Comment

Comment by James Simmons on October 19, 2010 at 7:22pm

Good questions Deb; it is interesting that traditional Inuits, prior to airplanes bringing in cargo loads of processed and refined foods, ate raw whale blubber and whale flesh, caribou, and so forth as their primary food staples. Their health and strength was quite legendary compared to Inuits today. I do believe the Lord has prepared his garden to best meet the needs of each locality. For example, coconut is a traditional primary staple in tropical climates. Often 50 to 60 percent of the caloric intake came from the coconut. It contain many medicinal properties that enable them to live free of malaria and other diseases that exist in the tropics. I just finished reading about traditional diets from around the world. Many cultures included an abundance of living foods in their diet, including fermented fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes. Perhaps I can share some of this information in more detail. As for the food in the temple and other church-owned cafeterias, the food selection in church-owned cafeterias is controlled by BYU's nutrition department. Presently, BYU's nutrition department favors a heavy selection of meat, bread, and dairy products. I read a statement by Brigham Young in the Journal of Discourses. He posed the question, "How are the youth of the church supposed to live the Word of Wisdom when every bishop in the state, no in the entire territory drinks coffee, alcohol, tea, or chews tobacco?" President Benson taught that as far as we've come with the don'ts of the Word of Wisdom, we still have to go with the Do's. I suppose Brigham might say today, "How are members of the church supposed to learn the Do's of the Word of Wisdom if every temple in Utah, no in the entire world serves large portions of meat, dairy, and so forth that do not best support the Do's of the Word of Wisdom." I'm not sure what the answer is, except to educate and to continue to point people to trust the Lord over everything else. In fact, Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and John Taylor each taught powerfully that we are to never allow anyone to come between us and God--not even them! They said that our salvation is utterly personal and depends upon it. My thoughts are to learn the ordained pattern for eating the Lord has established and to follow it with exactness--regardless of what anyone else on earth chooses to do:) Quite frankly, I care primarily about how I can receive the promised blessings of the Word of Wisdom and not so much about what anyone else may choose to do. As I have written, taught, and sought truth in these matters, it has saved my life twice now. If for no other reason, it has been worth it.

Comment by Deb McCready on October 19, 2010 at 5:19pm

You bring much to think about. But I do have questions. If we are to eat raw foods, and cooking and freezing is so bad, then why do we not have a world where we can all eat fresh produce daily? Various climates make it impossible to eat raw food year round. Also it bothers me that in the temple cafeterias, meat, bread, dairy are all served with no hesitance. I am confused why they would serve what is not good in the temple. Any thoughts?

Comment by Jennifer Horne on October 13, 2010 at 2:31am

I have been pondering this ever since reading it yesterday. It is beautiful, hopeful, and enlightening! Thank you for bringing this truth to my awareness.

Comment by Joyce Kinmont on October 13, 2010 at 1:03am

In the book "An American Prophet's Record, The Diaries and Journals of Joseph Smith," edited by Scott H. Faulring, there is an entry on page 445 that reads, with the editor's comments in brackets, "Tuesday, Feb[ruary] 6[th] [several lines left blank] Evening with Hyrum and Sidney and the 12 [Apostles] and the wives at John Taylor's at 5 P.M. at supper. Very pleasant time. I prophesied at the table that 5 years would not roll round before the company would all be able to live without cooking. [rest of page blank]."

On page 447 the book says that Lyman Wight sent someone to ask Joseph about preaching to the Indians and to tell Joseph that Lyman had "given them 1/2 box flour and an ox to keep them from starving..." "I told them to tell Bro[ther] Wight I have no council to shed blood /give/ him. He is there on his own ground and he must act on his own responsibility and do what he thinks best and he shall never be brought into any difficulty about it by us." The words "shed blood" are crossed out.

The next paragraph says, "I instructed the 12 [Apostles] to send out a delegation and investigate the locations of California and Oregon and find a good location where we can remove after the Temple is completed and build a city in a day and have a government of our own in a healthy climate."

The friend who showed me this, Tom Rodgers, felt that Lyman, an apostle, felt guilty about giving the Indians meat after Joseph's message two weeks earlier.

This is all I found in this book about diet. It was published in 1989. I wonder if these entries are included in the Jospeh Smith papers.

I get the feeling that Joseph thought in the beginning that he was going to move the church faster than it actually happened. And here we are 166 years later still eating cooked food!

Comment by James Simmons on October 12, 2010 at 6:16pm

The Essene New Testament was translated from archived Vatican manuscripts (written in Aramic); the same manuscripts also exist (written in old Slavonic). The books I read were a series called the Essene Gospel of Peace. It did not promote a pure vegan diet, but included with raw fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, and seeds, fermented dairy products such as yogurt and kefir. I believe a sparing use of animal-based foods from either fermented dairy products, or organically produced eggs from true free-roaming chickens, or from wild Salmon is a healthful practice. This article was written to encourage far more living foods in the diet and is not about becoming a raw vegan, which will become clear in later posts. I ordered the books off of Amazon a few years back.

Comment by Eve Orr on October 12, 2010 at 5:49pm

Yes, where did this information come from?

Comment by Deb on October 12, 2010 at 5:37pm

I am very interested in the refrence where you found that Christ taught the Essenes of his day that heating and freezing foods drives out....... I would like to study this for myself. Thank-you very much

Comment by catherine gardner on October 12, 2010 at 4:10pm

I have been following your recent new articles on God's Dietary Pattern for Man. I tried to watch the video "Earthlings" last night but my heart was broken by the time it got to the scene of the stray dog being tossed into the garbage truck and I had to shut it off so I could function again as a human being. But it gave me more resolve to try again and follow what my heart tells me. I have also searched, studied and experimented with many diet books (Supersize Me, The Maker's Diet, Atkins, McDougals, Elaine Gotchall's, PH Miracle, Weston Prices' Wise Traditions along with Original Fast Foods), comparing each to the foundation of the Word of Wisdom). I have been trying to find where the balance is and where the truth is. Sometimes I feel like a dandelion seed being "tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine." So I was very interested in your comment above about "Christ taught the Essenes of his day that heating and freezing foods drives out the life or intelligence that is found in food. Christ also taught that living foods best sustain life and that dead foods promote premature death. He taught that man had corrupted the use of foods and had thereby corrupted the body and brought disease upon it." Could you please give me the references as to where you found that information. I would like to go to the source and study this out for myself. Currently I do fresh vegetable juices in the morning, then raw fruits, salads, sprouts, nuts, seeds, beans, avacados, olive oil, lemons but as the day progresses and family comes home and says "what's for dinner", I am tired and fall back on old standbys - hold your breath, of cream of mushroom soup dinners, cheese, ground turkey burger, white bread and then its topped off with sour cream, butter, microwave popcorn or ice cream. I then sit in a stupor from the candida high. For me the 80/20 rule just does not apply as I feel I undo all the good morning intentions by evening, sleep on the guilt and then start over the next morning. So here's wanting to jump off the fence for good, lose some weight, help my skin CA from coming back with no more Mohs surgeries (going on 15), helping my husband's UC, my son's autism and diabetes, and my daughter's PCOS. Doctor Mom has a lot of self-practicing to learn and do before my family will follow. Thanks for reading! I am anxious (but in a good way) for your reply James.




Christ taught the Essenes of his day that heating and freezing foods drives out the life or intelligence that is found in food. Christ also taught that living foods best sustain life and that dead foods promote premature death. He taught that man had corrupted the use of foods and had thereby corrupted the body and brought disease upon it.

Comment by MB on October 12, 2010 at 8:43am

Well Said!!! I applaud you!!!
I had not mentally connected the 'life force' that I sense in food to the life force 'spirit' that is in the body. If we just stop and think - how long could we 'live' subjected to cooking temperatures and still be able to function normally? And how long could we 'live' sujected to freezing temperatures and still be able to function normally? Is the 'life' in the plant different than the 'life' in the body? I think we have to ask ourselves that. You have made a good point; a really good point.
I have studied under Dr. John R. Christopher and he always said (and emphatically repeated) that with all food and with all herbal preparations the temperature MUST stay below 130 degrees for the food/herb to stay viable and useful to the body.