I want to be Mormon...but I'm addicted to coke....?

Question

Coke as in Coca-Cola(and no...not the real origional recipe)...

Mormons believe that caffeine is bad for you...how can I kick the habit? Any other Mormon converts that have had to same problem....or anyone who drops soda like a hot potato just for health?

(P.S. My addiction goes beyond just drinking it...I had my 73 super beetle detailed with the coca-cola swish, my room is in Coca-Cola....I have well over 1000 bottles, some with soda still in them....how can I stop?!)

Did I say they don't believe in caffeine? No, I said they believe it's bad for you....

Choose your words wisely or you'll look like an idiot.

Oh Yahoo....I hope not, because I probably drink 2 cans(at least) in a 4 hour period...I go through almost 50 cans a week....and thats weeks I don't go out for dinner....but I usually have sweet tea when I go out.

If you mean "Roberto Crispulo Goizueta" He wasn't Mormon(that I know of) but He went to a Mormon school or something like that...

As far as E. Neville Isdell(who is the CEO now) has nothing on the internet about being Mormon...though he is close to Mitt Romney...or something.

Answer 1

For the umpteen millionth time: WE ARE ALLOWED TO DRINK COKE!!! It is only COFFEE and TEA that we cannot have.

Answer 2

While science has found caffeine to not be healthy and it is addictive the LDS church does not have a stance on not drinking Coke or Pepsi or any other soda with caffeine. (Word of Wisdom says not hot drinks which has been state to mean coffee or black tea including the ice type). If you want to drink it and become LDS that is fine. But if you want to quit because you don't want to have an addiction then start out slowly and cut back about 1 a day then the next week drop one more, etc. also try substituting something else in place of each coke that you drop say a bottle of water or juice that would also be healthier for you.

And no the CEO of Coke is not Mormon nor does the Mormon church own Coke or Pepsi (they are publicly traded companies anyone can own shares of).

Answer 3

Well, my husband is a temple-worthy Mormon and he has a coke at least once a day.
Until the prophet comes out and says do not drink any caffeine, I am sure people still will. It is totally a personal judgement call...you do sound addicted so maybe just limit yourself - have only a few a week or one a day or 2 a month or something. Try that.
There are worse things you could be addicted to...

Answer 4

The mis-conception that the church says that Coke is bad for you and you cannot drink it and be a member of our church comes from the Word of Wisdom (89th section of the Doctrine & Covenants) which forbids hot drinks (later determined to be coffee and tea). People just assumed that this was because of caffeine and stopped drinking all caffeinated beverages.

But if a bishop will not refuse a person a temple recommend just for drinking COke and Pepsi, does not mean that they should deny a person baptism, also. Never heard of that. I'll have to ask.

Answer 5

I hope you can give up Coke a Cola, but not for a church...for yourself instead. I drank Coke for 20 years (and it wasn't a hinderance to me becoming LDS/Mormon at age 15). I can't remember being a little kid and not craving one; half of the pictures of me spanning my entire life have a coke can/bottle somewhere in it. Strangely enough, about two years ago, it started making me really sick to drink it, and now I can't stand the stuff. Strange the way life works out...I'll probably still develop kidney stones at one point though.

Liesel.

Answer 6

There's nothing in LDS doctrine that forbids drinking Coke, however, we are taught to use "prudence" in using all "healthful herbs" (see D&C 89:10-11).

Obviously you know your coke/caffeine obsession is not good for you. It might help for you to understand how caffeine works. Here is a site that you might find useful:

http://www.caffeineawareness.org/

My sister in law was addicted to Pepsi, and she tried to give it up, but found she was just so lethargic without her caffeine that she went back on it.

I searched and found this link to a caffeine addiction hypnosis:
http://www.hypnosisdownloads.com/downloads/health/caffeine-addiction.html

Get ready for withdrawal symptoms ... headache, extreme irritability, etc. It will be worth it in the long run, though. If you live on caffeine (like it seems you do), eventually your adrenals will crash and you will have virtually zero stress tolerance as a result:

See http://www.caffeineawareness.org/forum/adrenal_glands.html

Best wishes in kicking your addiction! :-)

Answer 7

I would honestly not stress about it. Most mormons I know drink coke, pepsi, rootbeer. Just don't bring it up during a bishop's interview. It's just a guideline and it won't keep you out of the temple.

I think that drinking decaffeinated sodas and watching rated R movies are one of those don't ask don't tell issues in the mormon church.

Just make sure you recycle those cans :)

Answer 8

Hehe... actually, I'm an active Mormon and I <3 Coke... I was just drinking it like 4 hours ago. Everyone loves Coke, at church activities, we have them, when missionaries come home I always have it for them because they luv it too. Sure that there should be moderation with everything but you can be a Mormon, you're not smoking, drinking or on drugs, it's just a nice drink. I <3 Coke.

And I think I'll die of kidney rocks because I drink it like too often hehehe

Answer 9

Could you try caffeine free coke? Or better yet, drink bubble water, that's a healthy replacement.

Just quit the same way people quit smoking, choose a quit date then take it one day at a time. If you mess up start over again, if your persistent, you will succeed eventually.

Answer 10

If you decide to kick the sugar/caffeine connection and go to a decaf diet soda, be aware that asparatene does far more long-term damage to your body than caffeine. That includes Splenda and perhaps Equal sugar substitutes.

I was at in a Stake President's interview once who asked me if I kept the word of wisdom. I confessed I really enjoyed Pepsi. He looked at me and said, "But do you keep the word of wisdom?" It comes down to who gets to interpret this 'commandment' as it doesn't state specifically what ingredients god forbids. Plus, if you've been in an area that traditionally disdains coke, you're subject to peer pressure to abstain.

Best thing to do is quit and go have a Sam Adams. That's way better than any ol' coke, and it is "A mild drink made from barley".

Answer 11

Didn't you here the news? The head CEO of Coke is a mormon and he had a vision, from God, that it was OK for mormons to drink Coke and caffeine. From that point on the Mormon Church said that all members could drink caffinated beverages without fear of condemnation by the Church. I kid you not.

Don't worry about it.