It’s unfortunate that there is so much misunderstanding and disagreement among the membership of the church regarding what is a very basic gospel principle, and especially one which is so widely a recognized practice associated with our faith. It made it very difficult for me as a Ward Mission Leader to help investigators and new members understand the Word of Wisdom when they got different answers from everyone they asked about it.

Consider the passage from which the disagreement stems: “And again, hot drinks are not for the body or belly.” (D&C 89:9) Church leaders have stated unequivocally that “hot drinks” as pertains to the Word of Wisdom are defined as coffee and tea (i.e. Camellia sinensis). Therefore, don’t drink coffee and tea.

But that’s too simple for many members of the church. After all, there must be more to it than that, and we need to know not only what we should do to live in accordance with God’s laws, but also the reasons why. So it has been determined that the evil core of these forbidden beverages must lie in their content of caffeine, and along with that determination comes the inevitable reasoning that, a) coffee and tea with the caffeine removed must be okay (rationalization of unrighteous behavior, a.k.a. “sin”), and b) abstaining from any other food or beverage which contains caffeine is even more in keeping with God’s laws (self-righteous behavior, a.k.a. “sin”). Adding to the sins of rationalization and self-righteousness comes the additional and perhaps more egregious sin, that of infighting and judgementalism among the members who disagree on the interpretation of this simple law, and hence the need for our most senior church leaders to clarify this simple principle in their writings and sermons.

Let us follow the advice of Brother Boud by abstaining from unhealthy addictive practices, and let us also observe the higher laws of showing love for one another, avoiding pride and unrighteous judgment of one another.

I found that I have been addicted to the _act_ of drinking soda as much as I was to the caffeine. So I used 200 mg caffeine pills for a while, and cut them into 1/4′s with a pill cutter for a 50 mg “dose”. I ended up consuming less caffeine with pills than I did with sodas.

“Feeling this bad physically makes me feel bad about my level of self-control, and on and on, which results in a spiritual downward spiral for me.”

This is so true. My thing isn’t soda, but I’ve got other things (things that I’m not as brave and open about as you are), and while they aren’t really sins themselves, the lack of self-control leaves me feeling like a worm.

Anyway, I’ll be pulling for you. Come back and comment when you’re down to 24 oz. . . . and then 12oz . . . and then none. We’ll cheer you on!

It is difficult to talk about caffeine in a Church where some people see no significant difference between it and heroin and others think that the first group are zealots.

Best line.

I liked the article too, overall.

There is a persistent urban legend that Chocolate contains caffeine. It would seem that this rumor is based primarily on a confusion between two similar alkaloids: caffeine and Theobromine.

Speaking as a chocolate maker that article you linked to is erroneous. I’d advocate looking at this article on caffeine and chocolate. Typically 1 pound of milk chocolate will be equivalent to a cup of coffee. With dark chocolate the amount is far less (20%-30% as much) but then dark chocolate – especially good dark chocolate – satisfies you much quicker so you tend not to eat as much.