Mormons

Modern Mormons are better known for what they do not ingest than for what they do. This entry reviews prohibitions, interpretive approaches, food stereotypes, and fasting. Observant Mormons will not drink alcohol, tea, or coffee. They neither smoke nor chew tobacco; they do not use recreational drugs or abuse prescription medications. This dietary code is based on the Word of Wisdom, a revelation that church founder Joseph Smith promulgated in February 1833. The Word of Wisdom has been canonized within a collection of revelations known as the Doctrine and Covenants. Interpretations of, and compliance with, this dietary code have varied through time. Whether beer and wine were included in the prohibition of “strong drinks,” how best to interpret “hot drinks,” and whether observant Mormons needed to comply with the Word of Wisdom were controversial questions through the first century of the church’s history. Only in 1931 did current ideas about interpretation and compliance become established.