Darwin and cola drinks

I drink Pepsi.  I've done so for more than fifty years.  Yes, I know the Church frowns on it.  In my mind, I can still hear Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone's voice in the April 1975 general conference reminding us about the February 1972 Priesthood Bulletin that addresses cola drinks:

Cola Drinks and the Word of Wisdom. "The Word of Wisdom, section 89 of the Doctrine and Covenants [D&C 89], remains as to terms and specifications as found in that section.  There has been no official interpretation of the Word of Wisdom except that which was given by the Brethren in the very early days of the Church when it was declared that hot drinks meant tea and coffee.

"With reference to cola drinks, the Church has never officially taken a position on this matter, but the leaders of the Church have advised, and we do now specifically advise, against the use of any drink containing harmful habit-forming drugs under circumstances that would result in acquiring the habit.  Any beverage that contains ingredients harmful to the body should be avoided."—Priesthood Bulletin [February 1972]

This same warning is also found in the "Policies and Procedures" section of the May 1972 New Era (p. 50) and in other official Church media as well (see, for example, Lesson 38 in the current Young Women Manual 3).

On a number of occasions, I've visited the BYU campus in Provo, Utah, where four of my children went to school.  I've also visited BYU's Idaho and Hawaii campuses.  To my knowledge there are no caffeinated cola drinks sold anywhere on any of these campuses.  The same is true of vending machines in the Church administration building and in temple cafeterias world wide.

It's clear to me that when you drink cola you are out of sync with the Church.

But wait.  There's one more thing.  A January 1981 Ensign article quotes the Priesthood Bulletin on cola drinks and adds:

"There is no current Church policy that would preclude a bishop issuing a temple recommend to a person who consumes cola beverages."

This tells me that drinking cola is NOT a major transgression.

Darwinian evolution

Whenever they have talked about it in official Church media, the latter-day apostles — members of the First Presidency and Twelve — have all vigorously affirmed a paradisiacal creation with no death on this earth before the fall of Adam (all, that is, except two in the early 1900s).

Of the 97 latter-day apostles who've talked about it in official Church media, all have spoken against the idea that Darwinian evolution explains the origin of man.

It's clear to me that believing Darwin is out of sync with the Church.

But just like with cola, there is no Church policy against issuing temple recommends to members who believes Darwin.  In my opinion, believing Darwin is no more serious than drinking cola.

Conclusion

Please believe me when I say that I have no quarrel with individuals who believe that man came by evolution, preceded by millions of years of death on this earth.

I think paradisiacal creationists and Darwinian evolutionists should gladly sit together in Church.  We should home teach each other, go on ward temple trips together, and in all other ways enjoy full fellowship with each other in the gospel, just like cola drinkers and cola purists do.