Is being OVERWEIGHT breaking the Word of Wisdom ?

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zionminded
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Re: Is being OVERWEIGHT breaking the Word of Wisdom ?

Post by zionminded »

Elizabeth wrote:I think tattoos are disgusting. They make me feel revulsion for the person.
Some can be over the top for sure, but others are no big deal. Some of our reaction is cultural, since your view of another person with a tatoo is likely an inward reflection of how you see yourself. Nearly ALL judgements are.

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jbalm
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Re: Is being OVERWEIGHT breaking the Word of Wisdom ?

Post by jbalm »

Elizabeth wrote:I think tattoos are disgusting. They make me feel revulsion for the person.
Well crap. I thought we were buddies.

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passionflower
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Re: Is being OVERWEIGHT breaking the Word of Wisdom ?

Post by passionflower »

jbalm wrote:
zionminded wrote:What does the WoW mean to you?

If you think of it as a do and don't list, you're missing the point.

If you think of it as a way for the church to control you, you're missing the point.

If you think of WHY we have the Wow: that you can keep yourself tuned to Him and the voice of His spirit, then yes, you get it. Obeseness due to habits and your own food choices is a violation of the WoW. It won't keep you out of the temple but yes it is.
Why do we have it?

It's pretty much useless as a health guideline. The only thing it got right is that tobacco is bad.

It's been reinterpreted to the point that it's enforced in a way that barely resembles Sec. 89.

What is it other than some arbitrary rules that keeps people out of them temple?
Section 89 never says it is a "health guideline". That's just what a lot of other people, interpreting it for themselves, have said. It does offer blessings that sound health related, but so do other scriptures in completely unrelated ways. Some people in the church have made section 89 out to be something it isn't, and have expanded on it without any real authorization from the church( by adding caffeine, white sugar, obesity, etc) and it nearly has a cult-like following in some circles.

Section 89, in verse 4, defines its purpose as this "...thus saith the Lord unto you, in consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation---"

I don't know of any revelation since then, that has revealed who those "conspiring men" are, or their motives. And this conspiracy seems to be a strictly modern phenomena, too, because wine was drunk in the past, even in BOM times, without any known prohibition. And even section 89 says it's OK to make and drink wine as long as we made it ourselves and use it strictly for the sacrament. We can it for washing our bodies, too.

Again, section 89 was given to warn and forewarn us of a conspiracy. And for heeding this warning, it promises us blessings of health, wisdom, treasures of knowledge, with a destroying angel passing us by. But the answer to "why" is in the hearts of the conspirators, and they haven't exactly come out and told us about it. So all the 'reasons' we come up, no matter how much evidence we base this on, can be no more than opinion.

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Sandinista
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Re: Is being OVERWEIGHT breaking the Word of Wisdom ?

Post by Sandinista »

jdawg1012 wrote:
usumle wrote:I dated a beautiful woman awhile back. She is an RM, college grad, and from a great family. She is beautiful ..... AND BIG. :-? She is overweight. We went on a mini-roadtrip once and stopped at Taco Bell. I was tired. I wanted a fruity drink so I selected something that looked fruity at the self-serve drink area. I had about 4-5 ounces of the mystery drink in my cup. I took a sip and it tasted funny. oops , it was LIPTON ICED TEA....... she immediately went on a mini rant about me 'violating the WOW'. It was surprising and quite condescending how she tore into me. Yikes. Looking back at her self-righteous rant, I agree with her mostly. Yes, Tea falls under D & C section 88. Ironically, she was sucking down MOUNTAIN DEW !! and she is, as mentioned, atleast 30 lbs OVERWEIGHT.
I never mentioned her excess poundage. SHe is a wonderful covenant daughter of God.

QUESTION: IS BEING OBESE BREAKING THE WOW ?
No, the end. That's the short answer.

The Word of Wisdom is a specific set of principles, with an associated set of blessings. All of them are listed. Obesity isn't one of the principles included in the easy to understand, specifically laid out, Word of Wisdom.

Now, I'm going to turn to the rest of this post. While I don't agree with your date's "self-righteous" rant, if it actually played out that way, I also don't agree with your arrogant and ungodly attitude towards a body that isn't your own to master. I'm a seasoned personal trainer, and your attitude exhibits, to me, an ignorant attitude regarding overweight people. Nor do I agree with what seems to be your attitude, in general. I did not see her "self righteous rant," but I can see your own immature, conceited, vanity-filled rant. Normally, I wouldn't be so bold in reproving the attitude you're displaying, but you decided to whine on the internet, under the auspices of wanting scriptural interpretations, that began and ended with insulting some girl who had the decency to date you, giving you a chance. Even if ended poorly, this is not a healthy way to react.

If all you wanted, was a scriptural clarification,your post wouldn't be written in its offensive, insulting and whining matter. Please consider your own thin skin (no pun intended) and you own personal maturity level--before your next date. It will benefit you greatly to do so.

Do you actually know how much she weighs? Are you guessing? Are you pretty good at judging body fat content? I measured people's body fat as a certified professional fitness trainer for many years. I'm pretty good at guessing, just by looking. Most people are not. Do you know how much of that "excessive poundage" is body fat? Do you have any clue what 30 lbs of excess body fat would look like? I bet you don't. Slap the volume of 4-one gallon jugs all over your body, that is 30 lbs of body fat. I don't mean total, I mean in excess. Because that's what you said. 30 ponds of EXCESS. Which on a young lady would mean between 50 and 70 lbs total of body fat. That is a LOT of fat. Think of it another way: Have you ever seen a big, blue 5 gallon water cooler jug? Or a 5 gallon bucket? That's approximately the volume of 30lbs of body fat. Ten big 3lb tubs of lard. 30 lbs of fat is huge, and it's not unhealthy on the average woman. 30lbs is right around ideal for a grown woman, actually, so an additional 30lbs would indeed be very, very big. A gym I was a member of many years ago had a model of 5lbs of body fat. It was big. (Roughly the volume of a gallon jug). Once someone saw how much 5 lbs of body fat was, they almost always joined, right then and there. 30 is a lot, it must be a challenge in life if she has to carry that much extra. Did you decide to relieve that burden for her?

Did you know that 30% body fat is not uncommon for an otherwise healthy woman? That's 40 lbs, in a 120lb woman. I remember in one anatomy class in college, one of the pretty thin girls was crying because she was about 25% body fat. She was not fat at all. I was a personal trainer for a number of years, helping people lose weight, primarily. I have seen overweight, I have seen obesity. Did you know that statistically you're more healthy to be somewhat heavyset than too thin? Did you know that not too long ago, being heavyset was considered the standard of beautiful? Did you stop to consider that beauty is in the eye of the beholder? Do you have any idea what her health is like, physiologically? Soda isn't good for you, but neither is ANYTHING at Taco Bell. I don't see any Word of Wisdom or dietary "moral high ground" indicated for anyone by the details of your rant.

Elder Maxwell warned us of our society's "budding form of body worship." Perhaps your self-righteous, vanity-laden rant concerning her weight, is nothing more than an attempt at justification for her poorly handled reaction to a perceived sin of yours. Perhaps it is a blossoming form of body worship. I do not know. Maybe this scenario is exactly what Jesus meant by considering beams and motes. Seriously, I hope you consider that idea.

You are body shaming this woman on the vastness of the world wide web. The intimation is that it's because you were offended that she reproved you for drinking tea, that you now either want justification for your conscience, or else, you could have phrased it any number of ways without calling this poor girl (with a good pedigree, and covenant status, according to you) fat. FOUR TIMES. And she cannot defend herself, her actions, or her character. But maybe it's because you yourself are just vain, proud, and looking to assuage your own conscience. I don't know. I just know that whatever it is, your post was not appropriate or mature, and it didn't seem like a sincere plea for understanding. It seemed like a "back me up" rallying call, pervasive in in-group, out-group dynamics.

You could have just as easily (more easily in fact) started a post that said, "Do you all think that eating to the point of an unhealthy level of body fat is a violation of the Word of Wisdom? I've been giving this some thought, lately." (On a side note, there are already posts like that, I think the very first time I posted on this forum, was in reply to one such posting). But that's not what you said. You began your post with an insult, hurled from the safety of the anonymity of the internet, and against which the "covenant daughter of god" (your words) has no opportunity to defend herself or relate her position. You chose to start you post with passive aggressive insults to the poor girl, who was gracious enough to go on at least one date with you, and you choose to do it in a demeaning, judgmental way, and I quote:
I dated a beautiful woman awhile back. She is an RM, college grad, and from a great family. She is beautiful ..... AND BIG. :-? She is overweight.
You prefaced your entire post within four, tiny, fragmented sentences, and within a mere 129 keystrokes, comprising only 28 very short words, you were clear in the message you wanted to convey. And what you chose to convey in that tiny set of ideas was that you think she's too fat. TWICE. Just in the preface. You managed to do just about everything you could (without resorting to being completely obnoxious by changing the font color or typesetting size) in order to make it absolutely clear, that before we read further, you wanted to tell us that's it's really vital for us to know that she's way too fat, in your opinion. This is what was really important for us to know, presumably so that we could run to your side, or sympathize with your mentality, in some way.

Really I hope you think about that. Does it really balance out, or make it less egregious, to you, the fact that you threw in "beautiful" twice during that 28 word count mess; because what you really had to emphasize over and over, was that you think she's just too fat. You must have really wanted to emphasize that point very badly because in addition to repeating it, twice in the introduction and four times in total, you also managed to stress her perceived fatness because you chose to use not just the standard (and correct) 3-period ellipsis (...) for dramatic, but an excessive FIVE-periods (.....), and then you COMPLETELY CAPITALIZED your conclusion of her fatness, all before ever telling us a single detail about the Taco Bell incident.

What you engaged in is called "priming." It's a principle of communication in which you set someone up to think in a certain way, by using techniques that guide their thought process the way you want. In this incidence, you attacked this girl's body, over and over, accentuating and emphasizing her perceived fatness, priming us to have a negative association when thinking of her, right off the bat. You then told us about how self-righteous she is, and then finished up with another round of complaints of fatness.

Even if she was obese, the correct choice would be to support and encourage healthy lifestyle choices, not demean her by telling her, or the rest of the world, how fat you think she is. You say you didn't tell her--good. But you did tell us. Did you offer her any help? Calling attention to weight is not helpful in getting people to treat their bodies well. I would know, I am a professional expert, though I no longer train others, due to health issues (fatness is not one of them, in case you wondered). People who can be reprimanded into weight loss are virtually nonexistent. They usually reprimand themselves all day, every day. They already know they are fat. They almost always lack an understand of how their body's physiology works; or else they lack a basic understanding of how to choose the best dietary options.

With all due respect, I suggest you work on your attitude, especially towards correction and women, before seeking a romantic relationship. Whether this advice offends you or not, I think you should consider it. I also suggest you take some courses in relationship communication, because what you posted here is not an example of mature communication. If you plan to get married, and hope to have kids, and that requires that you (hopefully you) successfully impregnate your wife, and she carries that baby to term; then you are going to have a fat wife at some point. A VERY fat wife, most likely--at least during pregnancy. Do you like kids? Each one will probably make your wife gain more fat. That's nature. Educate yourself now, on how to help her feel good about herself, while she's bearing your children, and trying to recover afterwards.

And she will probably get fatter as she ages. And so will you. And you have an excellent chance of losing your hair. And parts of both of you will sag, as the collagen in your body loses elasticity. And your nose will get too big. And your ears. And your knees will likely give out. And you'll both develop wrinkles. And you may lose your memory. And your hearing might fade. And your eyesight might fade, until you cannot see, and will beg for your sight, and long for the day to see your wife again, with a bulging belly, filled with life. And you know what it is that you probably won't care about at that point? If the woman who chose to be your companion, and stoop by your side for 40, 50, 60, or 70 ears is "too fat." I guarantee it. And should she pass away, you would beg for a chance to hold her in your arms, one more time. You will not care what she registered on a scale if you ever live to endure that trial.

I suggest you get YOUR OWN prideful, vain, and self-righteous attitude in check, and re-evaluate your priorities. You will not be happy in marriage until you do. I say this with every degree of confidence available to mortal man. Because whatever this original thread post was really intended to convey, it was most certainly not a humble supplication for clarification. It was filled with insults to the poor girl, vanity, justification, and patting your own back. It almost seemed you wanted extra credit for not "mentioning her excess poundage."

If you want, feel free to post a high resolution, detailed picture of yourself, and ask everyone to tell you what features of yourself aren't aesthetically pleasing. Actually, don't, because while that would be commensurate, it would not be edifying. Instead re-evaluate your psyche.

That's my advice to you, having enjoyed a long and happy marriage, and additionally enjoying the continued friendship of everyone I ever dated. Don't learn to cope with disappointing and incompatible relationship challenges or failures, by demeaning your dates, or by insulting their bodies to the whole world. It's juvenile.

So, "No," obesity is not against the Word of Wisdom, but gluttony does negatively affect our mortal experience. So can bad attitudes. I hope you take a good, long look at your own.

Lastly, I'll leave you with one of my favorite quotes, by one of my favorite role models. It's the title of one of her books (I read it, and recommend you do, too) but it's also a mantra she lives by. "Beauty fades, but dumb is forever." By Judge Judith Sheindlin. Don't choose to be dumb. Learn to respect God's daughters, whom you date, and don't rant about them to the entire world, in a self-deprecating display of immaturity.
Love your post! Just the other day my wife laughingly pointed out a picture of us when we were much younger. We both work hard to stay in healthy shape, but that hasn't stopped the sagging, wrinkles, hair that seems to disappear off my head and re-appear in other places, and a huge number of other bodily changes for both of us! And that's not even counting the triple bi-focal glasses and hearing aids (and let me tell you that is difficult to swallow from a retired Air Force pilot!). But to me she is still the beautiful woman that once made my heart stop whenever I saw her and I there is no amount of saggy wrinkly skin, a little extra role around the middle, or gray hair that will ever change that. We are still loving the journey!

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markharr
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Re: Is being OVERWEIGHT breaking the Word of Wisdom ?

Post by markharr »

I think this from the LDS.org site sums the WOW up nicely.

Instead of arguing from a position of fear, the Word of Wisdom argues from a position of confidence and trust. The revelation invites hearers to trust in a God who has the power to deliver great rewards, spiritual and physical, in return for obedience to divine command. Those who adhere to the Word of Wisdom, the revelation says, shall “receive health in their navel, and marrow to their bones, and shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge; even hidden treasures.”25 These lines link body to spirit, elevating care for the body to the level of a religious principle.26

https://history.lds.org/article/doctrin ... m?lang=eng" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I take that to mean that we shouldn't be following the WOW out of some fear of not getting into the celestial kindom, we should follow it because of the great blessings we will get by following it.

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jbalm
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Re: Is being OVERWEIGHT breaking the Word of Wisdom ?

Post by jbalm »

passionflower wrote:
jbalm wrote:
zionminded wrote:What does the WoW mean to you?

If you think of it as a do and don't list, you're missing the point.

If you think of it as a way for the church to control you, you're missing the point.

If you think of WHY we have the Wow: that you can keep yourself tuned to Him and the voice of His spirit, then yes, you get it. Obeseness due to habits and your own food choices is a violation of the WoW. It won't keep you out of the temple but yes it is.
Why do we have it?

It's pretty much useless as a health guideline. The only thing it got right is that tobacco is bad.

It's been reinterpreted to the point that it's enforced in a way that barely resembles Sec. 89.

What is it other than some arbitrary rules that keeps people out of them temple?
Section 89 never says it is a "health guideline". That's just what a lot of other people, interpreting it for themselves, have said. It does offer blessings that sound health related, but so do other scriptures in completely unrelated ways. Some people in the church have made section 89 out to be something it isn't, and have expanded on it without any real authorization from the church( by adding caffeine, white sugar, obesity, etc) and it nearly has a cult-like following in some circles.

Section 89, in verse 4, defines its purpose as this "...thus saith the Lord unto you, in consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation---"

I don't know of any revelation since then, that has revealed who those "conspiring men" are, or their motives. And this conspiracy seems to be a strictly modern phenomena, too, because wine was drunk in the past, even in BOM times, without any known prohibition. And even section 89 says it's OK to make and drink wine as long as we made it ourselves and use it strictly for the sacrament. We can it for washing our bodies, too.

Again, section 89 was given to warn and forewarn us of a conspiracy. And for heeding this warning, it promises us blessings of health, wisdom, treasures of knowledge, with a destroying angel passing us by. But the answer to "why" is in the hearts of the conspirators, and they haven't exactly come out and told us about it. So all the 'reasons' we come up, no matter how much evidence we base this on, can be no more than opinion.
The text of sec. 89 says that it's not a commandment.

When someone says that it is a commandment, is that just opinion?

zionminded
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Re: Is being OVERWEIGHT breaking the Word of Wisdom ?

Post by zionminded »

Section 89 doesn't say it is a commandment, however, if it was, it would have shock and awed the early saints. The same is true today, tell the members that coke-a-cola is harmful, and the Lord doesn't want you to drink it, and it would shock and awe them just the same. Remember the one-ear-ring talk from president Benson(?)?

The Lord doesn't want your body to be impaired physically, you cannot elevate yourself with being physically dragged down with anything.

deep water
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Re: Is being OVERWEIGHT breaking the Word of Wisdom ?

Post by deep water »

Christ was described as a wine bibber and a glutton. Yet he was pure and holy. A Saint is described in the scriptures as one who can pick up snakes and receive no harm. Yet Danial would not eat the King's fair. We are told to fast and pray. God has given us all weaknesses, that we may be humble. I would suggest that being humble is the greater goal of our Father.

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Elizabeth
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Re: Is being OVERWEIGHT breaking the Word of Wisdom ?

Post by Elizabeth »

Whoever would describe Him as such is but a fool and an imbecile.
deep water wrote:Christ was described as a wine bibber and a glutton.

deep water
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Re: Is being OVERWEIGHT breaking the Word of Wisdom ?

Post by deep water »

Elizabeth wrote:Whoever would describe Him as such is but a fool and an imbecile.
deep water wrote:Christ was described as a wine bibber and a glutton.
Luke 7:34
34 The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!
Matthew 11:19
19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.

More than anything, what is being pointed out is they could not get passed the messenger to see the message.

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Obrien
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Re: Is being OVERWEIGHT breaking the Word of Wisdom ?

Post by Obrien »

jbalm wrote:I was told by someone on this forum that my tattoos violate the WoW. So if it's going to be applied that broadly, then being overweight is a WoW violation too.

I can say that few things irk me more than a fat person giving me flack about the WoW.
Fwiw, your tattoos do violate the WoW. The WoW obviously deals with taking care of your body, and it must be interpreted in light of all the opinions teachings of the latest prophets in regard to your body. Gordon Hinckley taught that it was his opinion that tattoos and multiple piercings in the ear are unsightly, ergo, those things violate the code for proper care of your body. It's really quite simple to understand, once you get the hang of proper interpretation.

As another example of proper WoW application, rated R movies go into your body via your corporeal eyeballs. Gordon didn't like rated R movies either, therefore they are a violation of the WoW.

I am not aware of Gordon's opinion on a "fungus and mungus elk burger", so I think that would be ok. Had he ever openly taught in condemnation of mushrooms, cheese or elk, this type of burger might actually be a WoW issue. I suppose it would also matter if the elk were harvested in season...

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Obrien
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Re: Is being OVERWEIGHT breaking the Word of Wisdom ?

Post by Obrien »

Melissa wrote:
rewcox wrote:Is getting tattoos breaking the WoW?
I wouldn't think so, your not ingesting it. But if it is, then I am curious for the logic of it. I personally do believe that it is unhealthy for your body though.

I have one and no bishop has cared as long as I didn't get any more.
Why would a bishop know or care if you got more? I "get it" in terms of your mindset, I used to worry about what bishops thought. Not so much any more.

Wanna REALLY freak a bishop out? Call him by his first name. That freaks them out A LOT.

Btw - I am tattoo free and pierce-less, quite by choice.

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Obrien
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Re: Is being OVERWEIGHT breaking the Word of Wisdom ?

Post by Obrien »

Elizabeth wrote:I think tattoos are disgusting. They make me feel revulsion for the person.
Probably the exact same type of revulsion that people had for the woman taken in adultery. The woman Jesus forgave...

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jbalm
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Re: Is being OVERWEIGHT breaking the Word of Wisdom ?

Post by jbalm »

Obrien wrote:
jbalm wrote:I was told by someone on this forum that my tattoos violate the WoW. So if it's going to be applied that broadly, then being overweight is a WoW violation too.

I can say that few things irk me more than a fat person giving me flack about the WoW.
Fwiw, your tattoos do violate the WoW. The WoW obviously deals with taking care of your body, and it must be interpreted in light of all the opinions teachings of the latest prophets in regard to your body. Gordon Hinckley taught that it was his opinion that tattoos and multiple piercings in the ear are unsightly, ergo, those things violate the code for proper care of your body. It's really quite simple to understand, once you get the hang of proper interpretation.

As another example of proper WoW application, rated R movies go into your body via your corporeal eyeballs. Gordon didn't like rated R movies either, therefore they are a violation of the WoW.

I am not aware of Gordon's opinion on a "fungus and mungus elk burger", so I think that would be ok. Had he ever openly taught in condemnation of mushrooms, cheese or elk, this type of burger might actually be a WoW issue. I suppose it would also matter if the elk were harvested in season...
So are we back to caring about what dead prophets say? I keep losing track.

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caddis
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Re: Is being OVERWEIGHT breaking the Word of Wisdom ?

Post by caddis »

The teachings of a dead prophet only matters if it fits your paradigm. If not, it can be disregarded. :D

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Obrien
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Re: Is being OVERWEIGHT breaking the Word of Wisdom ?

Post by Obrien »

jbalm wrote:
Obrien wrote:
jbalm wrote:I was told by someone on this forum that my tattoos violate the WoW. So if it's going to be applied that broadly, then being overweight is a WoW violation too.

I can say that few things irk me more than a fat person giving me flack about the WoW.
Fwiw, your tattoos do violate the WoW. The WoW obviously deals with taking care of your body, and it must be interpreted in light of all the opinions teachings of the latest prophets in regard to your body. Gordon Hinckley taught that it was his opinion that tattoos and multiple piercings in the ear are unsightly, ergo, those things violate the code for proper care of your body. It's really quite simple to understand, once you get the hang of proper interpretation.

As another example of proper WoW application, rated R movies go into your body via your corporeal eyeballs. Gordon didn't like rated R movies either, therefore they are a violation of the WoW.

I am not aware of Gordon's opinion on a "fungus and mungus elk burger", so I think that would be ok. Had he ever openly taught in condemnation of mushrooms, cheese or elk, this type of burger might actually be a WoW issue. I suppose it would also matter if the elk were harvested in season...
So are we back to caring about what dead prophets say? I keep losing track.
He's BARELY dead. Just a few yrs...close enough?

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skmo
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Re: Is being OVERWEIGHT breaking the Word of Wisdom ?

Post by skmo »

jbalm wrote:
passionflower wrote:Again, section 89 was given to warn and forewarn us of a conspiracy. And for heeding this warning, it promises us blessings of health, wisdom, treasures of knowledge, with a destroying angel passing us by. But the answer to "why" is in the hearts of the conspirators, and they haven't exactly come out and told us about it. So all the 'reasons' we come up, no matter how much evidence we base this on, can be no more than opinion.
The text of sec. 89 says that it's not a commandment.

When someone says that it is a commandment, is that just opinion?
When the official position of the church, of the called, anointed, and sustained leaders of the church give us the official policy of God's church, I'd say that yes, it's a commandment. To the best of my recollection, the temple recommend interview doesn't ask "Do you eat enough grain, use no booze, and refrain from getting any tattoos?" in it, it just asks if you live the Word of Wisdom. The positive things it gives us (fruits, veggies, grains) it doesn't quantify because it's not really easy to do so. On the other hand, it IS easy to say ZERO use of tobacco, alcohol, and hot drinks (coffee and tea) is allowed. President Hinckley gave his opinion about tattoos and multiple piercings, but I haven't seen it entered into any official gospel directives. To me, this means two things:

1) A prophet gave us his OPINION that may reflect good wisdom or societal conditions, and only through the most careful of examination should his words be dismissed. I can give an example of this. In Polynesia, many tribes indicate royal position through pe'a tattooing.

2) The church leaders have not received, or at least, not revealed and direct commands from God to us about these issues, and they are, therefore, left to our individual discretion. Only a fool would dismiss any concern about what advice may or may not be followed, but it does not currently rise to the level of written commandments.
Again, section 89 was given to warn and forewarn us of a conspiracy. And for heeding this warning, it promises us blessings of health, wisdom, treasures of knowledge, with a destroying angel passing us by.
This sums up my feeling nicely. We are taught to exhibit wisdom on our own part. Bro. Joseph said we are taught righteous principles so we can govern ourselves, and in another place he tells us that God says "I shouldn't have to tell you EVERY SINGLE THING" I want you to do." (I'm paraphrasing.) Satan will use every single tool he can to chain us in iniquity. Section 89 is one more warning about how to stay free of those chains. God has said we should not have to be commanded in everything, and it's clear that the WoW is giving us ways to keep our temples pure and strong to serve Him.

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skmo
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Re: Is being OVERWEIGHT breaking the Word of Wisdom ?

Post by skmo »

Obrien wrote:Fwiw, your tattoos do violate the WoW...
No. They may violate how YOU interpret the WOW, but the parts of the WOW we have been given to be commandments do not include tattoos. Until such time as God gives direct information about the need to refrain, any recommendations are just that, recommendations.

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skmo
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Re: Is being OVERWEIGHT breaking the Word of Wisdom ?

Post by skmo »

usumle wrote:I dated a beautiful woman awhile back. She is an RM, college grad, and from a great family. She is beautiful ..... AND BIG. :-? She is overweight. We went on a mini-roadtrip once and stopped at Taco Bell. I was tired. I wanted a fruity drink so I selected something that looked fruity at the self-serve drink area. I had about 4-5 ounces of the mystery drink in my cup. I took a sip and it tasted funny. oops , it was LIPTON ICED TEA....... she immediately went on a mini rant about me 'violating the WOW'. It was surprising and quite condescending how she tore into me. Yikes. Looking back at her self-righteous rant, I agree with her mostly. Yes, Tea falls under D & C section 88. Ironically, she was sucking down MOUNTAIN DEW !! and she is, as mentioned, atleast 30 lbs OVERWEIGHT.
I never mentioned her excess poundage. SHe is a wonderful covenant daughter of God.

QUESTION: IS BEING OBESE BREAKING THE WOW ?
The answer is yes and no. Spirit of the law versus letter of the law, is how I'd qualify my answer. She may or may not be violating the letter of the WoW, without specifically asking certain questions, you don't know. She is likely violating the spirit of the WoW, though, because we're given this revelation to keep our earthly temples (our bodies) pure and strong to best serve God.

The more important point is how valuable this relationship is to you. This person may have strongly held views about gospel principles without a full understanding of them, or they may be aware of them without accepting some of their own responsibilities. If you think this is a relationship worth fighting for, then be aware that you may have some difficult discussions ahead. Whether they're worth the cost to you is a question only you can answer.

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bbsion
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Re: Is being OVERWEIGHT breaking the Word of Wisdom ?

Post by bbsion »

It’s kind of an open question with many answers. If you read the word of wisdom it does not mention specifically “obesity”. However, is it wise to be obese as a result of not being able to control your appetites and passions? No. I do not need one section of the D&C to tell me that before I know it’s true though. Proper nourishment for your body is intertwined with spiritual growth. When you take care of your body, you can “run and not be weary, walk and not faint.” Being physically healthy is something you become aware of the more you spiritually grow. If you choose not to do anything about it after you’ve gained a certain amount of knowledge then you will become stagnate and regress spiritually. You might just miss out on Celestial glory. But that is up to God. Same goes for any addiction or other unhealthy activity you choose to indulge in.

Some people are big boned and genetically a little “thicker”. It is impossible for them to get as skinny as other people. However, being skinny obviously does not equate to “healthy”. That is not a fair assessment. They can be just as "healthy" or even healthier but look a little overweight. Be careful of the interpretation of the word “obese” or “fat” and at the same time be sure not to justify your actions/thoughts/words. Someone who is overweight but a good person is better off than someone who is physically fit and ugly on the inside. It's really only when you add "slothful" and "lazy" to any one's decisions that it becomes dangerous.

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Mark
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Re: Is being OVERWEIGHT breaking the Word of Wisdom ?

Post by Mark »

jbalm wrote:I was told by someone on this forum that my tattoos violate the WoW. So if it's going to be applied that broadly, then being overweight is a WoW violation too.

I can say that few things irk me more than a fat person giving me flack about the WoW.


Well where are the tatts bro? I dont notice them in this picture taken of you posting on LDSFF? Are they hidden under something? Did your ex take this shot?

http://i0.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/ori ... at_man.jpg

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jbalm
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Re: Is being OVERWEIGHT breaking the Word of Wisdom ?

Post by jbalm »

In the folds.

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Mark
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Re: Is being OVERWEIGHT breaking the Word of Wisdom ?

Post by Mark »

jbalm wrote:In the folds.


Oh okay. Just a tip. Back off the brewski's. They create belly fat which is commonly known as heart attack fat. Not good. Hate to see you go this early. You have to much repenting to do.

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jbalm
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Re: Is being OVERWEIGHT breaking the Word of Wisdom ?

Post by jbalm »

I'm fat from too much white sacrament bread.

kennyhs
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Re: Is being OVERWEIGHT breaking the Word of Wisdom ?

Post by kennyhs »

jbalm wrote:In the folds.



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