sorts of ostensibly ‘evil’ people will wind up in Heaven...while you are worried about points of dogma instead of the essentials of the first and second most important Commandments.

You strike me the same way that a lot of liberal activists have always done - they are more concerned with being THE ONE WHO IS RIGHT, than they are with BEING right.

(Capital letters just for you, dear.)

Please teach me of your own faith andvthe religious group you use to help you live it.

Nah; I don't play defense.

MormonISM makes the grandiose claims; IT needs to provide grandiose evidence.

Besides; you have the SAME book I use.

If it helps; you could place me into the Berean type of believer:

Acts 17:10-11
10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

I’ve gotten the impression over the years that neither Mormon nor Catholic appreciate yours.

I have NO idea why?

Rush has a similar problem with getting Liberals and Democrats to appreciate him; too.

Like him; I'm a member of Fuzzballs, Anon.

Perhaps it's the similarities between the two.

Mormonism

claims itself to uniquely be "the Church"
claims a unique and authoritative priesthood, thereby denying the royal priesthood of all believers
adds to the Holy Bible (with the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price)
accepts multiple satanic visions as being from God
undermines the power of Jesus' blood by its view of personal suffering for the expiation of sins
sings praise songs about Joseph Smith, Jr.
has strange doctrines regarding marriage (polygamy accepted in early days)
believes in God the mother (who has conceived multitudes of spirit children)
claims the head of their group speaks infallibly at times
redefines "saint" to mean a living, breathing Mormon, instead of a bible-defined child of God
accepts and spreads "another gospel" (Gal. 1:8,9)- good works, water baptism and church membership
professes itself as Christian; Jesus as God, Savior, Lord and Son of God; Jesus' atoning death and resurrection
doctrines are sending millions to Hell and they need to be openly refuted with Scripture

Catholicism

claims itself to uniquely be "the Church"
claims a unique and authoritative priesthood, thereby denying the royal priesthood of all believers
adds to the Holy Bible (with sacred tradition)
accepts multiple apparitional visions as being from God's Mother
undermines the power of Jesus' blood by its view of personal suffering for the expiation of sins
sings praise songs about Mary
has strange doctrines regarding marriage (celibacy still practiced among its clergy)
believes in the mother of God (who is the sinless Queen of Heaven)
claims the head of their group speaks infallibly at times
redefines "saint" to mean a physically dead Catholic who was afterwards "canonized," instead of a bible-defined child of God
accepts and spreads "another gospel" (Gal. 1:8,9) - good works, the sacraments, Mary and church membership
professes itself as Christian; Jesus as God, Savior, Lord and Son of God; Jesus' atoning death and resurrection
doctrines are sending hundreds of millions to Hell and they need to be openly refuted with Scripture
teaches and practices bowing before and kissing statues
WORSHIPS the consecrated communion wafer as God
claims Mary is their life, sweetness, hope and most gracious advocate (as revealed in the Rosary)
claims Mary was raised bodily into Heaven
claims they get to Jesus by first going to Mary

http://www.evangelicaloutreach.org/catholicmormon.htm

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