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Mormon View: Alcohol In Medicine - Page 2

I do not see anything wrong at all with using alcohol in medicine, and I do not recall any leaders making mention about it either. Nevertheless, if there is a free-alcohol option I would take that but I won't make a big deal about it if I cannot get one free of it.

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My cousin was serving her mission in Bolivia. She had been ill for a day or so when her companion (a native of Bolivia) went outside their apartment, picked a few leaves off a bush, made a tea and gave it to my cousin to drink. In no time at all she was feeling better. The leaves were from the Coca bush, the same leaves they make cocaine from.

I think everything Heavenly Father created has a good purpose. We are the one's who have found "alternative" uses for them.

Mormon View: Alcohol In Medicine Studies Doctrine Mormon

I understand what she is referring to here.

It isn't as cut and dry as people make it out to be. I see people quick to point out that it clearly states "don't drink coffee, tea , alcohol and drugs." Maybe they are referring to another scripture that has not been canonized in the standard works. If we are looking at D&C 89 as a point of reference, It clearly cautions against drinking wine unless its being taken as an offering during sacrament. (We have since been further revelated to understand that water is symbolically as effective.) He goes on to caution us to make sure the sacrament is offered in the purest form possible. This is suggestive of a preexisting problematic situation.

Beyond that, in verses 12 and 13 we are basically cautioned not to eat meat unless its in winter or times of famine. I only point this out to show how subjective this scripture is ultimately broken down to. I don't see many people trying to advocate abstaining from meat unless its winter or we are experiencing famine.

We quickly disregard the use of wine in sacrament because it has been revealed that water should be used instead. The next thing it says, in the same sentence is that we are cautioned not to use strong drinks but it tells us barley can be used for mild drinks. Even in common terminology there is a distinction made between Hard Drinks and Beer. I don't know many mild drinks made from barley aside from beer. You could argue that the current church wouldn't accept this direction of thinking and you might be right.

That said, Joseph Smith ordered wine be brought to "calm the spirits" when he was in the Carthage jail. Did he break the word of wisdom or did he have a better understanding of it? I tend to take the stance that Joseph is our model convert to this religion... even if we are born into it, we can observe his walk of faith and learn from it. We aren't perfect and in attempting to understand our own personal revelations on how we should obey the commandments we do our best. It's a personal and very subjective process.

As far as alcohol in medicine, I don't see the church cautioning against that nor the use of narcotic prescription medicine. They don't caution us against holistic medicine either, in the same breath... herbal "tea" remedies are permissible.

I think the current church stance on this is a middle of the road approach... they caution you to be as conservative and logical as possible and when in doubt, you won't fail if you hold yourself more conservative then less.

A good example is that the church has been vocal about coffee but less vocal about caffeinated drinks.

By the way I don't drink strong or mild drinks myself. I don't advocate living in the grey area.

Edited: Ryann on 22nd Feb, 2008 - 1:05pm

Page 2 Medicine Alcohol View Mormon

I don't believe the important issue is to worry about what form of the CnH2n+1OH molecule (alcohol) we may have ingested or accidentally touched.

There's the tangible and the spiritual.

Joseph Smith ingested tangible material that violated the letter of the law of the Word of Wisdom after he received the revelation. The saints travelling west packed coffee and tea as rations for the journey. There's just two glaring examples of the difference I am talking about.

Taking the tangible extreme position, I guess none of them are going to the Celestial Kingdom ... They came into contact with a forbidden tangible substance right?

I have a sneaking suspicion that isn't really the point of the Word of Wisdom.

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What I was implying when I asked if Joseph kept the word of wisdom or if he had a different understanding of it, what I ment was....

Keeping or breaking the Word of Wisdom wasn't a to the letter law when Joseph Smith was the Prophet. Although it was Joseph who had the revelation and Hyrum Smith who clarified that hot drinks meant Coffee and Tea...It was a revelation that Brigham Young decided needed to be followed as a commandment. The original way that the early saints observed this principle was just as a recommendation... When the brethren decided collectively that the saints should take god's recommendation and imposed it on the church, thats when things changed.

I don't think its a matter of salvation. It's a conditional revelation. The principle is : These are dietary restrictions that if you keep them will bless you with temporal health. In its current state, its a covenant made with God that we are held accountable for. What I am trying to point out is that it's a covenant that is made based on the individual's personal understanding of the Word of Wisdom. Not everyone makes the same deal.

Mormon View: Alcohol In Medicine

I agree. The Word of Wisdom can be a rich and deep spiritual practice. It is practiced at many levels of understanding. Like you said, it is a conditional concept. If you do X then Y will happen.

I may have been too dramatic in my point. The main thing I wanted to say was that my view of the Word of Wisdom is that the spiritual aspects are more important than the tangible, physical aspects.

The desire to become intoxicated is a problem to explore spiritually. It's the symptom of an internal problem. Coming in contact with or even drinking some alcohol (like in a medicine) is not "evil" in and of itself.

The same applies to the consumption of stimulants, excess or wasteful consumption of meat or other unhealthy foods, etc. It goes on and on. There's a lot of great space to dig for hidden "treasures of knowledge" and insight.

Mormon View Alcohol Medicine - Page 2

Guys, let's keep focus on the thread which is about Alcohol in Medicine. There are already threads about the Word of Wisdom and other issues you all are mentioning located here:

Is it OK to drink tea?

https://www.bordeglobal.com/foruminv/index....wtopic=6647&hl=

Oh Thou Meat Eater!

https://www.bordeglobal.com/foruminv/index....wtopic=7698&hl=

Word of Wisdom-FAT!

https://www.bordeglobal.com/foruminv/index....wtopic=6799&hl=

Please feel free to post your thoughts on these topics in the appropriate thread. Let's keep this one for what is for: Alcohol in Medicine. Thanks.

Mormon View Alcohol Medicine Mormon Doctrine Studies - Page 2

Usually I check how much alcohol is in it. I'm taking the medicine BECAUSE of the alcohol I'm taking it get back to good health. I'm also not going off Drinking medicine every Friday night. There is a difference.