Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students

Physical Degeneracy

Man came from the hand of his Creator perfect and beautiful in form, and so filled with vital force that it was more than a thousand years before his corrupt appetites and passions and general violations of physical law were sensibly felt upon the race. More recent generations have felt the pressure of infirmity and disease more rapidly and heavily with every generation. The vital forces have been greatly weakened by the indulgence of appetite and lustful passion.... The violation of physical law, and the consequence,—human suffering,—have so long prevailed that men and women look upon the present state of sickness, suffering, debility, and premature death as the appointed lot of humanity.... CT 81.2

The strange absence of principle which characterizes this generation, and which is shown in their disregard of the laws of life and health, is astonishing.... With the majority the principal anxiety is, What shall I eat? what shall I drink? and wherewithal shall I be clothed? ... The moral powers are weakened because men and women will not live in obedience to the laws of health and make this great subject a personal duty.... The majority ... remain in ignorance of the laws of their being, and indulge appetite and passion at the expense of intellect and morals; and they seem willing to remain in ignorance of the result of their violation of nature's laws. They indulge the depraved appetite in the use of slow poisons, which corrupt the blood and undermine the nervous force, and in consequence bring upon themselves sickness and death.... CT 81.3