Word of Wisdom
One of the most distinctive features of the Mormon religion is the Word of Wisdom, the Mormon code of health. Joseph Smith, first prophet and founder of the Church, received the Word as a revelation in 1833—after he had prayed about a certain problem. Many of the leaders of the Church used tobacco in meetings and would leave huge messes.
And many of the Church’s revelations come in similar ways. God would always encourage us to seek out truth for ourselves, to come up with questions about life and doctrine and anything that moves or troubles us, and ask Him. If we are uncertain about something, He has an answer, and through this process of pondering, asking, and receiving that answer, we gain a greater understanding. Indeed, Joseph Smith’s First Vision was prompted by such a process—Joseph Smith wished to know which church was true, so he could join it. He asked of God and Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him and gave unto him greater truth than he could have expected. If we conclude, ourselves, that we are lacking in knowledge and understanding, if we conclude we need to ask of God, He will always open to us.
This is how the Church of Christ was restored to the earth in its full and purer form and this is how we received the Word of Wisdom. The Word of Wisdom, long before science, pointed out the drawbacks of such things as coffee and black tea, chewed or smoked tobacco, and alcohol. Mormons are also to strictly refrain from illegal drugs, as one might expect.
Today, even with the increased awareness of and about drug use, countless people suffer from alcoholism and their families suffer as well. When drunk or under the influence of other drugs that alter the mind, people can do terrible things. The damage done by drunk driving is sobering in itself, let alone the increased potential for domestic violence, then the long-term effects . . . such as divorce or financial instability, or even becoming destitute. Tobacco can kill eventually, not only the smoker, but those too often exposed to the smoke. It is also addictive—as are even coffee and tea, which people can form a strong psychological reliance on (especially in the morning).
The Word of Wisdom begins with an introductory statement, warning against “. . . evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days” (Doctrine and Covenants 89:4). (The Doctrine and Covenants is a Mormon book of scripture.) And, indeed, those who supply the nations with drugs are only benefited by addiction and dependence.
People have begun to understand this. Smoking is less of a problem than it was, although drinking is often seen as safe in moderation and coffee and tea are rarely seen as problems at all.
But the Word of Wisdom is for our good. Its purpose is not only for physical health, but for spiritual health. The Lord has also stated “. . . not at any time have I given unto you a law which was temporal . . . for my commandments are spiritual" (Doctrine and Covenants 29:34-35). Many commandments seem to be only temporal, only dealing with the body or with physical well-being, but everything the Lord commands has a spiritual core. The Word of Wisdom and other commandments, such as looking after the physical welfare of our children, storing up food in case of an emergency, and giving to the poor, teach us charity, humility, obedience, and commitment. They strengthen our resolve and our faith in the Lord, our willingness to do what He would have us do. And when we abstain from substances that might change us or make us think less clearly, we are free from certain unhealthy spiritual dependences or obsessions. Our mind is clearer, our life is freer. The Lord always gives us choice—drugs often don’t.
The Word of Wisdom is not only a commandment about what we shouldn’t eat, but about what we should. We are to eat food that is healthy, such as grains, fruits, and herbs, and meat only in moderation. By obeying all parts of this commandment, those in the Mormon faith are promised blessings: “And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones; And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures; And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint. And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen” (Doctrine and Covenants 89:18-21).