When people ask if I drink alcohol, tea, or coffee, I tell them no. The next comment, if they know my religion, is "Oh its because you're Mormon isn't it?" or "Oh yeah you're Mormon." Yes I am Mormon but truth be told I HATE that comment. Let me explain more.
I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. In the Doctrine and Covenants, we are given the word of wisdom. This part of the scriptures, talk about how alcohol, tea, coffee, tobacco, and etc. is to not be consumed. It also talks about how to have a healthy lifestyle and to treat our body as a temple. Prophets have encouraged us to not partake in these substances and we cannot partake of these substances to have a temple recommend. Also, who else encourages us not to partake in these substances... Doctors, research, history, and etc. More than one person has mentioned over years how bad it is for your body. We only get one body and one lifetime on this earth... Why ruin it?
The one thing I absolutely love about my Church is that we are encouraged to follow these guidelines for us and that we are to pray and ask our Heavenly Father for conformation about whatever is asked from us. I love that because I have the agency to follow or not. I have the choice to want to be worthy to enter into the Temple. Also, with having a mother who is a member and a father was a non-member, I really did have a choice. My dad supported our choice to go to church, but if we ever said we hated it or that we did not want to partake in baptism or wanting to stop going, he would support that as well. So it was really up to me to decide what and how I wanted to live my life.
I chose to listen to what the prophets have asked from us. It was my choice not anyone elses. Its not just because I am Mormon. It is because I do not want to put those substances in my body. Really for multiple reasons. One honestly, I think that each one of them smell horrible. Two I have some genetics that these substances would just make worse. Both of my parents had cancer (yes it sucks), so guess who has the likelihood of getting cancer... Yep you got it, its me. Also, fun little fact, the cancers my parents had are more likely to happen to me with every bit of alcohol that enters into my body. So needless to say that is another MAJOR reason I say no way. I already have high chances, I don't need them higher. Three have you seen the prices of alcohol,tobacco and coffee? Really do you know how much you could buy if you don't spend that money on alcohol or tobacco or coffee. Sorry I really enjoy my shopping and would much rather spend my money on shoes or clothes. Four doctors have done research for years about how its bad for your body. I am pretty sure doctors know exactly what they are talking about, hence their experience and schooling. Five a Prophet of God has asked for these substances to not be consumed by us. The Prophet is Heavenly Father's mortal spokesman. What he says is what Heavenly Father wants us to hear. So its God that has asked us to not consume these things.
So no its not because I am Mormon. I choose to not consume these substances because I want to smell good, I do not want to up my chances for cancer or any other disease, I like spending my money on shopping, doctors know what they are talking about, and because we were asked by the Prophet to not do so. I know that me being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has influenced me to choose this, but it was MY CHOICE. So next time you are in a situation and a person says no to whatever it is, please don't say "Oh its just because you're Mormon." Just say Okay and accept the fact that the person does not partake in it. This goes for anything, not just the addictive substances. Remember we aren't just our Religion. We all were given the agency to choose what we do and don't do. What are you going to choose?
