Quotes About the Word of Wisdom
"Drugs are a matter of great concern. There has been a great increase in the use of drugs by young people across the United States, a great upsurge. We are feeling it here. We are feeling it everywhere. We need to work on this matter of drugs and helping these boys and girls.
"No boy or girl in this Church should become involved with the use of illegal drugs. Not one. They don't need drugs. Drugs will destroy them, they will absolutely destroy them, if they will persist in the use of drugs."
President Gordon B. Hinckley - Priesthood session, Jordan Utah South Regional Conference March 1, 1997
"It is expected that every member . . . observe the Word of Wisdom. It is a promise to this people — divinely given — and if we were to observe it more strictly, the blessing would be the greater."
President Gordon B. Hinckley - Madison Square Garden, N.Y., April 26, 1998
"Stay away from alcohol. Graduation from high school is no reason for a beer bust. Better stay away and be thought a prude than go through life regretting it ever afterwards. Stay away from drugs. You cannot afford to touch them. They will utterly destroy you.
The euphoria will quickly pass, and the deadly, strangling clutches of this evil thing will embrace you in their power. You will become a slave, a debauched slave. You will lose control of your life and your actions. Do not experiment with them. Stay free of them! Walk in the sunlight, strength, and virtue of self-control and of absolute integrity."
Pres. Hinckley, CR, Oct. 4, 1997
"Some have even used as an alibi the fact that drugs are not mentioned in the Word of Wisdom. What a miserable excuse. There is likewise no mention of the hazards of diving into an empty swimming pool or of jumping from an overpass onto the freeway. But who doubts the deadly consequences of such? Common sense would dictate against such behavior."
Pres. Hinckley, Nov 1989 Ensign
"The Word of Wisdom is a commandment. In 1851 Pres. Brigham Young gave to this Church the Word of Wisdom as a final and definite commandment. From the time it was given to the Prophet Joseph until 1851, it was considered as a matter of preference or suggestion to the people, a word of advice and counsel. From 1851 until this day it is a commandment to all the members of the Church of Jesus Christ"
Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, p.201
When asked what drinks were meant by "hot drinks," the Prophet Joseph Smith said:
"I understand that some of the people are excusing themselves in using tea and coffee, because the Lord only said 'hot drinks' in the revelation of the Word of Wisdom. Tea and coffee are what the Lord meant when he said 'hot drinks'."
Widstoe, Word of Wisdom, p. 85-86
What about soft drinks containing habit-forming drugs or caffeine, such as cola drinks? Although soft drinks are not mentioned specifically in the Word of Wisdom, an official statement by the Church's leaders reads:
"With reference to cola drinks, the Church has never officially taken a position on this matter, but the leaders of the Church have advised, and we do now specifically advise, against the use of any drink containing harmful habit-forming drugs under circumstances that would result in acquiring the habit. Any beverage that contains ingredients harmful to the body should be avoided."
Priesthood Bulletin, Feb. 1972, p.4
"This earth is his creation. When we make it ugly, we offend him. Our bodies are the work of our Creator. When we abuse them, we abuse him."
"I wonder in this age if it is enough to have the courage to just say 'no,' or do we have a further responsibility to be of service to others in helping them overcome the great curse that is now plaguing our society....Today the curse of drink and drugs is becoming a national nightmare."
L. Tom Perry - "Run and Not Be Weary" General Conference, October 1996
"Physical well-being is not only a priceless asset to oneself—it is a heritage to be passed on. With good health, all other activities of life are greatly enhanced. A clean mind in a healthy body enables one to render far more effective service to others. It helps one provide more vigorous leadership. It gives our every experience in life more zest and more meaning. Robust health is a noble and worthwhile attainment."
Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p. 479
"The condition of the physical body can affect the spirit. That's why the Lord gave us the Word of Wisdom. He also said that we should retire to our beds early and arise early (see D&C 88:124), that we should not run faster than we have strength (see D&C 10:4), and that we should use moderation in all good things. In general, the more food we eat in its natural state and the less it is refined without additives, the healthier it will be for us.
Food can affect the mind, and deficiencies in certain elements in the body can promote mental depression. A good physical examination periodically is a safeguard and may spot problems that can be remedied. Rest and physical exercise are essential, and a walk in the fresh air can refresh the spirit. Wholesome recreation is part of our religion, and a change of pace is necessary, and even its anticipation can lift the spirit."
President Ezra Taft Benson
"Cease to sleep longer than is needful; retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated."
D&C 88:124
"Our physical body is the instrument of our spirit. In that marvelous revelation the Word of Wisdom we are told how to keep our bodies free from impurities which might dull, even destroy, those delicate physical senses which have to do with spiritual communication."
Boyd K Packer, "Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled", p. 211
"Your body is the instrument of your mind. . . . What you learn spiritually depends, to a degree, on how you treat your body. That is why the Word of Wisdom is so important."
President Boyd K. Packer - Ensign, Nov. 1994, 61
"We cannot afford to waver in any way. We should always keep in mind that we are trying to prepare for missions, temple marriages, and activity in the Church and to be examples for good so that others will be influenced by the way we live.
"So many people say, 'One cigarette, one cup of tea or coffee, one puff of marijuana won't hurt you, and one drink of alcohol surely cannot hurt anybody.'
"I want to emphasize that if you never take the first you will never take the second. You will never become an alcoholic or an addict."
President N. Eldon Tanner, Gen. Conf. April 1975 - "Success is Gauged by Self Mastery"
"At the first passover, the destroying angel did pass over houses that were marked with blood on the doorposts. In our day the faithful keep the Word of Wisdom. It is one of our signs unto God that we are his covenant people."
Russell M. Nelson - October 1988 General Conference - "Addiction or Freedom"
"Don't say you can't swear off drinking; it's easy. I've done it a thousand times."
W.C. Fields
"In the light of the terrible waste of money for the use of these harmful substances, the injury to the human body through their use, and the spiritual uplift that comes to those who keep their bodies clean through abstaining from their use, how can one question the source whence this revelation, the Word of Wisdom, came? It was far ahead of the scientific thought of its day. It must have, and did, come from God."
LeGrand Richards - "A Marvelous Work and a Wonder," p. 366
"Your body is the instrument of your mind. . . . What you learn spiritually depends, to a degree, on how you treat your body. That is why the Word of Wisdom is so important."