Utah Stereotypes (transplants, neighborhood, population)

[some boring guy]

The story I've heard is that Emma was upset about Joseph & the elders and the mess they made from their tobacco. She made a pointed comment about how nice it would be if there were a revelation banning tobacco use, and one of the guys suggested it should also include a ban on the hot drinks of the sisters, basically as a clap-back. Then lo and behold ...


Even in my active days, I never treated it as an absolute; just a guideline to be moderate and responsible. I was never a coffee/tea drinker and not a big partier to begin with, so alcohol wasn't really something I abused.



Soda I think is more of a cultural thing. Somewhere along the line, some leader probably made a vague comment and it took off from there.

[cwaatar516]

Originally Posted by Hrothgar

FWIW.....

My family is LDS, however I am not. From what I know from them, including my great grandma who was born in the 1800's and lived to 102, she was taught by her handcart Pioneer parents that tea and coffee were bad because it would burn your insides. No idea if that was family reasoning only or a Church teaching. I do know she drank both sodas and beer, just not "hard drink" and was a Temple Mormon.

As for sodas according to my LDS Aunt the rumor was the Prophets condemned dark colored sodas back in the 60's and that rumor grew clear into the 1990's before being addressed and dark sodas being officially "ok." It was always ok and rumor has it Thomas Monson loved Pepsi and would drink them a few times a week.

Don't know how valid any of it is or not as I also have never been given a concrete, official WHY to the whole coffee and tea business.

Neither my Grandmother's Grandmother, or my husband's Grandmother were LDS, one was from eastern Europe, the other one from western Europe. Both would not allow hot drinks to be served in their homes. Both said it was because it would damage your insides. In fact my Great-Grandmother would not even allow hot soup to be served. It could be warm, but not hot. I still prefer my soup to be just slightly warmer than room temp. It may have been a cultural thing.

[lolagranola]

The baby name part is totally on target!!!

[English Ivy]

Originally Posted by Katzpur

No Coca Cola products were ever banned by the Church, and the Church has never held stock in the company. Aside from alcoholic beverages and tobacco, it's only coffee and tea that are forbidden. Coffee and tea are forbidden for unspecified reasons, but it's not because of the caffeine.

I remember Postum. I never tasted it, but I heard it was pretty yucky. I haven't seen it for years, though. Unless I'm mistaken, it was considered permissible to drink as a coffee substitute.

That's funny reading all the rumors and guesses about the reason for no coffee and tea. And still no clear answer.

The story I heard was that back in the day, coffee and tea were expensive, luxury items. The LDS Church wanted to discourage the pioneers from spending their money on expensive luxuries and practice a more modest lifestyle. I was under the impression that it was "hot drinks" that were forbidden - and back then, the only hot drinks were coffee and tea. Later on, people assumed it was related to caffeine.

I am NOT of LDS heritage. I have no idea where I heard this. But I am curious if there is any truth to it.

*And to the Mountain Dew reference posted earlier - anytime I see someone in UT drinking Mountain Dew, I automatically presume they are probably LDS

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by English Ivy

The story I heard was that back in the day, coffee and tea were expensive, luxury items. The LDS Church wanted to discourage the pioneers from spending their money on expensive luxuries and practice a more modest lifestyle.

I don't think that had anything to do with it.

I was under the impression that it was "hot drinks" that were forbidden - and back then, the only hot drinks were coffee and tea. Later on, people assumed it was related to caffeine.

I am NOT of LDS heritage. I have no idea where I heard this. But I am curious if there is any truth to it.

This much is 100% true. Pretty early on, "hot drinks" were interpreted as being tea and coffee. The assumption was that it was because of the caffeine. Over the years, some Mormons just made the determination for themselves that caffeine was the culprit and stayed away from even soft drinks containing caffeine. Other Mormons told them to stop reading between the lines and insisted that caffeinated soft drinks were just fine. During Romney's run for President, the issue came up and the LDS leadership actually came out and said caffeine was not the issue, and that caffeinated soft drinks were not forbidden -- only tea and coffee.

Okay, so here's where it gets really messy. So tea and coffee are forbidden because they are the "hot drinks" the "Word of Wisdom" was actually referring to. But, iced tea and iced coffee are also forbidden, even though they are not "hot drinks" at all -- just because they are tea and coffee. And then there are herbal teas. They may not contain caffeine (which supposedly isn't the issue in the first place) but they are still tea. I think quite a number of Mormons drink them and feel fine about doing so; I know my husband does. When an LDS person goes in for a Temple Recommend Interview, he is asked, "Do you understand and obey the Word of Wisdom?" (I could be wrong here, but I believe it used to be worded, "Do you keep the Word of Wisdom?") Now I guess you're supposed to know what the rules actually are, which makes sense, except that the rules themselves don't actually make sense (for the reasons I've just explained). I'm not sure if someone who drinks herbal teas would be permitted to get a Temple Recommend or not. It would probably depend upon how much of a letter-of-the-law kind of person his bishop was.

*And to the Mountain Dew reference posted earlier - anytime I see someone in UT drinking Mountain Dew, I automatically presume they are probably LDS

I'd assume it was just someone who had messed up taste buds.

[lolagranola]

With the number of Starbucks and other coffee shops & kiosks, it's not just non-Mormons drinking coffee! (and I'm specifically talking about Davis Co!)

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by lolagranola

With the number of Starbucks and other coffee shops & kiosks, it's not just non-Mormons drinking coffee! (and I'm specifically talking about Davis Co!)

Oh, I'm sure you're right, but keep in mind that a pretty large number of Mormons are "inactive" or non-practicing. Most active Mormons really don't drink coffee. I think it's an acquired taste, and where socializing over a cup of coffee isn't part of the culture, I don't think you're going to find many active Mormons being coffee drinkers. Personally, I really dislike both coffee and tea, so staying away from them is easy for me. On the other hand, I love a nice glass of wine from time to time. Basically, there's no wiggle room on that. When I drink wine (usually 2 or 3 times a year), I pretty much know I'm doing something my Church disapproves of.

[ketchikanite]

Originally Posted by some boring guy

The story I've heard is that Emma was upset about Joseph & the elders and the mess they made from their tobacco. She made a pointed comment about how nice it would be if there were a revelation banning tobacco use, and one of the guys suggested it should also include a ban on the hot drinks of the sisters, basically as a clap-back. Then lo and behold ...


Even in my active days, I never treated it as an absolute; just a guideline to be moderate and responsible. I was never a coffee/tea drinker and not a big partier to begin with, so alcohol wasn't really something I abused.



Soda I think is more of a cultural thing. Somewhere along the line, some leader probably made a vague comment and it took off from there.

100% spot on. There are a number of books written on church history both by Mormons and gentiles that attribute the bans on alcohol and tobacco to Emma Smith. The ban on hot drinks watered the brethren’s suggestion.

I was born in the church, raised in it, baptized in it and attended BYU. I’ve always been troubled by these revelations of convenience. That along with many other issues is why I walked away. Even now it makes me wince when I go to church and see a coffee bar set up in the lobby. Cause there are no ice cubes. 30 years after I left and I still can’t bring myself to partake of hot drinks. I drink coffee but it’s gotta be ice cold.

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by ketchikanite

100% spot on. There are a number of books written on church history both by Mormons and gentiles that attribute the bans on alcohol and tobacco to Emma Smith. The ban on hot drinks watered the brethren’s suggestion.

I was born in the church, raised in it, baptized in it and attended BYU. I’ve always been troubled by these revelations of convenience. That along with many other issues is why I walked away. Even now it makes me wince when I go to church and see a coffee bar set up in the lobby. Cause there are no ice cubes. 30 years after I left and I still can’t bring myself to partake of hot drinks. I drink coffee but it’s gotta be ice cold.

I don't believe Emma had anything to do with the prohibition on hot drinks, but according to historical accounts, she did have a major issue with having to clean up the spitting tobacco off the floors.

[As Above So Below...]

From someone who is from out of state, I would say the stereotypes are the following:

1) Mormons
2) White people
3) Skiing
4) Mountains and natural beauty