Question
Dear Gramps,
At our Home and Family Personal Enrichment meeting last night, the sister giving the class was talking about eating healthy. One of the things she had on her display was herbal tea. I felt kind of funny about this. In the Word of Wisdom we are taught to not drink tea. I take this as any kind of tea. Am I wrong? I don’t know how to teach my children “no tea except for this kind or that kind.” I feel like I have to be sure about this. I don’t think I could drink it without feeling guilty. I guess I feel like if we are taught no tea, then part of that is a trial of our faith to see if we will use NO TEA. Maybe I’m wrong. What do you think?
Kay
Answer
Dear Kay,
The Word of Wisdom teaches not to drink “hot drinks.” Hot drinks have been defined by the church as tea and coffee. However, the tea referred to is the conventional, habit-forming, caffeine-laden tea that is the staple of those addicted to it.
The word of the Lord concerning the use of herbs is as follows:
And again, verily I say unto you, all wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature, and use of man. (D&C 89:10)
And whosoever among you are sick, and have not faith to be healed, but believe, shall be nourished with all tenderness, with herbs and mild food, and that not by the hand of an enemy. (D&C 42:43)
We can see here that the Lord enjoins the use of herbs. To take them as a tea should have no more of a stigma than adding the leaves in the preparation of food. It is extremely important in reading the word of God to study and pray about the intent of the words in the revelations, so that we may gain understanding by the Spirit. It should not be a difficult thing to teach your children that conventional tea is harmful to the body and that herbal teas are beneficial. Otherwise, how are they going to learn to make proper evaluations and judgments in the myriad other things that need rational interpretation? Again, the Lord has said,
For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward.
Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;
For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. (D&C 58:26-28)
Gramps
