There are two prohibitions in the WoW that I lament from time to time- table wine, and cigars. In Iraq, there was a group of guys in my office who would go outside at night about once a week to just smoke Dominican cigars and talk about life; it looked like such a wonderful activity.

The second monday of October is also Thanksgiving Day in Canada.

It’s also known as “Dia de la Raza” in Latin America.

Table wine? I had a neighbor who temporarily left the church because he wanted to get into wine tasting. I tried a couple of the non-alcoholic bottles he had: they were both pretty vile. I don’t know if his “appreciation” of those was willful ignorance or wishful apostasy or if my taste buds are simply not refined.

If I could “modify” the WoW, I think I’d add in Guiness. I’ve known a few guys who made a pint of real Irish stout sound like the kind of earthy pleasure that really floats my boat. Of course, I’ve never actually tasted a Guiness, so it might be similar to my wine experience, alas.

One of my life goals is to continue to be employed by institutions that take Columbus Day off. I had a similar goal for Evacuation Day (a holiday for only Suffolk County in Massachusetts) but realized I’d likely have to work in state government the rest of my life. And that’s just not going to happen (if there’s a merciful God, anyway).

Shamefully unacknowledged, unfortunately, beer is just as much an acquired taste as wine. But you’re right about a pint of real Irish stout: it’s really amazing. I love Guiness. Oatmeal stout is also quite good — same rich bitter malt, but with a creamy mouth-feel.

Dan Ellsworth, I couldn’t agree more. Wine and tobacco are tops. But I fear that it’s too much to ask that they lift the ban on wine or tobacco. All I ask is that they lift the ban of coffee. Is that too much to ask? The church has had such strong growth in so many nations where coffee is a major money-making export. It’s time that we assumed a dietary stance that is less threatening to the economic well-being of these nations. It’s the fair thing to do.

Ben There, I like your line of reasoning. That doesn’t mean that I’m going to start drinking beer before the church changes it’s policy. But I like your reasoning.

DKL: Coffee is to Venezula as Beer is to Ireland. Lift the ban on beer and watch missionary baptisms skyrocket there, too!

P.S. I don’t drink beer either these days, but when the church changes its policy, I’d like to buy you a beer.

My father was at his worst when he drank. Not sayin’ y’all will get abusive if you drink, but just that it does exacerbate the worst of a person. I’m glad that alcoholic beverages are banned by the WoW. Interestingly though, even without the ban, for me, the son of an alcoholic, I’ve never had even the slightest desire for alcohol (and an even stronger aversion to tobacco—who can stand that smell???). Statistics show that generally kids of alcoholic parents tend to become alcoholics themselves.

I hate the smell of tobacco smoke, but the cigars my buddies smoked had a smell that I absolutely loved.

Ann, someday, when we’re I’m resurrected, I hope to be a bartender again. Then I can serve all of my resurrected friends a beer — not that my beers would compete with Christ’s beers, but still…

I wonder if his temple work has been done? I wonder what goes through his mind when he looks beyond the veil at the world he discovered.

“Hispania” is the ancient name of the Iberian Peninsula, try Hispaniola.

MAC, thanks for the correction — reminds me of the joke from Arrested Development about Portugal being in South America. It’s all too obvious sometimes that I write posts mostly from memory.

Ben There is correct. The WoW specifically allows for “mild barley drinks”. The difference between mild drinks and strong drinks is whether there has been a distillation process.

The WoW also specifically mentions wine and that we should drink it.