Shocking isn’t it?  That’s what I thought as well when I saw the headlines of the Salt Lake Trib reporting that the vending machines at BYU were “accidentally” stocked with the caffeine laden beverage. 

Ah, but then I read the rest of the story…

Apparently this was no big deal for the Church because they already sell caffeinated drinks at Brigham Young’s former residence the Lion House, as well as the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.

You see the drinks are condemned, but making money off them isn’t.  This reminds me of the Marriott. Tucked inside the drawer of each bedside table is a Book of Mormon which lies directly underneath the television pay per view guide for the questionable channels they have available.

Whatever happened to standing up for your principles?  I can guarantee you that as a Christian ministry I would never carry questionable reading material, nor would I sell something I didn’t feel would be biblically sound just to appease the demand of the public or to make a few extra dollars.

D&C 89 which contains the inspired revelation for the Mormon dietary law known as the Word of Wisdom says that strong drinks aren’t for the “belly” and neither is hot drinks – vs. 9. What they’re referring to in that passage is caffeine.  Joe Smith had to have a revelation about Emma’s tea and as the years went on this transferred to all caffeine – soda included.