The Word of Wisdom
Some of the men were excessive chewers of the filthy weed, and their disgusting slobbering and spitting cause Mrs. [Emma] Smith... to make the ironical remark that 'It would be a good thing if a revelation could be had declaring the use of tobacco a sin, and commanding its suppression'....
The matter was taken up and joked about, one of the brethren suggested that the revelation should also provide for a total abstinence from tea and coffee drinking, intending this as a counter dig at the sisters. - David Whitmer, Des Moines Daily News, October 16, 1886, p. 20
It should be noted that beer wasn't specifically forbidden until after prohibition in the 1930’s.
In a pamphlet written in 1930 called The Word of Wisdom, Apostle John A. Widtsoe taught that refined flour was contrary to the Word of Wisdom. The church, however, has never prohibited the use of refined flour. - Thomas G. Alexander, "The Word of Wisdom: From Principle to Requirement", Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 14:3 (1981) pp. 78–88.
Almost none of the church leaders for the first 70 years of church history would by today’s Church standards be qualified to serve missions, enter the temple, get baptized, or even attend BYU."
This website has tons of references about Joseph Smith and others drinking. - www.faithandreasonforum.com⁄index.asp?PageID=32&ArticleID=194
Edited for FaceBook:
The Real Origin of The Word of Wisdom:
Some of the men were excessive chewers of the filthy weed, and their disgusting slobbering and spitting cause Mrs. [Emma] Smith... to make the ironical remark that 'It would be a good thing if a revelation could be had declaring the use of tobacco a sin, and commanding its suppression'....
The matter was taken up and joked about, one of the brethren suggested that the revelation should also provide for a total abstinence from tea and coffee drinking, intending this as a counter dig at the sisters.- David Whitmer, Des Moines Daily News, October 16, 1886, p. 20
It should be noted that beer wasn't specifically forbidden until after prohibition in the 1930’s.
In a pamphlet written in 1930 called The Word of Wisdom, Apostle John A. Widtsoe taught that refined flour was contrary to the Word of Wisdom. The church, however, has never prohibited the use of refined flour. - Thomas G. Alexander, "The Word of Wisdom: From Principle to Requirement", Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 14:3 (1981) pp. 78–88.
Almost none of the church leaders for the first 70 years of church history would by today’s Church standards be qualified to serve missions, enter the temple, get baptized, or even attend BYU."
This website has tons of references about Joseph Smith and others drinking. - www.faithandreasonforum.com⁄index.asp?PageID=32&ArticleID=194
