Exceptions to the Word of Wisdom Requirement?

[Nomomo]

My grandfather who baptized me, and who was never turned down for a temple recommend, always drank and had instant coffee and Lipton tea in the house. Knowing my grandfather as I did, I am absolutely positive he would never have lied in an interview with the bishop.

So,... how was it he was always able to attend a wedding or whatever at the temple, baptize his grandchildren etc. without any issue whatsoever?

I realize in the old days Word of Wisdom exceptions were made for older members from "back in the day", but I am talking about the period from the 60's through the early 90's.

My grandfather drank coffee nearly every morning, yet always wore his garments. None of us ever thought anything amiss about it. But, now I wonder If Bishops are allowed some leniency, or if some of them were just were more lenient on their own anyways. Or if perhaps they just gave my grandfather his recommend without the interview.

One thing is for sure, that my grandfather would never have lied about his drinking coffee and tea.

by the way, he used to do an awfully lot of work at the church farm (for free) before and after he retired.

[Nomomo]

After my grandfather retired he would have a cup or two of instant coffee in the morning before going to donate his work at the church farm. I have to admire him for realizing he was doing nothing wrong. Some members of his generation were still of the opinion that the word of wisdom was "advice", regardless of what the newer policy on the Word of Wisdom was stated as being.

[Gunnar]

My impression is that the Word of Wisdom was not always as rigidly enforced as it is now. I was told that the first Mission President I had during my time as a Mormon missionary in Denmark, who on his first mission to Denmark, was noted for being the only one of the smokers his group of new arrivals to the Danish Mission, back in the early 20th Century, who succeeded in quitting smoking before the end of his mission. Apparently, in those days, merely being a Word of Wisdom breaker did not necessarily disqualify anyone from serving a mission or even getting a temple recommend.

In fact, living the word of wisdom did not become mandatory to worship in the Temple until 1921. https://askgramps.org/when-did-the-word ... mmandment/

Recognizing the benefits of following this advice, Brigham Young asked the saints to commit themselves to live by it in 1851, but it didn’t become a requirement for temple recommends until 1921. This commitment is a part of our covenant with the Lord, that we will do as He asks of us and in return He will bless us. Remember, that when God speaks whether “by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same”

[Dr Exiled]

The word of wisdom is meaningless virtue-signaling, like wearing garments and following the leaders in whatever nonsense they are currently advocating. They need to justify their positions and so create and push rules on the faithful. The faithful can then feel superior when they follow and it takes their attention away from the 10% monthly gouge from the parasite. One would be better served to steer clear of it, but, then where would the mopes and their acolytes go for their false superiority fix?

[Rick Grunder]

When I was a young and true-true-blue Idaho Mormon boy of the 1950s, we occasionally visited my maternal grandfather in Hyrum, Utah, a small town in Cache Valley which his father had helped settle as a young man a century earlier. During one of those visits, I happened to look in the fridge, and beheld an opened can of beer, waiting unabashedly on one of the shelves. Horrified, I ran to my mother to tell her the awful thing I had found in Pa's "ice box."

In her usual sweet way, she leaned down attentively. "It's for his heart," Mom whispered. "Sometimes when it stops, he drinks just a few drops to make it start again."

I don't know if I believed that, or if she did, but it got me through.

[Kishkumen]

When I was a young and true-true-blue Idaho Mormon boy of the 1950s, we occasionally visited my maternal grandfather in Hyrum, Utah, a small town in Cache Valley which his father had helped settle as a young man a century earlier. During one of those visits, I happened to look in the fridge, and beheld an opened can of beer, waiting unabashedly on one of the shelves. Horrified, I ran to my mother to tell her the awful thing I had found in Pa's "ice box."

In her usual sweet way, she leaned down attentively. "It's for his heart," Mom whispered. "Sometimes when it stops, he drinks just a few drops to make it start again."

I don't know if I believed that, or if she did, but it got me through.

I remember when as a my grandparents offered 8-year-old me Postum and I said, “We don’t drink that; we’re Mormon!” They had a good laugh over that one. (Both were Mormons from old pioneer stock.) I did not know the difference between Postum and coffee.

[Gunnar]

I remember when I was a child, my parents used to drink a lot of postum. I never particularly liked it myself. When I eventually had my first taste of real coffee, I found I didn't particularly like that either. I still don't, and that is really the only reason I refrain from drinking it.

[Kishkumen]

I remember when I was a child, my parents used to drink a lot of postum. I never particularly liked it myself. When I eventually had my first taste of real coffee, I found I didn't particularly like that either. I still don't, and that is really the only reason I refrain from drinking it.

I can see how that would be. I drink 2-3 cups a day, but I have a little sweetener and creamer in every cup.

[Dr. Sunstoned]

We had a family friend who drank both tea and coffee daily. She always had a recommend. I asked her once how she got the bishop and SP to sign off with her breaking the WoW. She said that she told the truth that it was for her health. In her mind coffee and tea were a net positive health wise for her. She said that she would always get mild push back, but they always signed.

[Doctor Steuss]

[...]So,... how was it he was always able to attend a wedding or whatever at the temple, baptize his grandchildren etc. without any issue whatsoever?
[...]

It might have just been lenient/understanding bishops and stake presidents who saw the shades of gray.

When my wife was baptized, the bishop knew that I was a non-believer, and didn't pay tithing. Right before the confirmation, he pulled me aside and asked me a couple of orthopraxy questions -- If I recall correctly, "are you honest in your dealings, do you drink alcohol, do you smoke, etc." I told him I drank coffee regularly, but that I hadn't had a drink of the sauce in several months, and quit smoking a decade ago. His response was that he thought I should be in the circle. So, amongst the TBMs, was a heretical coffee drinker.

My wife ended up becoming a non-believer about 2 years later though... so maybe it was my coffee that did it.