The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has undergone many changes since the days of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, some of which have strengthened the Church, while others have led it further from the original teachings of the Restoration. In modern times, the Church enforces mandatory adherence to the Word of Wisdom, the Law of Chastity, and tithing as strict conditions for temple attendance, despite the fact that such requirements were not originally meant to be compulsory for salvation or exaltation.
It is time to return to the principles of agency and personal choice that Joseph Smith and Brigham Young upheld—where faith was about covenants of the heart, not rigid legalism. The LDS Church should make the Word of Wisdom, Law of Chastity, and tithing optional for temple worthiness, allowing members to govern themselves rather than be ruled by excessive institutional control.
The Word of Wisdom: A Guideline, Not a Commandment
The Word of Wisdom (Doctrine & Covenants 89) is often cited as a strict health law that prohibits the consumption of coffee, tea, alcohol, and tobacco. However, this interpretation is a modern imposition rather than a historical truth. Joseph Smith never enforced the Word of Wisdom as a commandment, nor did he consider it a requirement for temple worthiness.
1. The Original Intent of the Word of Wisdom
- D&C 89:2 explicitly states that the Word of Wisdom is “not by commandment or constraint” but was meant as wise counsel for health and well-being.
- Joseph Smith himself occasionally drank wine and beer, as confirmed by historical accounts (Compton, In Sacred Loneliness, 1997).
- Brigham Young and early LDS leaders did not enforce total abstinence from alcohol, coffee, or tea, and some even owned distilleries (Arrington, Brigham Young: American Moses, 1985).
2. The Shift Toward Compulsion
It was not until the early 20th century, under Heber J. Grant, that the Word of Wisdom became a strict requirement for temple entry (Talmage, The House of the Lord, 1912). This shift was influenced more by social pressures of the Prohibition era than by divine revelation.
3. The Need for Reform
Since the original intent of the Word of Wisdom was a suggestion, not a law, the Church should return to its roots and make adherence optional. Members should be allowed to govern their own health choices without being denied access to the temple over a cup of coffee.
The Law of Chastity: A Matter of Covenant, Not Worthiness
The Law of Chastity has become another strict requirement for temple worthiness, particularly in regard to premarital sex, polygamy, and private relationships. However, early LDS doctrine was far more flexible and nuanced than the current strict enforcement.
1. Early LDS Views on Marriage and Sexual Morality
- Joseph Smith and Brigham Young both practiced and taught plural marriage, showing that their understanding of chastity was different from modern LDS views (Bushman, Rough Stone Rolling, 2005).
- Premarital sex was not always viewed as a barrier to spiritual progression, but rather as a matter of personal repentance (Van Wagoner, Mormon Polygamy: A History, 1989).
- Marriages were once sealed based on covenant, not chastity interrogations—historically, members were not subjected to detailed moral questioning to enter the temple.
2. The Shift Toward Strict Enforcement
During the mid-20th century, the LDS Church began imposing stricter sexual purity requirements, largely influenced by post-Victorian American morality and evangelical Protestantism rather than early Restoration teachings.
3. The Need for Reform
- Moral purity should be a personal journey, not a bureaucratic checklist.
- Temple worthiness should be based on faith and covenant, not on invasive interviews about private relationships.
- Sexual morality should be between an individual and God, not between an individual and a bishop.
By returning to the founding principles of agency and repentance, the Church can create a more Christ-centered and inclusive path to temple worship.
Tithing: A Free-Will Offering, Not a Temple Tax
The modern LDS Church requires full tithing payments (10% of income) for temple worthiness, yet early Church teachings did not enforce such a rigid financial system.
1. The Historical View on Tithing
- In D&C 119, tithing was originally meant to build up Zion, not as a strict temple tax.
- Joseph Smith and Brigham Young allowed flexibility in tithing, with labor, goods, and services being accepted in place of money (Arrington, Great Basin Kingdom, 1958).
- The requirement of monetary tithing for temple attendance was introduced much later, reflecting institutional financial concerns rather than doctrinal necessity.
2. The Shift Toward Institutional Wealth
- The LDS Church today is worth over $100 billion, with vast investments in real estate, stocks, and business holdings (Tanner, Mormon Corporate Empire, 2020).
- The enforcement of tithing as a requirement for temple attendance creates a financial barrier, where only those who pay can participate in sacred ordinances.
- Christ never charged admission to the temple. Neither should His Church.
3. The Need for Reform
- Tithing should be voluntary, as it was in the early Church.
- Temple attendance should not be determined by financial status.
- The Church should rely on free-will offerings rather than imposing financial requirements for salvation.
Conclusion: Returning to the True Gospel of Christ
The LDS Church was restored on the principle of agency, not coercion. The Word of Wisdom, Law of Chastity, and Tithing were meant as guidelines to improve spiritual and physical well-being, not as mandatory conditions for temple attendance.
The early Church under Joseph Smith and Brigham Young emphasized faith, covenant, and personal responsibility, not rigid legalism. In order to truly honor the Restoration, the Church must:
✅ Make the Word of Wisdom optional – Allow members to make their own health choices.
✅ Restore agency to the Law of Chastity – Remove intrusive worthiness interviews.
✅ Make tithing a free-will offering – Remove financial barriers to temple worship.
By embracing the original teachings of the Restoration, the Church can return to the true spirit of Christ’s gospel, where faith and repentance matter more than bureaucratic worthiness standards.
Citations
- Bushman, Richard Lyman. Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling. New York: Knopf, 2005.
- Arrington, Leonard J. Brigham Young: American Moses. New York: Knopf, 1985.
- Compton, Todd. In Sacred Loneliness: The Plural Wives of Joseph Smith. Signature Books, 1997.
- Van Wagoner, Richard S. Mormon Polygamy: A History. Signature Books, 1989.
- Talmage, James E. The House of the Lord. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1912.
- Tanner, Jerald and Sandra. Mormon Corporate Empire. Salt Lake City: Utah Lighthouse Ministry, 2020.
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