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The
Word of Wisdom - My Testimony
Joyce
Kinmont
The Word of
Wisdom (D&C 89) begins "the order and will of God, and ends "the destroying
angel shall pass by." It proposes a diet of fruits, vegetables, and grains
and promises health and hidden treasures of knowledge. It warns about "conspiring
men," and teaches that the Lord would be pleased if we eat animal flesh
"only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine."
Hyrum Smith,
who held joint Presidency with Joseph and possessed the same keys, said,
"and why to be used in famine? Because all domesticated animals would naturally
die, and may as well be made use of by man, as not." And he also said the
Word of Wisdom is "one of the engines to....remove the beastly appetites,
the murderous dispositions and the vitiated taste of man, to restore his
body to health and vigor, and to promote peace between him and the brute
creation."
I do not
know what the Lord had in mind in His warming to the Shakers in D&C
49:18, but I have no trouble understanding the admonition in verse 21:
"And wo be unto man that sheddeth blood or that wasteth flesh and hath
no need" or the one in JSTGen 9:11: "And surely, blood shall not be shed,
only for meat, to save your lives; and the blood of every beast will I
require at your hands."
I believe
the Lord expected the early Saints - who constantly faced hunger and upheaval
- to eat animals; but clearly there has always been a higher vision. Considering
the diseases naturally passed to humans from animals, the last- days plagues,
also transmitted by animals, that are frequently in the news, the increasing
levels of chemical residues in animal foods, the inhumane treatment of
animals, the variety of plant-based foods now available, and in my desire
to please the Lord, it seems unwise and unnecessary for me to eat animal
products.
| Brigham
Young: When men live to the age of a tree, their food will be fruit.
If the
people were willing to receive the true knowledge from heaven in regard
to their diet they would cease eating swine's flesh. I know this as well
as Moses knew it.
Apostle
George Q. Cannon: We are told that flesh of any kind is not suitable
to man in the summertime, and ought to be eaten sparingly in the winter.
Lorenzo
Snow. 5th President: thought the time was near at hand when the Latter-day
Saints should be taught to refrain from meat eating and the shedding of
animal blood.
Joseph
F. Smith. 6th President: I do not believe any man should kill animals
or birds unless he 'needs" them for food....Love of nature is akin to the
love of God...
Heber
J. Grant. 7thPresident: ...during the years we have had a cafeteria
in the Utah Hotel I have not, with the exception of not more than a dozen
times, ordered meat of any kind... l have endeavored to live the Word of
Wisdom and that, in my opinion, is one reason for my good health.
George
Albert Smith. 8th President: In the summer he eats no meat, and even
in the winter months he eats very little.
David 0. McKay. 9th
President: The man was beating it unmercifully. Brother Kimball tuned
to these brethren and said, 'brethren, that horse will demand justice of
that man some time and will get it. He is making himself a debtor to that
animal. "...
We
may have to slay animals for food and other legitimate reasons, when it
is absolutely necessary; but when it is done it should be done with as
little pain to the animal as possible. |
Joseph
Fielding Smith. 10th President: My husband doesn't eat meat [but rather]
lots of fruit and vegetables.
(Jessie
Evans Smith)
Spencer
W Kimball. 12th President. sang:
That the
children may live long,
And be
beautiful and strong,
Tea and
coffee and tobacco they despise,
Drink
no liquor, and they eat
But a
very little meat;
They are
seeking to be great and good and wise.
(Hymn
#307, In Our Lovely Deseret, by Eliza R. Snow, wife of two Prophets, sister
of a third)
I still don't
eat very much meat
Ezra
Taft Benson. 13th President: We need a generation of young people who,
as Daniel, eat in a more healthy manner than to fare on the "kings meat"
- and whose countenances show it.
But what
needs additional emphasis are the positive aspects... the need for vegetables,
fruits, and grain, particularly wheat... We need a generation of people
who eat in a healthier manner.
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.
Gordon
B. Hincklev. 15th President: It proscribes alcohol and tobacco, tea
and coffee, and emphasizes the use of fruit and grains. This Word of Wisdom
came to us from the God of Heaven, for our blessing. I regret that we as
a people do not observe it more faithfully.
I thank
the Lord for a testimony of the Word of Wisdom. I wish we lived it more
fully, but even though we do not, the Lord pours out his blessing on those
who try.
many
above quotes from
THE WORD
OF WiSDOM FOOD PLAN by Kenneth E. Johnson. M.D.
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