I thought only us Southern Baptist did this kind of stuff.
You cannot save a pew since it has no soul.
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!
“My wives and I always sit here!”.
I’m thrilled that you have found something this substantive about the evils of Mormonism. Had she been a member of a ‘real’ religion, this clearly would never have happened.
But lds are all such nice people