Caffeine - against the Word of Wisdom or not?

[_jon]

I know of a number of Mormons who do not drink Coke or Pepsi because they believe caffeine is against the Word of Wisdom.

They believe the ban on tea & coffee is because of the caffeine in them and also because Mr Hinckley stated caffeine is against the Word of Wisdom on TV or in another interview.

If Hinckley said caffeine was prohibited (did he?) then why aren't all caffeine containing products on the naughty list?

[_Buffalo]

Word on the street is Monson drinks Pepsi. I don't know if that's true or not, but I do know that caffeine consumption outside coffee and tea won't keep you out of the temple.

[_Rambo]

I know of a number of Mormons who do not drink Coke or Pepsi because they believe caffeine is against the Word of Wisdom.

They believe the ban on tea & coffee is because of the caffeine in them and also because Mr Hinckley stated caffeine is against the Word of Wisdom on TV or in another interview.

If Hinckley said caffeine was prohibited (did he?) then why aren't all caffeine containing products on the naughty list?

Do you have a link to this? I never heard Hinckley say you couldn't drink caffeine.

[_jon]

I know of a number of Mormons who do not drink Coke or Pepsi because they believe caffeine is against the Word of Wisdom.

They believe the ban on tea & coffee is because of the caffeine in them and also because Mr Hinckley stated caffeine is against the Word of Wisdom on TV or in another interview.

If Hinckley said caffeine was prohibited (did he?) then why aren't all caffeine containing products on the naughty list?

Do you have a link to this? I never heard Hinckley say you couldn't drink caffeine.

Mormons have been instructed through a revelation known as “the Word of Wisdom” to not drink coffee or tea. Though it does not state so, some take this to also mean not to drink caffeine in general. During an interview with Larry King in 2004, President Gordon B. Hinckley of the Mormon Church discussed the Word of Wisdom:

Gordon B. Hinckley: The word of wisdom covers many things. It covers the excessive use of meat, as I see it. It covers, in a very particular way, the use of tobacco and alcohol.

Larry King: By saying no?

Gordon B. Hinckley: By saying, by proscribing those things.

Larry King: No to caffeine?

Gordon B. Hinckley: No to caffeine, coffee and tea

[_bcspace]

I know of a number of Mormons who do not drink Coke or Pepsi because they believe caffeine is against the Word of Wisdom.

I believe it generally is.

They believe the ban on tea & coffee is because of the caffeine in them

We are not told exactly why. therefore, that Caffeine is against the WoW is my own opinion and not LDS doctrine.

and also because Mr Hinckley stated caffeine is against the Word of Wisdom on TV or in another interview.

If Hinckley said caffeine was prohibited (did he?) then why aren't all caffeine containing products on the naughty list

Is there anything wrong with drinking sodas with caffeine in them? Is caffeine bad? The Word of Wisdom doesn’t mention it.
Doctrine and Covenants 89:9 says we shouldn’t drink “hot drinks.” The only official interpretation of this term is the statement made by early Church leaders that it means tea and coffee. Caffeine is not specifically mentioned as the reason not to drink these drinks.

However, we should keep in mind this counsel given by President Boyd K. Packer: “The Word of Wisdom was ‘given for a principle with promise’ (D&C 89:3). … A principle is an enduring truth, a law, a rule you can adopt to guide you in making decisions. Generally principles are not spelled out in detail. Members write in asking if this thing or that is against the Word of Wisdom. … We teach the principle together with the promised blessings. There are many habit-forming, addictive things that one can drink or chew or inhale or inject which injure both body and spirit which are not mentioned in the revelation. … Obedience to counsel will keep you on the safe side of life” (“The Word of Wisdom: The Principle and the Promises,” Ensign, May 1996, 17–18).
New Era, April 2008 To the Point

I am not aware of such a statement. But I see the WoW as a model which tells us to be careful about what we ingest. So I am.