Mormon, Catholic doctrines can collide (No coffee, tea in polling place?)

East Valley Tribune ^ | March 1, 2008 | Lawn Griffiths

[greyfoxx39]

Religious and cultural traditions collide in odd ways.

• Is it right to tell election poll workers, assigned to Mormon church meeting houses, to not bring coffee, sodas or anything else caffeinated to refresh themselves during their long day tending to voters?

-SNIP-

First, let’s look at the polling place duties and sipping Maxwell House in the meeting house.

Longtime Tempe poll worker Mary Ann Hemmingson has signed up to work the polls for the March 11 election. She’ll spend her 14- or 15-hour day in a church, but no longer one that belongs to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“I never sign up to work at a Mormon church because the board workers there are not allowed to have any caffeine on the premises,” she said. “That means no coffee in the morning and no Diet Coke in the afternoon. ... You don’t want to see what I look like without my daily dose of caffeine. It’s not a pretty picture.”

“The Word of Wisdom” portion of the Doctrine and Covenants, put forth in 1833 by church founder and prophet Joseph Smith, says that “hot drinks are not for the body or belly.” Add to that what H. Burke Peterson, first counselor in the Presiding Bishopric, said in 1975: “We know that cola drinks contain the drug caffeine. We know caffeine is not wholesome nor prudent for the use of our bodies. It is only sound judgment to conclude that cola drinks and any others that contain caffeine or other harmful ingredients should not be used.”

Advising followers to restrict what they take into their bodies is one thing, but applying that mandate to those people who perform a public job inside their buildings in a one-day stint seems to be taking things too Far.

[Tennessee Nana]

When one finds oneself in a hole, stop digging
___________________________________________

in other words you have no argument...

[Tennessee Nana]

:)

[fproy2222]

If, as in the case of my polling place, which is a firehouse, folks may not eat or drink, and that’s acceptable, then it’s acceptable.

++

Our’s is in a school, we even need to be quite during school hours.

[pby]

If you allow churches to set dietary and dress codes for precinct workers or voters, then you have to allow Mosques the same priviledge.

I agree with you...So the precincts should not put their polling places in religious facilities that demand that non-followers adhere to their dress codes and dietary restrictions.

This cannot be the first time that the issue is being encountered...What is the law in regard to this matter?

[colorcountry]

Sure....

,-)

[pby]

The restriction in this case IS religiously motivated. The polling place should be moved or the restriction lifted. It’s a simple as that.

I agree, colorcountry.

[P-Marlowe]

Is there not a difference between submission and respect?

Of course. But you cannot require submission as a pre-requisite for volunteering to be a precinct worker in a state election. They could post a sign saying that they do not approve of anyone drinking coffee on their premesis, but they ought not to require it, unless it is prohibited in all polling facilities in the state.

Frankly I would "respect" the Mormons if they simply requested that (out of respect for their beliefs) people refrain from drinking coffee or tea or cola in their facility, and I would abide by their wishes, but it will be a cold day in Hell before I "submit."

And if it were a mosque and if they posted a sign "requesting" that I remove my shoes and cover my head, well... I would remove my shoes.

[pby]

I agree, P-Marlowe...just move the polling place so that the conflict doesn’t exist.

[Old Mountain man]

Twilight Zone.

[sitetest]

Dear colorcountry,

“The restriction in this case IS religiously motivated.”

So what?

Are you going to object if the local synagogue permits itself to be used as a polling place, and they require folks not bring ham sandwiches?

The restrictions should be looked at on their face. Do the election authorities wish to accept these restrictions or not? My own polling place - a firehouse - forbids food and beverage. Why? I can only guess. However, the motivation is unimportant. If the burden isn’t too great, then the election authorities accept. If it’s too great, they should move on.

Whether the restrictions arise from religious or non-religious motivations is not only not important BUT NOT A LEGITIMATE INTEREST OF THE GOVERNMENT.

Otherwise, the government is placed in the position of discriminating against religious organizations. See: Bill of Rights, 1st Amendment.

sitetest

[sitetest]

Dear Tennessee Nana,

“in other words you have no argument...”

Nah. I just get tired of repeating myself to folks who keep missing the point while making themselves out to appear like haters.

sitetest

[sitetest]

Dear fproy2222,

“Our’s is in a school, we even need to be quite during school hours.”

The horror of it all! Have you filed a class action civil rights suit???

;-)

sitetest

[Tennessee Nana]

I wanted to take homer some of the tiles from the Dome of the rock for my bathroom...

They are pretty blue ones and all differnt hues...

I lived in Japan for a time and was used to taking of my shoes to enter the homes of friends...

We Americans did so at each others homes too...

(its amazing how much cleaner floors stay)

LOL

There was grumbling about the Dome but how often do you get to enter a building like that built 800 years ago ???

I would not do that for a mosque in order to vote though...

Religious restrictions are against the COTUS...

There is only one clothing restriction here...

If you are wearing a political shirt..you either cover it with a jacket or take it off if you are decently clad underneath it...

But other clothing are accceptable as long as it covers you decently...

It’s one thing to voluntry do something out of respect and quite another because one is forced to...

W@hen I was a child we wore hats to church...

other denominations didnt but I dont remember women being asked to leave if they visited with a bare head...

[Tennessee Nana]

I just get tired of repeating myself to folks who keep missing the point while making themselves out to appear like haters.
____________________________________________

WWWWHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTT ???????????

[Tennessee Nana]

Whew

Thank goodness that’s it

:)

[Elsie]

Mormon women would not be allowed to enter the ward house in shorts.

ALLOWED?

Or serverely looked askance at?

[colorcountry]

I beileve they would ask you to leave. However I personally have never tried wearing shorts into LDS Church.

I’ve worn them to my non-denominational one though. ;-)

I have nice legs, even for a 50 year old broad.

[Elsie]

I have voted in post offices, schools and churches and have never had a problem abiding by the rules in these facilities.

Yeah; for them Post Offices won't let me take my perfectly legal GUN in there!

I can take it in church!

[Elsie]

Today, and today only, I am not going to go to war with you about anything.

That was only a 24 hour memo?

;^)

[greyfoxx39]

The restriction in this case IS religiously motivated. The polling place should be moved or the restriction lifted. It’s a simple as that.

As I have stated several times on this thread...I'm not sure that solution will fit through everyone's moral filter though. It appears as though there are standards dictated by others on your possible motives.