Doctrine, Policy, And The Rest

[Third Hour]

My freshman roommate carried 8 oz. bottles of Coke to sacrament meeting in her purse. Without shame, she’d take swigs when the speakers lulled, or the bishop droned, or simply when she was thirsty. The hushed crack and hiss of carbonation brought the occasional judgmental stare or pharisaical glance – though the only commandments being broken were social. This was – without a doubt – one of my favorite scenes from the "freshman experience." Drinking Coke isn’t typically seen as taboo outside of the Latter-day Saint community. And, even though BYU campus is staunchly anti-caffeine, having a sip of Coke is not akin to breaking a commandment. So why is a mid-sacrament Coke to fight the intermediate snooze such a big deal? Within Mormon culture, the lines between doctrine and convention can often become blurred. As Latter-day Saints, it is important that we have a concrete understanding of what we do and do not believe, and to what degree of authority the obscure beliefs that creep into our lives have been validated. Evaluating doctrine can be...

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[Sunday21]

Rock on! If you want to make up your own commandments, start your own church. I have had nut jobs announce in classes that all activities eg relief society activities, should be required for temple recommends. plenty of others make up their own doctrine as to who is superior to whom, funny they never put themselves at the bottom of these hierarchies! The missionaries have told me that they have difficulty finding members to attend discussions who do not make up their own doctrine. That is messed up! Glad that we have access to lds.org and can look up accurate information.

Edited October 31, 2016 by Sunday21

[Vort]

4 hours ago, ldsnet said:

The hushed crack and hiss of carbonation brought the occasional judgmental stare or pharisaical glance – though the only commandments being broken were social.

That itself is a judgmental and pharasaical pronouncement. It's "only" a social rule being broken if you pull out a ham sandwich and a can of Sprite during sacrament meeting, and prop your feet up on the pew in front of you while you snack and chat on your phone. So is that what we want our sacrament meeting to be?

I don't care if you drink Coke, but if you crack open a cold one in the middle of sacrament, you are breaching more than mere social protocol. You are treating lightly a sacred meeting. It's a shameful thing to do. If you want to tut-tut those who disapprove, then whatever. You're disingenuous to pretend there is nothing there to disapprove of.

Edited November 1, 2016 by Vort

[Guest MormonGator]

41 minutes ago, Vort said:

I don't care if you drink Coke, but if you crack open a cold one in the middle of sacrament, you are breaching more than mere social protocol. You are treating lightly a sacred meeting. It's a shameful thing to do. 

But cracking open a beer is fine, right? Is that why I got dirty looks last week? 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Vort said:

That itself is a judgmental and pharasaical pronouncement. It's "only" a social rule being broken if you pull out a ham sandwich and a can of Sprite during sacrament meeting, and prop your feet up on the pew in front of you while you snack and chat on your phone. So is that what we want our sacrament meeting to be?

I don't care if you drink Coke, but if you crack open a cold one in the middle of sacrament, you are breaching more than mere social protocol. You are treating lightly a sacred meeting. It's a shameful thing to do. If you want to tut-tut those who disapprove, then whatever. You're disingenuous to pretend there is nothing there to disapprove of.

1,000 x Spot On.

Quote

Was it irreverent? Maybe.

Would she do it again? Every Sunday.

Maybe???  How 'bout YES, you're darn tootin' it was irreverent.  What in Sam Hades' lunchbox is the maybe!?!?

Edited November 1, 2016 by Guest

[Anddenex]

1 hour ago, MormonGator said:

But cracking open a beer is fine, right? Is that why I got dirty looks last week? 

If the beer can was 24 oz. instead of the 12 oz you deserved the dirty looks, but only if 24 oz.! 

[Allgirls]

Really! Drinking a soda during sacrament meeting? Totally not acceptable.

[mordorbund]

Drinks and snacks in church are the gateway drugs to crocheting during meetings.

[askandanswer]

On 11/1/2016 at 11:48 AM, MormonGator said:

But cracking open a beer is fine, right? Is that why I got dirty looks last week? 

I'm sure this was only one of many possible thousands of reasons. It would be hard to attribute all the dirty looks you get to one particular cause.  

[omegaseamaster75]

On 10/31/2016 at 5:11 PM, Vort said:

That itself is a judgmental and pharasaical pronouncement. It's "only" a social rule being broken if you pull out a ham sandwich and a can of Sprite during sacrament meeting, and prop your feet up on the pew in front of you while you snack and chat on your phone. So is that what we want our sacrament meeting to be?

I don't care if you drink Coke, but if you crack open a cold one in the middle of sacrament, you are breaching more than mere social protocol. You are treating lightly a sacred meeting. It's a shameful thing to do. If you want to tut-tut those who disapprove, then whatever. You're disingenuous to pretend there is nothing there to disapprove of.

I agree that Sacrament meeting should not be taken lightly, we participate in a sacred ordinance while we are there and attend to be edified and learn. It is a big social faux pas to crack a coke in the middle of it, as it would be to do so in the middle of any meeting. It is rude and petty because when you crack that coke you know that you are going to get looks, you wouldn't do that in a work meeting. While no official rule is being broken I would be one of the guys with the pharisaical stare.

[pam]

On 11/1/2016 at 11:01 PM, askandanswer said:

I'm sure this was only one of many possible thousands of reasons. It would be hard to attribute all the dirty looks you get to one particular cause.  

Oh snap!!

[askandanswer]

Pam has finally snapped! I knew it was only a matter of time although I must admit, considering the job she does with this forum, she's lasted much longer than I expected  

[Sunday21]

Honestly over all the crying babies? Who could hear a can of pop?

Edited November 6, 2016 by Sunday21

[Anddenex]

7 hours ago, Sunday21 said:

Honestly overall the crying babies? Who could hear a can of pop?

True, but I believe she is referring to a single's ward where there are no crying babies unless the bishopric's family is visiting the single's ward.

I remember the first time I went to a single's ward (18 years old), and I was so used to crying babies that the dead silence caused me to be very uncomfortable (I felt like everyone was watching me because the world revolved around me during those years).

[Jane_Doe]

41 minutes ago, Anddenex said:

True, but I believe she is referring to a single's ward where there are no crying babies unless the bishopric's family is visiting the single's ward.

I remember the first time I went to a single's ward (18 years old), and I was so used to crying babies that the dead silence caused me to be very uncomfortable (I felt like everyone was watching me because the world revolved around me during those years).

I empathize with that!

My first singles ward was at BYU-I, and sacrament meeting met in a section of the dance ballroom.  If you were late, the only available seats were those up on the front row, across the ballroom.  So in addition to everyone seeing you walk in late, they also heard you too--  click-click of heals on hardwood.  It really encouraged getting to church on time.

[zil]

4 hours ago, Anddenex said:

the world revolved around me during those years

...and now we learn the true origin of Daylight SavingShifty Time.

[Guest MormonGator]

2 hours ago, zil said:

...and now we learn the true origin of Daylight SavingShifty Time.

Zil for the win!!!! 

@Anddenex nothing but love bro but she could use that line on your celebrity roast! 

[NightSG]

Frankly, I'd rather see a big cooler rolled up and down the aisle and people cracking open sodas all through Sacrament meeting than the kids fighting over crayons, throwing Cheerios and toys around the room and generally acting like rabid howler monkeys while their parents do nothing.

[Sunday21]

The parents are exhausted. Have mercy. We only have to suffer through the hellions during sacrament. The parents have them all week. Those snotty nosed brats will grow up to shoulder both the church's burdens and the world's but yeah at some point, someone has to change the diapers.