Several years ago, I brought one of my children into the doctor for a check-up. The doctor remarked that compared to the weight chart, she was thin. He then asked me what we ate regularly. I responded that we ate fruits, vegetables, grains, pasta, dairy, and some meat. He asked me how often we ate fast food. I told him we didn’t ever go to McDonald’s and very rarely ate in restaurants. I also told him we didn’t eat many fried foods, but preferred to bake or broil our meats. He stared at me and asked, “Are you serious? That’s really how you eat?” He just shook his head, looking amazed. I did take the opportunity to give him a quick explanation of the Word of Wisdom.
Sometimes we’re so focused on what the Word of Wisdom prohibits, we forget what it promotes. Good health isn’t only obtained by avoiding alcohol, tobacco, drugs, and caffeine, it comes from feeding our bodies healthy food.
“And again, verily I say unto you, all wholesome herbs God has ordained for the constitution, nature, and use of man—Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof; all these to be used with prudence and thanksgiving” (D&C 89:10-11).
We are also taught that the “flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly. And it is pleasing unto me that they should not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine” (D&C 89:12-13). I have heard some people teach in the Church that we should be vegetarians. While everyone has the right to choose what he or she will eat, the Word of Wisdom does not prohibit meat and as long as we eat it sparingly, it is acceptable.
What does it mean to eat meat sparingly? Back in the early days of the Church, the Saints consumed quite a bit of meat, so sparingly may have had a different meaning. Today, if we will pray to understand the Word of Wisdom as well as how to use meat sparingly, the Spirit will guide us to consume that which is good for us.
“All grain is good for the food of man; as also the fruit of the vine; that which yieldeth fruit, whether in the ground or above the ground” (D&C 89:16). We should be partaking of grains, especially wheat, and fruits and vegetables. Since I grew up in California, fruits and vegetables were plentiful year round. I can remember avocados the size of grapefruits, kumquats, and citrus fruits that grew in our backyard. My grandfather grew tomatoes in a small planter behind the garage and whenever we needed a tomato, we picked one. We also had a mandarin orange tree that bore fruit in December. After I got married, my family would visit my grandparents for Christmas and one of the highlights was eating as many mandarin oranges as we could.
To realize good health, we need to not only avoid substances that are harmful, we need to partake of that which will strengthen and nourish our bodies. The more we adhere to the Word of Wisdom, the healthier our bodies can be. It is certainly not a guarantee that we will never experience health problems, but we can avoid unnecessary health concerns if we keep the Word of Wisdom.
Next, I’ll discuss the promises contained in the Word of Wisdom. Stay tuned . . .
Return to the neighborhood.
And while you're there, subscribe to our fantastic newsletter. Welcome to the yourLDSneighborhood newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the LDS newsletter brings you LDS articles, LDS products, LDS services, LDS resources and LDS interviews from around the world—all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. LDS Newsletter Subscriptions are FREE, and joining is easy.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Why I Can't Vote for Obama
In five days we'll determine who will lead our country for the next 4 years. When we cast our vote, we are part of the process that makes America so great--the opportunity to choose who will govern us. We still have the ability to make choices. We still have freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the right to bear arms. As I've pondered who I believe will be the best leader for our country, I have to conclude that it is John McCain. He has the most experience in being a commander-in- chief, he's had the most experience working in Washington, and he's had the most life experience. He's patriotic and knows what it means to serve others.
I simply cannot vote for Barack Obama because:
1. He supports abortion. Again and again he's shown by his voting record that he supports and condones ending human life in its early stages. Even when he was presented proof that a hospital in his own state was allowing babies to die after the mother was induced, he refused to take any action to stop the practice.
2. He supports gay marriage. I believe marriage is between one man and one woman. I do not support changing the definition for any group, even if they are very vocal and threatening. Family is the most basic fundamental unit of our society. We should encourage marriage, rather than discourage it. We should not tear it down or demean it to appease a tiny minority of people who have chosen an alternative lifestyle. I sincerely hope that voters in CA and AZ will be able to, once and for all, define marriage as between one man and one woman.
3. He advocates socialism. He continues to preach "spreading the wealth." Why? Why do people who've worked hard have to pay a larger percentage of taxes to take care of people who may not work at all? This ideology can be compared to a student that studies, works hard, attends class, and turns in homework having to give half of his A grades to a student who doesn't show up for class, doesn't turn in assignments, fails the tests, and doesn't care about school. The first student would receive half of the second student's F grades so that they could both be equal. Both of them would then be C students. Is this fair? Yet, this is what Obama proposes--those that work share with those that don't. And who decides who gets what? Will Obama live by the same rules he wants to apply to the rest of us? What will happen to the drive and industry that's made this country great? I do not want socialism.
4. He, along with the radical women's organization NOW, wants to register men and women for the draft so that in the event we need one, both men and women will have to fight on the front lines. I am so tired of groups like NOW trying to tell me that I'm not equal with men. Men and women are absolutely equal, but they are not the same. Big difference. I do not want to see women being forced to fight in a war. I don't want to see men forced to fight, either. What makes our current military so strong is the fact that those serving have chosen to do so and have not been forced to enlist. Does anyone remember the Vietnam fiasco with men dodging the draft and those that did honor their country, but did not support or believe in the war? Under Obama's plan, the very people out demonstrating against the war in Iraq will be forced to fight in the next war, and believe me the Iraq war will not be the last.
5. He simply does not have the experience he needs to lead our great country. He has not had enough experience with the military (he would be the commander-in-chief and in charge of the military), he has not even lead a state or balanced a budget.
6. He favors gun control. He opposes the 2nd Amendment and the right to bear arms. Will criminals suddenly decide to obey the law and give up their guns? I don't think so. It will be the law-abiding citizens that lose their rights guaranteed by the Constitution.
There are other reasons, but these are my top reasons why I can't vote for Barack Obama.
I simply cannot vote for Barack Obama because:
1. He supports abortion. Again and again he's shown by his voting record that he supports and condones ending human life in its early stages. Even when he was presented proof that a hospital in his own state was allowing babies to die after the mother was induced, he refused to take any action to stop the practice.
2. He supports gay marriage. I believe marriage is between one man and one woman. I do not support changing the definition for any group, even if they are very vocal and threatening. Family is the most basic fundamental unit of our society. We should encourage marriage, rather than discourage it. We should not tear it down or demean it to appease a tiny minority of people who have chosen an alternative lifestyle. I sincerely hope that voters in CA and AZ will be able to, once and for all, define marriage as between one man and one woman.
3. He advocates socialism. He continues to preach "spreading the wealth." Why? Why do people who've worked hard have to pay a larger percentage of taxes to take care of people who may not work at all? This ideology can be compared to a student that studies, works hard, attends class, and turns in homework having to give half of his A grades to a student who doesn't show up for class, doesn't turn in assignments, fails the tests, and doesn't care about school. The first student would receive half of the second student's F grades so that they could both be equal. Both of them would then be C students. Is this fair? Yet, this is what Obama proposes--those that work share with those that don't. And who decides who gets what? Will Obama live by the same rules he wants to apply to the rest of us? What will happen to the drive and industry that's made this country great? I do not want socialism.
4. He, along with the radical women's organization NOW, wants to register men and women for the draft so that in the event we need one, both men and women will have to fight on the front lines. I am so tired of groups like NOW trying to tell me that I'm not equal with men. Men and women are absolutely equal, but they are not the same. Big difference. I do not want to see women being forced to fight in a war. I don't want to see men forced to fight, either. What makes our current military so strong is the fact that those serving have chosen to do so and have not been forced to enlist. Does anyone remember the Vietnam fiasco with men dodging the draft and those that did honor their country, but did not support or believe in the war? Under Obama's plan, the very people out demonstrating against the war in Iraq will be forced to fight in the next war, and believe me the Iraq war will not be the last.
5. He simply does not have the experience he needs to lead our great country. He has not had enough experience with the military (he would be the commander-in-chief and in charge of the military), he has not even lead a state or balanced a budget.
6. He favors gun control. He opposes the 2nd Amendment and the right to bear arms. Will criminals suddenly decide to obey the law and give up their guns? I don't think so. It will be the law-abiding citizens that lose their rights guaranteed by the Constitution.
There are other reasons, but these are my top reasons why I can't vote for Barack Obama.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Guest Blogger: Truth About Banking Crisis
I received this email from a private list I'm on with people in my area. I asked the author if I could post it on my blog because she actually had experience working in the bank industry. She agreed.
Hello everyone-
I do not usually get into e-mail debates, but I feel very strongly about the media's portrayal of the the "evil Bush administration" in regard to this banking crisis and the false reporting of blame.
I worked for Wells Fargo Home Mortgage at the Regional level during this era of "CRA" that is discussed below. The government at that time (Clinton/democrats) put an intense amount of pressure on the banks/mortgage companies to meet CRA numbers and penalized them for not meeting those standards. I remember the incredible amount of resources that WFHM had to put into being "compliant" with government requirements and regulations to put the "poor" into houses- even though they could not afford them. These CRA loans that the government required the banks to make, set up a perfect scenario for greedy bankers to abuse the system and made it difficult for the banks/bankers who had integrity to do an honest days work. WFHM was constantly up against and lost market share to those banks who practiced unethical lending. These banks did not care about the effects these sub-prime loans would have on the future of their companies, their clients or this country- they just rode the sub-prime wave and made lots of money while it lasted. I personally know that banks/mortgage lenders did sub-prime loans with little to no documentation to people who in no way, shape, or form could have afforded the mortgage they were getting. These practices were predatory in nature and endorsed by the government!
Sometimes you just have to say no because it is the right thing to do.
I very much admired one of the top management people of WFHM at that time because he was able to keep WFHM balanced and put in place many rules above and beyond what the government required to keep the books balanced and in check. He knew how to say no, even though it wasn't popular, and he made sure that the people that worked for him knew how to say no too.
I find it appalling that, according to the NYT http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/15/business/economy/15bailout.html?ref=business, many banks that remained in the black and did not require a "bailout", because they were financially responsible with their depositors monies, were made to sign over a portion of their stocks to the government!!!!!!! Goodbye free market economy and welcome to socialism- and if Obama is elected, it will be the last nail in the coffin for democracy and the free market.
How much longer are we as a democratic nation going to allow this country to sink into the abyss of socialism- a lethargic form of government that doesn't work? Educate yourself and hold the correct people responsible for the mess we are in now. Rarely are the effects of new policies felt in the current presidential term, it takes years to see the repercussions of a former administration's decisions and policies. Case in point, we still suffer from the effects of the socialist polices put in place by the FDR administration and very few people today were even born when he was in power!
The Native American Nations are just now coming out of the welfare state that our government forced them into 100 years ago! It took away their individual dignity and pride of who they were as a people. Is this what you want for your children? What legacy are we leaving them?
By continuing to not only allow more governmental control in our lives, but to actually desire it, we are setting our children up for failure. The State of Louisiana and Hurricane Katrina should have taught us this. Self sufficiency, hard work and a desire to strive for something better is what makes this country great- "give a man a fish and he eats for a day, teach him to fish and feed him for a lifetime." Dependency on the government only leads to a lack of respect of oneself and each other- know your history- socialism does not work!
Respectfully submitted by a middle class voter.......
Heidi S Morris
Hello everyone-
I do not usually get into e-mail debates, but I feel very strongly about the media's portrayal of the the "evil Bush administration" in regard to this banking crisis and the false reporting of blame.
I worked for Wells Fargo Home Mortgage at the Regional level during this era of "CRA" that is discussed below. The government at that time (Clinton/democrats) put an intense amount of pressure on the banks/mortgage companies to meet CRA numbers and penalized them for not meeting those standards. I remember the incredible amount of resources that WFHM had to put into being "compliant" with government requirements and regulations to put the "poor" into houses- even though they could not afford them. These CRA loans that the government required the banks to make, set up a perfect scenario for greedy bankers to abuse the system and made it difficult for the banks/bankers who had integrity to do an honest days work. WFHM was constantly up against and lost market share to those banks who practiced unethical lending. These banks did not care about the effects these sub-prime loans would have on the future of their companies, their clients or this country- they just rode the sub-prime wave and made lots of money while it lasted. I personally know that banks/mortgage lenders did sub-prime loans with little to no documentation to people who in no way, shape, or form could have afforded the mortgage they were getting. These practices were predatory in nature and endorsed by the government!
Sometimes you just have to say no because it is the right thing to do.
I very much admired one of the top management people of WFHM at that time because he was able to keep WFHM balanced and put in place many rules above and beyond what the government required to keep the books balanced and in check. He knew how to say no, even though it wasn't popular, and he made sure that the people that worked for him knew how to say no too.
I find it appalling that, according to the NYT http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/15/business/economy/15bailout.html?ref=business, many banks that remained in the black and did not require a "bailout", because they were financially responsible with their depositors monies, were made to sign over a portion of their stocks to the government!!!!!!! Goodbye free market economy and welcome to socialism- and if Obama is elected, it will be the last nail in the coffin for democracy and the free market.
How much longer are we as a democratic nation going to allow this country to sink into the abyss of socialism- a lethargic form of government that doesn't work? Educate yourself and hold the correct people responsible for the mess we are in now. Rarely are the effects of new policies felt in the current presidential term, it takes years to see the repercussions of a former administration's decisions and policies. Case in point, we still suffer from the effects of the socialist polices put in place by the FDR administration and very few people today were even born when he was in power!
The Native American Nations are just now coming out of the welfare state that our government forced them into 100 years ago! It took away their individual dignity and pride of who they were as a people. Is this what you want for your children? What legacy are we leaving them?
By continuing to not only allow more governmental control in our lives, but to actually desire it, we are setting our children up for failure. The State of Louisiana and Hurricane Katrina should have taught us this. Self sufficiency, hard work and a desire to strive for something better is what makes this country great- "give a man a fish and he eats for a day, teach him to fish and feed him for a lifetime." Dependency on the government only leads to a lack of respect of oneself and each other- know your history- socialism does not work!
Respectfully submitted by a middle class voter.......
Heidi S Morris
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
McCain Rally in Durango
John McCain made a campaign stop in my area of Colorado on Friday evening. I was surprised to hear he was visiting Durango, especially since the last presidential candidate to visit Durango was John F. Kennedy (before I was even born). It was exciting to hear McCain speak and a great experience for my kids. I took photos and even a movie of his visit.
He spoke about ending the war and bringing our troops home, strengthening the country by offering tax cuts, including raising the child care tax credit (a great thing at my house since I have 1 million kids--or maybe it just feels that way some days :)) and cutting government spending.
I was disappointed, though, in the Obama supporters that came to protest the rally. Not only did some hold posters with profanity, but they shouted vulgar words at us simply because we chose to attend a rally for the candidate we support. It's always interesting to me that those who demand tolerance seem to be the least tolerant.
I was also disappointed with a young woman who came into the rally with a sign that read, "Just because I have a vagina doesn't mean I have to vote for Palin." (Well, duh). She had that hidden behind a sign of support for McCain and planned to show it to protest. Fortunately, volunteers confiscated her sign. She was with a group of students who bad-mouthed McCain and the Republican party during the rally and complained about how they hated America. I also noticed that many of them didn't cover their hearts or recite the Pledge of Allegiance. I say, if they hate America that much, get out. Go somewhere else. It's always amazing to me that the very people who say they hate America are protected in their right to free speech by people who gave their lives to preserve that right. I'd have to say it was very disappointing to see these high school students act so disrespectfully and childish.
All in all, it was a great experience and my family enjoyed it
The Winner is . . . .
I posted a YouTube video in hopes of spreading the word about National Down Syndrome month. (You can see the video on my sidebar or for a larger view you can go to YouTube and enter Extra C). Those who posted a link to this video or passed it to friends or made a comment on YouTube were entered into a contest to receive a copy of my book, Heaven Scent.
I'm happy to announce that Joan Sowards has won a copy. She posted a link to my video on her website. Thank you, Joan, and everyone else for participating and helping me spread the word. Maybe, just maybe, it'll help change some attitudes and make the world a little better place for my son and all of those who have Down syndrome.
Joan, please send me your snail mail address so I can mail you my book.
I'm happy to announce that Joan Sowards has won a copy. She posted a link to my video on her website. Thank you, Joan, and everyone else for participating and helping me spread the word. Maybe, just maybe, it'll help change some attitudes and make the world a little better place for my son and all of those who have Down syndrome.
Joan, please send me your snail mail address so I can mail you my book.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Marriage: Between One Man and One Woman
Some hot issues are on state ballots this year. One of those topics is defining marriage. In both California and Arizona stakes have presented special firesides in an effort to motivate members of the LDS Church to vote for such a critical issue.
In California, voters had already cast the majority of their votes to define marriage as between one man and one woman. Yet, judges overturned the voice of the people and allowed homosexual couples to marry. I don’t quite understand why or how judges would have the right to overturn the voice of the people. What is the purpose of voting if a small group of judges can overturn it on their own whim?
A well-publicized story about a school class taking a field trip to witness a homosexual marriage has spurred the debate. States are now struggling to define marriage. Honestly, it’s a definition I never thought we actually needed, but in light of this recent field trip, it’s obvious that our society has denigrated to the point that the very fabric of our society is unraveling. I’d like to point out that if a school field trip included witnessing a Catholic marriage, we’d have the ACLU jumping up and down and screaming that the school had violated church and state and trampled on the rights of students who didn’t want to witness such an event. Interestingly enough, the ACLU has not come to the defense of the students who were offended by a homosexual marriage.
It’s interesting to note also, that when the subject of polygamy is introduced, there’s quite a vehement reaction. In my own experience, many people mock the LDS Church because of its polygamous practice that ended over 100 years ago. People today still talk about polygamy in the early days of the Church and point fingers at the leaders claiming they instituted polygamy for the sole purpose of exploitation and sexual gratification. Today, polygamists can be arrested. After all, it’s legal to have sexual relations with as many partners as possible and to create children, it’s just not legal to marry those partners. While I do not support the practice of polygamy, and those that practice polygamy are not members of the LDS Church, I find it curious that our society is quick to condemn a man if he wants to marry and care for more than one wife, but not if he wants to marry another man. Isn’t there some sort of lop-sided reasoning to that?
Marriage is ordained of God. Marriage is between one man and one woman. Once we change the definition to include a small, very vocal minority, how can we then deny it to any other minority? How can we keep polygamy illegal and allow same-sex marriage? How can we deny marriage between siblings or cousins? We cannot change the definition of marriage and expect that we won’t have to make allowances for other groups.
It’s apparent that Satan’s assault on the family continues to rage. We must fight back. We must define marriage as between one man and one woman. God commanded Adam and Eve to multiply and replenish the earth and that commandment has never been revoked. A same-sex couple cannot keep this commandment. The whole idea of same-sex couples completely opposes God’s plan and defies nature.
I do not hate people who choose to live a homosexual lifestyle, but I do not support that lifestyle. I do not think same-sex couples should be allowed to marry. Our society is only as strong as our families. Each time a family breaks down, it weakens our society. We cannot allow the definition of marriage to change because we must work to strengthen our families and our society. It’s imperative that we vote to retain the definition of marriage as between one man and one woman.
Return to the neighborhood.
And while you're there, subscribe to our fantastic newsletter. Welcome to the yourLDSneighborhood newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the LDS newsletter brings you LDS articles, LDS products, LDS services, LDS resources and LDS interviews from around the world—all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. LDS Newsletter Subscriptions are FREE, and joining is easy.
In California, voters had already cast the majority of their votes to define marriage as between one man and one woman. Yet, judges overturned the voice of the people and allowed homosexual couples to marry. I don’t quite understand why or how judges would have the right to overturn the voice of the people. What is the purpose of voting if a small group of judges can overturn it on their own whim?
A well-publicized story about a school class taking a field trip to witness a homosexual marriage has spurred the debate. States are now struggling to define marriage. Honestly, it’s a definition I never thought we actually needed, but in light of this recent field trip, it’s obvious that our society has denigrated to the point that the very fabric of our society is unraveling. I’d like to point out that if a school field trip included witnessing a Catholic marriage, we’d have the ACLU jumping up and down and screaming that the school had violated church and state and trampled on the rights of students who didn’t want to witness such an event. Interestingly enough, the ACLU has not come to the defense of the students who were offended by a homosexual marriage.
It’s interesting to note also, that when the subject of polygamy is introduced, there’s quite a vehement reaction. In my own experience, many people mock the LDS Church because of its polygamous practice that ended over 100 years ago. People today still talk about polygamy in the early days of the Church and point fingers at the leaders claiming they instituted polygamy for the sole purpose of exploitation and sexual gratification. Today, polygamists can be arrested. After all, it’s legal to have sexual relations with as many partners as possible and to create children, it’s just not legal to marry those partners. While I do not support the practice of polygamy, and those that practice polygamy are not members of the LDS Church, I find it curious that our society is quick to condemn a man if he wants to marry and care for more than one wife, but not if he wants to marry another man. Isn’t there some sort of lop-sided reasoning to that?
Marriage is ordained of God. Marriage is between one man and one woman. Once we change the definition to include a small, very vocal minority, how can we then deny it to any other minority? How can we keep polygamy illegal and allow same-sex marriage? How can we deny marriage between siblings or cousins? We cannot change the definition of marriage and expect that we won’t have to make allowances for other groups.
It’s apparent that Satan’s assault on the family continues to rage. We must fight back. We must define marriage as between one man and one woman. God commanded Adam and Eve to multiply and replenish the earth and that commandment has never been revoked. A same-sex couple cannot keep this commandment. The whole idea of same-sex couples completely opposes God’s plan and defies nature.
I do not hate people who choose to live a homosexual lifestyle, but I do not support that lifestyle. I do not think same-sex couples should be allowed to marry. Our society is only as strong as our families. Each time a family breaks down, it weakens our society. We cannot allow the definition of marriage to change because we must work to strengthen our families and our society. It’s imperative that we vote to retain the definition of marriage as between one man and one woman.
Return to the neighborhood.
And while you're there, subscribe to our fantastic newsletter. Welcome to the yourLDSneighborhood newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the LDS newsletter brings you LDS articles, LDS products, LDS services, LDS resources and LDS interviews from around the world—all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. LDS Newsletter Subscriptions are FREE, and joining is easy.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Tobacco is Nasty
Another major component of the Word of Wisdom is the prohibition of tobacco. While we often think of cigarettes, tobacco in any form can cause addiction and disease.
I was appalled when I was in the hospital giving birth to one of my children and people in the room across the hall were smoking. My daughter’s brand new lungs inhaled cigarette smoke and I was quite unhappy about it. I even spoke to the city council afterwards in an effort to pass a city ordinance that banned smoking in the hospital. Fortunately, states have now passed laws prohibiting smoking in public places, including hospitals, schools, and restaurants. While people have the right to smoke, I choose not to and I don’t want to breathe in second-hand smoke because someone near me wants to smoke. I think that denies me the right to breathe smoke-free air.
When I was a young girl, before I joined the Church, my paternal grandmother smoked. She’d take us out to lunch and we’d sit at the table inhaling all of her smoke. I detested going to lunch with her because I couldn’t stand the smoke. It burned my eyes, made my nose run, and made me cough. Long before I knew about the Word of Wisdom, I’d formed my opinion of smoking. I thought it was nasty.
I can remember advertisements, before they were banned, for cigarettes. The women always looked so elegant and beautiful. They had long fingers with manicured nails that seemed to balance a cigarette just right, while their pouty lips were painted with the perfect shade of lipstick. I never recall seeing ads of haggard-looking women with wrinkled mouths and yellowed teeth. Those ads were so deceptive and, I’m sure, seduced many young people into smoking cigarettes.
Chewing tobacco wasn’t popular when I was a teenager. Maybe it was the era or maybe it was where I lived. I remember a young man who transferred into our high school. He was spitting this disgusting brown junk on the ground while he spoke to my friend and me. I was repulsed and had no idea what he was doing. When I finally learned he was chewing tobacco and then spitting out his browned saliva, I was even more disgusted. I can’t imagine why chewing tobacco holds any kind of appeal for anyone.
Besides the obvious health issues, another factor with tobacco is its addictive property. Anything addictive is harmful to our spirit because we no longer have free agency to make choices. Once our physical body has become dependent on any substance, we have lost the very power that we were granted at birth, the ability to choose.
While tobacco is big business, it’s also harmful and destructive. It’s far better to never give way to the addiction, but even those who become dependent on tobacco can once again enjoy freedom from addiction. Once smokers stop smoking, their health outlook increases dramatically. Even more importantly, the freedom to choose is restored.
I will continue to examine the Word of Wisdom. Stay tuned . . .
Return to the neighborhood.
And while you're there, subscribe to our fantastic newsletter. Welcome to the yourLDSneighborhood newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the LDS newsletter brings you LDS articles, LDS products, LDS services, LDS resources and LDS interviews from around the world—all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. LDS Newsletter Subscriptions are FREE, and joining is easy.
I was appalled when I was in the hospital giving birth to one of my children and people in the room across the hall were smoking. My daughter’s brand new lungs inhaled cigarette smoke and I was quite unhappy about it. I even spoke to the city council afterwards in an effort to pass a city ordinance that banned smoking in the hospital. Fortunately, states have now passed laws prohibiting smoking in public places, including hospitals, schools, and restaurants. While people have the right to smoke, I choose not to and I don’t want to breathe in second-hand smoke because someone near me wants to smoke. I think that denies me the right to breathe smoke-free air.
When I was a young girl, before I joined the Church, my paternal grandmother smoked. She’d take us out to lunch and we’d sit at the table inhaling all of her smoke. I detested going to lunch with her because I couldn’t stand the smoke. It burned my eyes, made my nose run, and made me cough. Long before I knew about the Word of Wisdom, I’d formed my opinion of smoking. I thought it was nasty.
I can remember advertisements, before they were banned, for cigarettes. The women always looked so elegant and beautiful. They had long fingers with manicured nails that seemed to balance a cigarette just right, while their pouty lips were painted with the perfect shade of lipstick. I never recall seeing ads of haggard-looking women with wrinkled mouths and yellowed teeth. Those ads were so deceptive and, I’m sure, seduced many young people into smoking cigarettes.
Chewing tobacco wasn’t popular when I was a teenager. Maybe it was the era or maybe it was where I lived. I remember a young man who transferred into our high school. He was spitting this disgusting brown junk on the ground while he spoke to my friend and me. I was repulsed and had no idea what he was doing. When I finally learned he was chewing tobacco and then spitting out his browned saliva, I was even more disgusted. I can’t imagine why chewing tobacco holds any kind of appeal for anyone.
Besides the obvious health issues, another factor with tobacco is its addictive property. Anything addictive is harmful to our spirit because we no longer have free agency to make choices. Once our physical body has become dependent on any substance, we have lost the very power that we were granted at birth, the ability to choose.
While tobacco is big business, it’s also harmful and destructive. It’s far better to never give way to the addiction, but even those who become dependent on tobacco can once again enjoy freedom from addiction. Once smokers stop smoking, their health outlook increases dramatically. Even more importantly, the freedom to choose is restored.
I will continue to examine the Word of Wisdom. Stay tuned . . .
Return to the neighborhood.
And while you're there, subscribe to our fantastic newsletter. Welcome to the yourLDSneighborhood newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the LDS newsletter brings you LDS articles, LDS products, LDS services, LDS resources and LDS interviews from around the world—all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. LDS Newsletter Subscriptions are FREE, and joining is easy.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)