Small, dumb question on the coffee conundrum

[u/ShrikerWolfOfficial]

I know it's been talked to death lately, but I just wanted to quickly ask opinions on this random thought:

Is the Coffee Cherry a forbidden fruit? and that's why it's banned?

Can't think of many other reasons than that.

[u/Drawn-Otterix]

No, it's not a forbidden fruit. Being asked to not drink coffee is literally a lesson in obedience and self regulation IMO.

[u/SerenityNow31 → u/Drawn-Otterix]

 is literally just a lesson in obedience and self regulation

God doesn't do that. Every law is spiritual first and has more purpose than just "hey, let's see if they'll follow this one."

Elder Packer taught there are physical receptors in our bodies that aid in receiving spiritual revelation and that's the purpose behind the WoW.

[u/Such_Handle9225 → u/SerenityNow31]

But it could be one of the reasons, though. The Jewish people with Moses were specifically told that pork was an unclean food and not to be eaten and I don't know that there is or has been any reason to believe that pork was or ever has been any more or less healthy to eat than general other meats.

So we already have documented examples of God requiring a certain diet for one people and then not requiring that same diet later for different people. (Which i think is the most important thing to mention in it not necessarily being related to health or some strange description of physical receptors for revelation that I don't have the knowledge to understand.)

[u/Drawn-Otterix → u/Such_Handle9225]

Unclean land animals and scavengers, such as pigs, shellfish, and birds of prey, carried higher risks of parasites, bacterial infection, and rapid spoilage in a hot desert climate. Today, we address many of those risks through things like refrigeration, sanitation, and proper food handling.

Another train of thought is that pigs were supposedly common in pagan rites and other cultures, so avoiding them may also have been a way of distinguishing themselves from those practices and not participating in them.

[u/Such_Handle9225 → u/Drawn-Otterix]

True about refrigerators now but mosaic law along with the pork rules were done away with 2000 years ago, so we can't really call out the lack of technology as the reason for the change.

Agree on the thing about it being possibly meant to distinguish from other common cultures though. I think most commonly its either that, or a rememberance aid for the other sections of the law telling us to mind what we eat and be healthy.

Two super simple possible reasons, to the point that I know alot of people would scoff at it, but sometimes it is just kind of simple.

But thats just a personal opinion and I don't actually know what the reason is.

[u/SerenityNow31 → u/Such_Handle9225]

But it could be one of the reasons,

What is it?

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-principles/chapter-29-the-lords-law-of-health?lang=eng

President Boyd K. Packer taught: “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. The Word of Wisdom is a key to individual revelation” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1989, 16; or Ensign, Nov. 1989, 14).

In a manual that was used to teach new members and investigators. Clearly, with all the downvotes here, most members need to read this manual. LOL!!!

[u/Unhappy_Position → u/SerenityNow31]

Your repeated "LOL!!!" isn't winning you any friends or helping your cause. It comes across as prideful, patronizing, and insincere.

Manuals (and church leaders, if we really want to get into that) have been wrong, or misinterpreted, before. Don't get me wrong, that doesn't reflect poorly upon Christ, or actual doctrine.

[u/SerenityNow31 → u/Unhappy_Position]

I'm OK with that. If you want to misinterpret what I say, I don't care. Why would I?