Can you directly drink 'holy water' flowing from a temple or statue?

Water flowing from a temple or beside a sacred statue cannot simply be assumed safe to drink directly. Clarifying where the water comes from and having faith in the deities are two matters that both deserve serious attention.

I once discussed news about an Indian temple where people lined up to collect water flowing from a statue, believing it was holy water. Initial reports called it air-conditioner water; later accounts said no air conditioner was installed and suggested kitchen or bathroom piping instead. These were differing reports I read at the time, not findings from my own on-site investigation. But they remind us that drinking water before even clarifying its source is inappropriate.

Taiwan also has stories about temple spring water and sacred water. I have described obtaining Dragon Spring water at Sanqing Temple, where staff still warned against drinking it directly and advised following their instructions. Stories of blessings or improvement after drinking cannot replace checking the water's source and conditions of use. Nor can guidance about one spring be turned into permission to drink any unidentified water.

Having faith still allows questions and judgment. Respect for deities does not need to be demonstrated by drinking something of unknown origin. You can understand the background of older stories while examining the present circumstances afresh.