Posted on 07/05/2013 9:59:02 AM PDT by Colofornian
And lo, it is written: Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, nor thy neighbor’s seat… Unless that seat is being saved, apparently.
Wayne Dodge, 51, was arrested Sunday following a violent row at a Mormon church that reportedly started over seat-saving.
According to Deseret News, Dodge, a regular at the Meadows Ward LDS Church in Plain City, Utah, sat in a section of pews being reserved by a family who does not usually attend the ward.
“There [were] some seats that were allegedly saved, and there was a disagreement over whether they were saved or not… This continued to escalate throughout the day,” Weber County Sheriff Lt. Mark Lowther told FOX affiliate KSTU.
Police said the argument spilled out into the church’s parking lot and became physical. Punches were thrown, and after one man returned from cleaning himself up, Dodge allegedly struck him with his car, according to Deseret News.
Brett Ferrin, bishop of Meadows Ward told KSTU that about 400 people were gathered for a missionary farewell and a baby blessing. Many of the faces in the crowd were unfamiliar as a result. So much for loving thy neighbor.
Ferrin called the incident a “teaching moment”; Dodge might learn the hard way that lame as it is to save seats, it’s not worth felony aggravated assault charges. If convicted, Dodge could face up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine, according to the Utah State Courts website.
I thought only us Southern Baptist did this kind of stuff.
We know where we're supposed to sit or not sit.
No one get's into fights (at least during the services) over where we sit.
Only when the last of the beer is at stake.
You cannot save a pew since it has no soul.
We all carry :)
It was outlandish and completely uncalled for.
When a Missionary is leaving, and when a baby is blessed, people/family/friends come to those meetings from other wards and areas of the country many times. It is always a joyous occassion, and usually a very spirit filled meeting.
But not this time.
When either one of these poccurs, it can make the main worship service meeting pretty crowded and usually extra seating is set up in the cultural hall (the Gynm) which is usually behind the chapel. Those large, heavy, tracked curtains are opened and people sit there in extra seats they set up. That is what happened here.
But, there are also "regular" members who sit in the same seats pretty much all the time during most weeks. Sometimes those folks get a little too attached to those seats and feel they are entitiled. Happens in many congregation...and, I might add, many denominations too.
Well, on this Sunday, the one guy came in and found "his" seat taken by some out-of-towners/visitors, etc. coming to see either a friend or family leave on a mission or have their baby blessed.
This guy basically just went ahead and sat down, even though the people sitting there indicated that they were saving it for others. When the people who they were saved for arrived, they found they could not sit with their family/friends and were upset. They argued and both raised their voices right there in the chapel before the meeting.
After the meeting they continued arguing out into the foyer and then into the parking lot. The "regular," ultimately punched the other man in the face, bloodying his nose. An alteraction ensued and they were pulled apart. The man who was punched, went into the church and washed the blood off and cleaned up as best he could, Then he went back out to go home with his family/friends.
When he came out into the parking lot, the other guy had been waiting and ran into him with his car.
At that point, the agressor was subdued completely by other members, the police were called, and the man was held in the Bishop's office until the police arrived.
A rediculous, and clearly "UnChrist-like" display of emotion, anger, and violence. The guy, from what I have heard, deserves to be convicted and sent to prison.
This guy could have easily just sat somewhere else...even if it had to be in back. Likewise, when the others came in and found him sitting there, they too could have defused it right there by simply sitting somewhere else.
But instead, neither did that and they let their emotions got the best of them and they argued loudly.
Afterwards, they saw one another and continued arguing. At that point too, either one of them could have simply said, "I'm sorry, it's over, and I am not going to tlak any more about it," and left. But it escalated and finally the "regular," lost it completely and started throwing punches.
When that was broken up, the police could have been called, but apparently everyone thought it was over. Until the guy came out of the church and was then hit by the guy with his car.
A sad, sad thing.
Seat saving sucks. In my book there is nothing more rude than telling somebody who is in the process of sitting down that they are not welcome there. It needlessly humiliates. Why do people think this is ok? If your group can’t arrive together then too bad.
What was this anyway? A reenactment of the Mountain Meadows Massacre?
Lord save these seats!
We're not talking about the movies, a parade, a city council meeting here!
Obviously, families come from far and wide to witness obvious deeply meaningful times, especially for the families in question. Maybe the visitors come from the airport or from driving many hours to witness this one time event.
What's the problem with offering a bit of civility, dare I say Christian Love to strangers?
It's a single service, a one time event, meaningful for grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc.
Can't we expect Sunday worshipers to not to sink to the level of mud wrestlers or WWF, over blessing of a new born baby or laying on hands to pray for someone leaving to serve on a foreign mission?
***I thought only us Southern Baptist did this kind of stuff.***
They only take over the back rows nearest the exit.. Plenty of room down front.
Comedian Emo Philips:
“Once I was sitting at the Tivoli and this guy says, `Excuse me, is this seat saved?` I said, `Well if Thomas Aquinas reasoned that animals have no souls, how can an inanimate object like a chair achieve salvation?”
Good answer.
“My wives and I always sit here!”.
(Perhaps if it was done by proxy...since the proxy "stand-ins" have a soul...but this would need to come from the top Mormon "prophet," who dictates all doctrinal issues for the entire Planet Earth...say Mormon leaders...repeatedly so)
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