Mormons and Hot Liquids

By: Brandon James Scott Scholl

The other day I had my local Mormon missionaries over for dinner and a discussion.

I finally asked what the whole deal was about not having coffee. So, they directed me to Doctrines and Covenants 89. What is interesting to me is the only thing that has anything to do with Hot drink is verse 9.

"And again, hot drinks are not for the body or the belly"

D&C 89:9

Now, the context of this verse is saying that alcohol and tobacco are not to be used because it's not healthy for the body. The verse that mentions hot drinks is just thrown in there as a side not in a way. When I asked about the history of this verse, they gave me an interesting back story.

At the time, all the men were chewing and spitting tobacco and it was disgusting. So, Smith's wife asked him to ask God about it. So, Joseph Smith got the revelation for this chapter. Now, that's all fine such, but I don't believe in the purity of Joseph Smith in any way, shape or form.

One of the missionaries that was talking to me about this has chronic migraines like I do, and he also takes caffeine as well as I do. So, things like coffee aren't bad because of the caffeine in it at all. However, with the caffeine, what is coffee? Black water?

There's another story I've heard, and although I can't prove it, I like to think of it as quite a plausible theory. It says that Smith's wife asked him to have a revelation to get rid of the tobacco, so he had a revelation. Well, as retaliation, the women in the area stopped inviting Mrs. Smith to their tea parties. So, again, Mrs. Smith asked her husband to have a revelation getting rid of hot liquids.

Something to think about.

The Bible is Reality

By: Brandon James Scott Scholl

Something to think about. If you think about the Bible as truth, you must accept it as a reality. It's not something with a plot you can pick apart. It's a very literal history book. Something that is hard to even put into perspective with that though is Creation. It talks about nothing being around and God hovering. Then, as it goes on explaining creation, these amazing things happen. I mean, we read about land and water coming out of nothingness. Then, we have animals come out of nowhere.

Take it one step further. Between the four Gospels we get an in-depth explanation of the Crucifixion and the ressurection. The simple thought of someone resurrecting and ascending into the air is simply inconceivable. But, when you realize that the Bible is a historical document, even the parts of faith are truth.

Here's the best part, some of it hasn't happened yet. Revelations and the Book of Isaiah talks about the future and the 7 year tribulation with the Anti-Christ. Something along those lines would only be seen in an apocalyptic movie. But, those movies only scrath the surface of what the tribulation and end-times will be like.

So, here's the question that you really want to mull over: Do you really believe what you believe to be real?