Fear and trembling in the Misfits branch

[_harmony]

Well, not really. It's more like rebellion and smartaleckyness.

In my oldest daughter's branch (named the Misfit Branch by their former branch president who they all miss very much), the edict has come down from above: all members of the branch who are older than 30 must immediately cease attending the branch and attend the family ward in which they live. This brings up several issues, among them:

1. this is going to break up groups of friends who regularly socialize with each other, since some of them are over 30 and some within the same group are mid-20's. Their solution is to hold their own FHE's and social activities in one of the 30 something's apartment.

2. the intent appears to be to separate the younger women from the older women, in order to remove any opportunity on the part of the younger women to get to know and admire the older women who have careers rather than marriage plans. The church appears to have written off the older women as lost causes as far as the monthly marriage talk is concerned, and they don't want the younger women admiring these lost cause women who don't give the priesthood the proper authority or importance in their life.

3. the older men are also being frowned on, because they don't date any of the women, young or old. They simply socialize and aren't serious about finding a mate.

4. the general concensus seems to be that the over-30 single activities in the stake are lame and no one wants to go to them.

Sounds to me like the church is tightening the thumbscrews, especially on those who are different from the norm.

[_Doctor Steuss]

Every Singles Ward I've been in over the last 10 years (including the University Ward for a stint) has had the under 30 protocol. In my current Ward, I believe you also have to be over 21. I doubt it's simply to break up friends and deny women positive role models.

[_bcspace]

I think singles wards and branches should be eliminated and replaced by singles activies. A ward is better served with all age groups present imho.

[_Sam Harris]

When I did attend, I enjoyed some singles branches. Being that I wanted a family so badly back then, family wards were a bit hard for me to deal with, as I figured I'd never have one. But why split up a group of people who seem to have such community just because you can do so?

[_guy sajer]

Every Singles Ward I've been in over the last 10 years (including the University Ward for a stint) has had the under 30 protocol. In my current Ward, I believe you also have to be over 21. I doubt it's simply to break up friends and deny women positive role models.

It's about what's good for the institutional Church, regardless of the needs of its members.

[_skippy the dead]

I think singles wards and branches should be eliminated and replaced by singles activies. A ward is better served with all age groups present imho.

Agreed. When I was in graduate school and living far from campus, I actually enjoyed the family ward I was in and purposely didn't seek out a local singles ward.

Having organized singles activities on a stake or regional level would still allow the necessary mix and mingle to pair folks up when possible.

I also never understood the 30 year old cutoff (which is the norm in my area). 40, maybe. But unless there's something skeevy going on, you might as well have all the singles mixing it up to see if there's a love connection somewhere (I mean, that is the purpose of the singles ward, right?).

[_Jason Bourne]

It has been long standing that YSA is 18-30 and SA is 30+. Where do you get the idea the church does not want older women with careers corrupting the younger women. Heck, in my ward three of the past four YW presidents were working women with careers and not because they needed to work but because they wanted to, my wife being one of them. Two of the three past Relief Society presidents were career women as well. Maybe we just have a bunch of corrupt rebellious women in our ward. But the YW are already exposed to working women. Why would dividing up YSAs from SAs make a difference?

[_Jason Bourne]

I think singles wards and branches should be eliminated and replaced by singles activies. A ward is better served with all age groups present imho.

Wow

I actually agree with BC!!! Scary thought! :-)

[_bcspace]

Wow

I actually agree with BC!!! Scary thought! :-)

Your distinctiveness will be added to our own. You will exist to service...us.

Actually, such wards probably have to remain at BYU and BYU Idaho as the numbers of students would overwhelm a regular ward.

[_skippy the dead]

. . . my wide being one of them.

Oh dear, Mr. Bourne. You seem to have referred to your eternal companion by a less-than-flattering typo. ;o)