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.

[Old Mountain man]

I promised my wife I would be nice today.

[pby]

They don't want you going postal, Elsie.

And...what gun(s) do you have?

[Old Mountain man]

tuna noodle
tuna noodle
tuna noodle

[Elsie]

There is a new FR tax FEE on the use of extra O's and !'s.

Please donate double at the next fund drive.

[Elsie]

You; too, Buster!

[Elsie]

I have been wondering is aliens had abduced our OMM...

CALL SECURITY!!!!

Resty has taken over TN's keyboard!

[Elsie]

Too late!

You’re OUTTED, Missy!

[greyfoxx39]

folks who keep missing the point while making themselves out to appear like haters.

Funny, there only seems to be one posting words of hate on this thread.

[pby]

It appears as though there are standards dictated by others on your possible motives.

I don't understand.

[Elsie]

Religious restrictions are against the COTUS...

Where?

[Elsie]

Then do it again tommorrow.

It may get to be a good habit.

[Elsie]

No problem, for I am gruntled.

[Elsie]

And...what gun(s) do you have?

This net is not secure.

[pby]

I am glad to hear that you are gruntled.

Is that because OMm is playing nice, today?

What gun(s) do you have that you wanted to take into the Post Office?

[pby]

Shhhh...are you not ban compliant?

[Tennessee Nana]

ROFLMBO

[pby]

I’d like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony!

[Old Mountain man]

They don’t like it much if I park my pack howitzer in their parking lot.

[Tennessee Nana]

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,

[Old Mountain man]

Are you the real thing?