Did the WoW "Save" DCP from Addiction?

[huckelberry]

I cannot help but have some reservation. I think very rare individual dies of obesity but obesity may contribute to lots of deaths. I think determining who to count in an obesity mortality rate would depend upon what result the statistician is looking for. If one aims to compare times or places, one could work hard for stable criteria. I suspect that would not be easy. If one wants to send warnings, different criteria might get used.

[Doctor Scratch]

For me it's just another one of those things where God has to allow all kinds of other terrible evil in order to do a solid for his favs.

I’m sure you remember the Afore repeatedly engaging in sanctimonious mocking of those old RfM threads where people asked and answered the question “What are you drinking tonight?” If memory serves, he even spoke about this in front of an audience of drooling sycophants at the FAIR Conference some years ago. The thing is: he’s preaching to the choir. An audience of Latter-day Saints doesn’t need to be warned about the danger of alcohol. This sort of thing is just self-righteous, holier-than-thou behavior.

Meanwhile, I’ve seen him saying that he deliberately posts material about his dining experiences because it “irritates people on the POB.” I’m not sure who he’s referring to: who’s “irritated,” exactly? I say, Keep it up! His posting has given us a hilariously detailed account of what he eats (lots of sugary foods; lots of high-calorie, deep-fried stuff, such as schnitzel, cheese fondue, and pastrami sandwiches; plenty of junk food, like Chik-Fil-A and Doritos Locos Tacos). And to think: this man of worldly sophistication has never once been tempted by the thought of sipping an expensive Burgundy and smoking a fine cigar while discussing the minutiae of economic theory with Milton Friedman! Good thing the WoW saved him from such horrors!

[Gadianton]

I’m sure you remember the Afore repeatedly engaging in sanctimonious mocking of those old RfM threads where people asked and answered the question “What are you drinking tonight?” If memory serves, he even spoke about this in front of an audience of drooling sycophants at the FAIR Conference some years ago. The thing is: he’s preaching to the choir. An audience of Latter-day Saints doesn’t need to be warned about the danger of alcohol. This sort of thing is just self-righteous, holier-than-thou behavior.

So what you're saying is that on the one hand, here's this serious issue and boy, are we fortunate to have modern day prophets to steer us clear, but on the other, let's take a moment and laugh at those less fortunate than we are who are in the grip of this sickness? It does make it more difficult to take the alleged gratitude seriously.

If their excuse is that those gripped in the sickness were laughing at them, I'd say it's a poor excuse. I don't think there is scriptural support for it. Think of it this way. Remember the story of the Great and Spacious Building? So the Saints are holding to the rod sacrificing, going on missions, and inching towards the Tree of Life while the world laughs at them from the tall building. Perhaps that includes the folks at RFM pointing their fingers. It seems the apologists find this story unsatisfactory. In the apologist version, everything is the same but there is a second building. A much taller building occupied by the apologists! And the apologists are hedonists just like those of the first building, but they pride themselves with more sophisticated pleasures -- there are great debates among hedonists as to what constitutes the superior pleasure -- and they laugh at both the occupants of the first building and also at the Saints holding to the rod!

As far as the revelation that the Afore only mentions food because of the reaction from the PoB, obviously that's not true. Doesn't that take the cart before the horse? How could he have known it bothered us unless he was already posting it all the time to find out? At best you can say that the reaction from this board doesn't deter him from doing it. The eyebrow raises not merely at the storytelling aspect, but the fact that's what gives so much meaning to his life. He's a materialist and a hedonist in every way that really matters. If Cristopher Hitchens lived a life of world travel and wine, but then also believed in ghosts, would that really make him less materialistic?

[Moksha]

Whether Dr. Peterson eats Velveeta on Ritz crackers with a handful of Raisinets, I like his Travelogs. Interpreter donors and the More Good Foundation spend a lot of money to send him on his world adventures and only a fraction of it comes from tithing and fast offerings.

Those Frenchies might feign offense when Dr. Peterson rebuffs their wine, but his Muslim friends admire his sobriety.

[Gadianton]

1st Nephi Chapter 9:

...

22 And it came to pass that they did come forth, and commence in the path which led to the tree.

23 And it came to pass that there arose a mist of darkness; yea, even an exceedingly great mist of darkness, insomuch that they who had commenced in the path did lose their way, that they wandered off and were lost.

24 And it came to pass that I beheld others pressing forward, and they came forth and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press forward through the mist of darkness, clinging to the rod of iron, even until they did come forth and partake of the fruit of the tree.

25 And after they had partaken of the fruit of the tree they did cast their eyes about as if they were ashamed.

26 And I also cast my eyes round about, and beheld, on the other side of the river of water, a great and spacious building; and it stood as it were in the air, high above the earth.

27 And it was filled with people, both old and young, both male and female; and their manner of dress was exceedingly fine; and they were in the attitude of mocking and pointing their fingers towards those who had come at and were partaking of the fruit.

28 And after they had tasted of the fruit they were ashamed, because of those that were scoffing at them; and they fell away into forbidden paths and were lost.

29 And now I, Nephi, do not speak all the words of my father.

30 But, to be short in writing, behold, he saw other multitudes pressing forward; and they came and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree.

31 And he also saw other multitudes feeling their way towards that great and spacious building.

32 And it came to pass that many were drowned in the depths of the fountain; and many were lost from his view, wandering in strange roads.

33 And great was the multitude that did enter into that strange building. And after they did enter into that building they did point the finger of scorn at me and those that were partaking of the fruit also; but we heeded them not.

34 And it came to pass that yea, there were others in the great field roundabout that did heed those who pointed their fingers from the spacious building and they grew exceedingly wroth; and they departed henceforth, traveling to and fro throughout the mists.

35 And yea, they did travel great distances, and yea, they did bring with them plates upon which they recorded their journeys.

35 And I cast my eyes again and I saw a great tower ascending into the clouds high above the spacious building, and I beheld the travelers of the dark mists entering the great tower.

36 And I beheld the inhabitants of the great tower, both old and male; and their manner of dress was most abominable, and they mocked and pointed their fingers towards those of the spacious building and also toward those laboring to hold the rod and yea, also towards those who partook of the fruit.

37 And now I, Nephi, did see a great fountain that flowed from the top of the great tower as a thick icy river; and lo, I saw a man of stature peer down through silver bows at the inhabitants of the spacious building.

38 And it came to pass that this man of stature was most admired by the inhabitants of the tower; wherefore, he put forth his cup and drank mightily from the icy river that frothed with a dark fruit, and he did raise up his stack of plates whereupon he kept the record of his travels, and he did read from the plates aloud.

39 And it came to pass that the man read loudly so that all of the inhabitants of the tower, and of the spacious building, and of the field and the mists, and of the filthy water and yea, even of the tree did hear him speak, and he boasted of his many travels and of the sweetness of his drink and of the dark fruit therein, and also of the travels and schooling of those who stood with him upon the tower.

[Everybody Wang Chung]

For me it's just another one of those things where God has to allow all kinds of other terrible evil in order to do a solid for his favs.

Meanwhile, I’ve seen him saying that he deliberately posts material about his dining experiences because it “irritates people on the POB.”

Nobody is irritated, despite the Afore’s wishful thinking.

I’ve always viewed his food posts with morbid fascination and as a clear cry for help. Much like watching a drug addict taking his next hit.

It can’t be easy for the Afore going through life being morbidly obese. Food addiction is every bit as addicting and harmful as drug, alcohol or tobacco addiction.

If there is one Mormon doctrine that would benefit the Afore, it’s the WoW. It’s not too late Afore. There is much help available.

[Moksha]

22 And it came to pass that they did come forth, and commence in the path which led to the tree.

23 And it came to pass that there arose a mist of darkness; yea, even an exceedingly great mist of darkness, insomuch that they who had commenced in the path did lose their way, that they wandered off and were lost.

24 And it came to pass that I beheld others pressing forward, and they came forth and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press forward through the mist of darkness, clinging to the rod of iron, even until they did come forth and partake of the fruit of the tree.

25 And after they had partaken of the fruit of the tree they did cast their eyes about as if they were ashamed.

26 And I also cast my eyes round about, and beheld, on the other side of the river of water, a great and spacious building; and it stood as it were in the air, high above the earth.

27 And it was filled with people, both old and young, both male and female; and their manner of dress was exceedingly fine; and they were in the attitude of mocking and pointing their fingers towards those who had come at and were partaking of the fruit.

28 And after they had tasted of the fruit they were ashamed, because of those that were scoffing at them; and they fell away into forbidden paths and were lost.

29 And now I, Nephi, do not speak all the words of my father.

30 But, to be short in writing, behold, he saw other multitudes pressing forward; and they came and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree.

31 And he also saw other multitudes feeling their way towards that great and spacious building.

32 And it came to pass that many were drowned in the depths of the fountain; and many were lost from his view, wandering in strange roads.

33 And great was the multitude that did enter into that strange building. And after they did enter into that building they did point the finger of scorn at me and those that were partaking of the fruit also; but we heeded them not.

34 And it came to pass that yea, there were others in the great field roundabout that did heed those who pointed their fingers from the spacious building and they grew exceedingly wroth; and they departed henceforth, traveling to and fro throughout the mists.

35 And yea, they did travel great distances, and yea, they did bring with them plates upon which they recorded their journeys.

35 And I cast my eyes again and I saw a great tower ascending into the clouds high above the spacious building, and I beheld the travelers of the dark mists entering the great tower.

36 And I beheld the inhabitants of the great tower, both old and male; and their manner of dress was most abominable, and they mocked and pointed their fingers towards those of the spacious building and also toward those laboring to hold the rod and yea, also towards those who partook of the fruit.

37 And now I, Nephi, did see a great fountain that flowed from the top of the great tower as a thick icy river; and lo, I saw a man of stature peer down through silver bows at the inhabitants of the spacious building.

38 And it came to pass that this man of stature was most admired by the inhabitants of the tower; wherefore, he put forth his cup and drank mightily from the icy river that frothed with a dark fruit, and he did raise up his stack of plates whereupon he kept the record of his travels, and he did read from the plates aloud.

39 And it came to pass that the man read loudly so that all of the inhabitants of the tower, and of the spacious building, and of the field and the mists, and of the filthy water and yea, even of the tree did hear him speak, and he boasted of his many travels and of the sweetness of his drink and of the dark fruit therein, and also of the travels and schooling of those who stood with him upon the tower.

Allowing Miguel's Fruit Stand to set up across from the Salt Lake Temple at City Creek sparked a Joseph Smith-type story for the Deseret News.

[Doctor Scratch]

Those passages are remarkable, Dean Robbers. It’s stunning—prophetic, even—how well they describe apologist behavior. One is left wondering if the Mopologists bother to even read their own scriptures.

[Sophocles]

The Word Of Wisdom is about the principle of healthy eating and healthy drinking. A temperance guide of sorts, which is what Joseph Smith copied it from. It’s not bad advice, maybe a little unnecessarily prescriptive in parts, but if you take the spirit of it - moderation and healthy consumption, it’s one of the best pieces of Mormon doctrine. Taking that into account, I can’t see how Peterson can possibly consider himself in compliance with it.

That was the case for 88 years, until Heber J. Grant (again copying Prohibition) turned it into a "not even once" club. Now the rule is complete abstinence from alcohol, tobacco, coffee and tea. (Harmful drugs were added to the list sometime around the onset of the War on Drugs in the US, I believe.) Section 89 doesn't really factor in anymore, except as a kind of spiritual progenitor.

I guess that means DCP's advantage over non-LDS extends to pre-1921 LDS as well.

[drumdude]

Whether Dr. Peterson eats Velveeta on Ritz crackers with a handful of Raisinets, I like his Travelogs. Interpreter donors and the More Good Foundation spend a lot of money to send him on his world adventures and only a fraction of it comes from tithing and fast offerings.

Those Frenchies might feign offense when Dr. Peterson rebuffs their wine, but his Muslim friends admire his sobriety.

This is, of course, completely false. Moreover, since I’ve denied such allegations on numerous previous occasions, I think it just to say that it isn’t merely an error. It’s a lie. A public and unashamed lie.

Since I’m asking for donations and for assistance, I want this to be clearly understood. No donations to Interpreter have ever been used to fund my travel. No More Good Foundation funds have ever been used to fund my travel. No tithes have ever been used to fund my travel. No fast offerings have ever been used to fund my travel.

I hope that’s clear enough for rational and decent people. (I realize that it won’t be enough for others.)

And, to be perfectly clear in the present case, neither my wife nor I nor any member of my family earned any money from the Witnesses film. None of us earned any money from Undaunted. None of us will earn anything from Six Days in August. In none of the legal materials or agreements for any of these films has there ever been any provision allowing for me, my wife, my family, my pets, or any of my heirs or assigns ever to receive any profit from the films. To the contrary, my wife and I have, ourselves, been donors and volunteers.

Me thinks the lady doth protest too much