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.

[Little Bill]

I know what you mean. My Uncle who was a caffeine addict loved to see us gentiles show up. That meant that my Aunt gave a special dispensation to drink Coffee while we were there rather than sneak out for one in the AM. I often wondered what she thought about my Grandfather and Grandmother, both of close to original Mormon Stock, who couldn't pass by the Coffee, Grandpa, and the Tea, Grandma, in the AM.

[Red Badger]

Don’t worry, I’ve got a vial of Holy Lard to protect me.........

[greyfoxx39]

Now THIS sounds interesting!

[SoothingDave]

So what’s a good Catholic Irishman or Irishman-for-a-day to do with St. Patrick’s Day?

What any good Catholic should do regardless the holiday -- give Jesus His due respect. Is it really so difficult to miss out on the drinking binge when the day falls during Holy Week? Such a sacrifice? I recall the Pope giving dispensation regarding meatless Fridays during Lent when St. Patrick's Day happened to fall on a Friday -- sheesh, people, you can't miss the corned beef ONE year?

Just for the record, the Catholic Church has officially moved St. Patrick's day to March 15 this year. You can't have a saint's feast day during Holy Week.

[Vigilanteman]

I fail to see the hardship when it can be solved with a hot thermos in the car. The same would go for a ham sandwich in a mosque being used in a polling place. Much ado about nothing.

[Elsie]

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.

We really do know what's best for you.

--MormonDude(Trust me.)

[Domandred]

For a different church that was actually fair and I believe quite accurate. They even included the point that most don't (including Mormons) when discussing the LDS Word of Wisdom:

The essential thing is exercise, have a good diet, don’t be enslaved to any substance, whether it’s alcohol, marijuana, coffee, Pepsi, chocolate, cereal, or french fries, or whatever... and some don’t use at all, period.

[Elsie]

1 Timothy 4

1. The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.
2. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.
3. They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth.

[Little Bill]

My God, my 87 year old Mother will be shocked, she didn't know the Pope was a Yankee oppressor, keeping the poor Irish down and making them work for dogs wages, depriving them of a holiday and an Identity.

Damn, I sound like my Communist Aunt before she became a Republican, Fear Of God I Suspect, she is old.

[Ann Archy]

They should REFUSE to have the election there then.

What's with CAFFEINE??

[Elsie]

 

In the Word of Wisdom, “Joseph Smith says “hot drinks are not for the body or belly.”

What about hot broth? What about hot liquids in soup? What about hot green tea? What about a non-caffeinated soda that gets warm in the noonday sun?

 

I think those may be covered in the ...and so forths: #'s 6&7.

 

---

 

Articles of Faith

The Articles of Faith outline 13 basic points of belief of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The Prophet Joseph Smith first wrote them in a letter to John Wentworth, a newspaper editor, in response to Mr. Wentworth's request to know what members of the Church believed.
They were subsequently published in Church periodicals.
They are now regarded as scripture and included in the Pearl of Great Price.

 

 

 

THE ARTICLES OF FAITH
OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS
History of the Church, Vol. 4, pp. 535—541

 

 

1. We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.
   
2. We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression.
   
3. We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
   
4. We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
   
5. We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.
   
6. We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.
   
7. We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth.
   
8. We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.
   
9. We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
   
10. We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.
    
11. We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.
    
12. We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.
    
13. We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.

Joseph Smith

 

 

[ZULU]

Well, it is THEIR church. Its not like they are coming out and telling everybody else not to do it like the Mohammadans do.

[truth_seeker]

“With the recent spate of posts of articles regarding the advancement of muslim rules, (foot washing basins, polygamy)
Link

it appears that in an election year the enforcement of a religious rule in our polling place deserves some comment.”

May I suggest the Mormons will not kill you, over smuggling a diet coke into the polls?

[Elsie]

Because it never has been about caffeine, it is the tannic acid tea and coffee.

Because it never has been about caffeine, it is about CONTROL.

[DelphiUser]

Jeepers, in some elections I wouldn’t be able to stomach voting for anybody if it weren’t for the liquor.

Just get drunk before your friend drives you to the poll.

(Friends don't let friends drive to the poll while intoxicated.)

[greyfoxx39]

I fail to see the hardship when it can be solved with a hot thermos in the car.

Well, here's a little example of how it may be difficult to pop out to the car for a sip.

How could the state party brass not know that there was the potential for the record — actually the whopping record — 152,000-voter turnout that occurred Tuesday?

In short, it was disrespectful to the party faithful — who, incidentally, were the true-blue heroes in Tuesday's contest.

That thousands of Democratic voters stuck it out, waiting hour after hour in some cases to insist that their votes be counted, is a tribute to their character, dedication to their country and determination to make a difference. Unfortunately, their party leadership served them poorly.

Party officials owe thousands of registered Democratic voters, and hundreds of volunteers who did their best to make a dysfunctional system functional, an apology — as well as a promise that it will never happen again.

Party Chairman Brian Colón's apology late Tuesday to those who did not get a chance to cast a ballot because of the widespread problems is but a start. Likewise his acknowledgment that "we've got to do a better job. We're committed to that."

This was not a matter of inconvenience. It was, bluntly, a matter of disenfranchisement.

To be fair, those hundreds of Democratic volunteers saved the day in many places and are the only reason the entire voting system did not completely collapse under the intense pressures at some polling places, where voters initially faced near chaos, then long lines, insufficient ballots, poor access and poor-to-no accommodation for handicapped or otherwise challenged voters.

There are no excuses for compressing what ordinarily would be a 12-hour voting day, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. into a a 7-hour day, from noon to 7 p.m. — especially given the candidates, character and historic context of the contest.

Why would one not dramatically ramp up one's preparations, with more ballots, more workers and more security, when in the days immediately before the primary the state attracted visits from both high-profile candidates and a host of surrogates.

And who in the party brass had the idea that only one polling place could handle the entire Democratic voting roster that usually is spread across 37 polling places for the city of Rio Rancho?

Hundreds were still trying to vote at grossly inadequate facilities at Rio Rancho High School more than a hour after the polls closed at 7 p.m. Imagine: It was the only polling place for the state's third-largest city! Voters waited two to three hours to cast ballots, many spending a portion of that time waiting out in a frigid wind, after which they filed like snails through school corridors before reaching the auditorium, where 500 of them at a time sat in sections waiting to be called into the crowded polling area in the auditorium lobby.

There's no way to even guesstimate how many would-be voters gave up and left or who never even made the effort, after seeing or hearing news reporters about the debacle

[Elsie]

Why no Coke? Well, it has to do with another Mormon belief about always being in control of oneself.

Yup; That's what I just said!

[Andyman]

Q: What is the difference between Mormons and non-Mormons?
A: The temperature of their caffeine.

[Elsie]

If they’ve had an alcoholic drink and not repented yet, then they can’t.

1 Timothy 5:23

Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.

[Elsie]

And you know what THAT means!

Indeed!!

Trying to decipher stuff that looks like a kitten has pounced on SOMEones keyboard!