Actually, coffee isn't like the Book of Mormon

[_zeezrom]

A while back on this board, a comparison was made between drinking coffee and reading the Book of Mormon. I'm too lazy to find the reference. The idea is that some TBMs claim that they can't function properly if they hadn't read the Book of Mormon in the morning. I often heard teens make this claim in F&TM. I also believed this way. I recall worrying more about things when I didn't read the Book of Mormon in the morning. I would worry later in the day about whether or not I would perform well taking a test at BYU. I would worry about not withstanding temptations at work if I forgot to read it. I would worry that I would do something naughty at the hotel (i.e. cross dress or something similar) while traveling on business if I didn't read in the morning. I would worry that I may not have the energy to problem solve at work if I didn't read it. I worried I wouldn't bear a nice testimony at my hometeaching appointment if I didn't read it.

When I started drinking coffee, I fully expected to have the same sort of dependency on the hot liquid that I believed I had with the Book of Mormon. I feared that I would lack the energy needed to function properly if I attempted to break my habit of coffee.

Funnily enough, it turns out that by stopping my coffee habit, I still function alright. My world doesn't fall apart.

So, I guess I was wrong in thinking the Book of Mormon was like coffee.

[_Quasimodo]

A while back on this board, a comparison was made between drinking coffee and reading the Book of Mormon. I'm too lazy to find the reference. The idea is that some TBMs claim that they can't function properly if they hadn't read the Book of Mormon in the morning. I often heard teens make this claim in F&TM. I also believed this way. I recall worrying more about things when I didn't read the Book of Mormon in the morning. I would worry later in the day about whether or not I would perform well taking a test at BYU. I would worry about not withstanding temptations at work if I forgot to read it. I would worry that I would do something naughty at the hotel (i.e. cross dress or something similar) while traveling on business if I didn't read in the morning. I would worry that I may not have the energy to problem solve at work if I didn't read it. I worried I wouldn't bear a nice testimony at my hometeaching appointment if I didn't read it.

When I started drinking coffee, I fully expected to have the same sort of dependency on the hot liquid that I believed I had with the Book of Mormon. I feared that I would lack the energy needed to function properly if I attempted to break my habit of coffee.

Funnily enough, it turns out that by stopping my coffee habit, I still function alright. My world doesn't fall apart.

So, I guess I was wrong in thinking the Book of Mormon was like coffee.

I've had a lot of experience with one and some experience with the other. I find coffee wakes me up and the other puts me to sleep.

[_moksha]

Wonder if placing a coaster under each one would be wise?

[_zeezrom]

...the other puts me to sleep.

I often struggled with that as well. I often read before bed instead of in the morning. Reading the Book of Mormon while in bed at night was certain to put you to sleep in a hurry. It was a great way to skip the spiritual feast your seminary teacher always expected you to have.

[_palerobber]

so why did you stop drinking coffee?

[_Kittens_and_Jesus]

A few years after I left the church I found myself working at UPS.

I injured my back while working there.

I went through the proper channels and went to their doctor.

He claimed that I had pneumonia, which caused my lungs to swell and it was no fault of theirs.

They fired me.

I was 22 years old, jobless, without insurance and in serious pain.

I went to a friend that I knew could get me some pain pills. I went to his house and waited for the pills for a couple of hours. He came back with a nasal spray bottle full of heroin. I was in so much pain that I didn't care what it was as long as it would put an end to the suffering.

Long story short, I ended up hooked on speedballs. Speedballs = heroin + coke injected into your veins.

How did I quit? I spent days locked in a room, sweating, hallucinating and feeling so sick that you really have no idea....

That's addiction.

Coffee is not an addiction....

Nor is religion.

[_zeezrom]

so why did you stop drinking coffee?

Didn't feel like drinking it for a while.

[_zeezrom]

A few years after I left the church I found myself working at UPS.

I injured my back while working there.

I went through the proper channels and went to their doctor.

He claimed that I had pneumonia, which caused my lungs to swell and it was no fault of theirs.

They fired me.

I was 22 years old, jobless, without insurance and in serious pain.

I went to a friend that I knew could get me some pain pills. I went to his house and waited for the pills for a couple of hours. He came back with a nasal spray bottle full of heroin. I was in so much pain that I didn't care what it was as long as it would put an end to the suffering.

Long story short, I ended up hooked on speedballs. Speedballs = heroin + coke injected into your veins.

How did I quit? I spent days locked in a room, sweating, hallucinating and feeling so sick that you really have no idea....

That's addiction.

Coffee is not an addiction....

Nor is religion.

I'm sorry for making light of dependencies. I agree with you that coffee and religion are not capable of causing an addiction like that mentioned.

[_sock puppet]

Hey, kittens, congratulations on making it out of the clutches of addiction to speedballs.

I've never known addiction even approaching that level.

I do like my coffee in the a.m., and without it, I have headaches for about 2 days and feel groggy and less invigorated than when I have it.

With Book of Mormon (or any scripture) reading, it was a downer. Quite frankly, not much there that was not presented in kindergarten. Golden rule, be nice, think of others. Kindergarten presented in a much more user-friendly format too.

[_Kittens_and_Jesus]

A few years after I left the church I found myself working at UPS.

I injured my back while working there.

I went through the proper channels and went to their doctor.

He claimed that I had pneumonia, which caused my lungs to swell and it was no fault of theirs.

They fired me.

I was 22 years old, jobless, without insurance and in serious pain.

I went to a friend that I knew could get me some pain pills. I went to his house and waited for the pills for a couple of hours. He came back with a nasal spray bottle full of heroin. I was in so much pain that I didn't care what it was as long as it would put an end to the suffering.

Long story short, I ended up hooked on speedballs. Speedballs = heroin + coke injected into your veins.

How did I quit? I spent days locked in a room, sweating, hallucinating and feeling so sick that you really have no idea....

That's addiction.

Coffee is not an addiction....

Nor is religion.

I'm sorry for making light of dependencies. I agree with you that coffee and religion are not capable of causing an addiction like that mentioned.

Don't feel sorry.

The other day a friend and I were talking about how leaving the church was like dealing with death, or divorce.

Its a serious matter.