My funny "misplaced Mormonism" experience tonight

[Anonymous]

Ok, so I got stuck going to my wife's 20th High School class reunion.

I'm pretty sure it was organized by some Mormons. The High School was in Gilbert, Arizona, so quite a few Mormons go to that school. Also quite a few non-Mormons.

Anyhow, the person starting off the whole thing, after describing what was going to happen during the event, asked a woman to start it off with a prayer over the food. Mind you, this is a High School class reunion, not Relief Society. So this lady stands up and gives, and I kid you not, like a 4 or 5 minute Mormonissimo prayer, wherein she thanked the Lord for just about everything you could imagine, and asked God to send down his Spirit at least two separate times, and in the end, I'm not even sure she blessed the food.

It was painful to listen to. Even my wife was embarassed by the length and content of the prayer at this decidedly secular event. I mean, a quick "Bless this food inthenameofjeezchristamen" is one thing, but this lady was going for a frigging General Conference-style preach-fest prayer.

And the funny thing is there was a bar at this banquet, and probably half or two thirds of the people at the banquet had either beer, wine, or some cocktail. My wife told me she saw some friends from her ward growing up and people in her class she knew had been Mormons, drinking beer or wine as well.

Anyhow, this isn't Earth-shattering news or anything. Just a little gaffe, IMHO, where someone either has no frigging sense of propriety, or else wanted to grandstand and preach it. I almost laughed out loud by the end of it, just thinking how ridiculous it was. I have to wonder what the 80% or so of the people in the room who aren't Mormon thought. They probably just shrugged off another preachy Mormon, I'd bet.

[_Pokatator]

They don't do themselves or the church any good service but they can't see it through the brainwashing. I have seen this done in many venues. Now, I will try not to get started on long winded marathon funerals.

[_Gadianton]

Very funny, Seth. They should have made some porno tapes available for purchase. Hey, these events cost money, and both alcohol and porn are ok to profit on if the cause is for the Church, which in this case it clearly was, considering it was more like typical missionary work in disguise.

[_Some Schmo]

Ok, so I got stuck going to my wife's 20th High School class reunion.

I'm pretty sure it was organized by some Mormons. The High School was in Gilbert, Arizona, so quite a few Mormons go to that school. Also quite a few non-Mormons.

Anyhow, the person starting off the whole thing, after describing what was going to happen during the event, asked a woman to start it off with a prayer over the food. Mind you, this is a High School class reunion, not Relief Society. So this lady stands up and gives, and I kid you not, like a 4 or 5 minute Mormonissimo prayer, wherein she thanked the Lord for just about everything you could imagine, and asked God to send down his Spirit at least two separate times, and in the end, I'm not even sure she blessed the food.

It was painful to listen to. Even my wife was embarassed by the length and content of the prayer at this decidedly secular event. I mean, a quick "Bless this food inthenameofjeezchristamen" is one thing, but this lady was going for a frigging General Conference-style preach-fest prayer.

And the funny thing is there was a bar at this banquet, and probably half or two thirds of the people at the banquet had either beer, wine, or some cocktail. My wife told me she saw some friends from her ward growing up and people in her class she knew had been Mormons, drinking beer or wine as well.

Anyhow, this isn't Earth-shattering news or anything. Just a little gaffe, IMHO, where someone either has no frigging sense of propriety, or else wanted to grandstand and preach it. I almost laughed out loud by the end of it, just thinking how ridiculous it was. I have to wonder what the 80% or so if the people in the room who aren't Mormon thought. They probably just shrugged off another preachy Mormon, I'd bet.

This is an excellent example of the exact thing about growing up in the church that made it so painfully embarrassing.

You story was extremely poignant, Seth, and reminds me of the fundamental things that caused me to question its validity in the first place. Why would a god place his most important organization in the hands of such weirdoes?

[_harmony]

Why would a god place his most important organization in the hands of such weirdoes?

Don't you think it's the other way around? That the church creates that type of person/weirdo? Rather than them being weirdos first?

[_Ray A]

It was painful to listen to. Even my wife was embarassed by the length and content of the prayer at this decidedly secular event. I mean, a quick "Bless this food inthenameofjeezchristamen" is one thing, but this lady was going for a frigging General Conference-style preach-fest prayer.

3 Nephi 19 immediately came to my mind:

24 And it came to pass that when Jesus had thus prayed unto the Father, he came unto his disciples, and behold, they did still continue, without ceasing, to pray unto him; and they did not multiply many words, for it was given unto them what they should pray, and they were filled with desire.

[_Gazelam]

Great story Seth.

Not to long ago our Bishop asked my wife to give a sacrament talk on how to pray. He specifically asked her to include information on the length and content a prayer should have under various circumstances.

Apparently there were a few women in Relief Society who needed the council. And sure enough you could tell after she gave the talk the guilty parties as they came up and snidely told her what a good job she had done.

It was funny.

[_harmony]

Great story Seth.

Not to long ago our Bishop asked my wife to give a sacrament talk on how to pray. He specifically asked her to include information on the length and content a prayer should have under various circumstances.

Apparently there were a few women in Relief Society who needed the council. And sure enough you could tell after she gave the talk the guilty parties as they came up and snidely told her what a good job she had done.

It was funny.

I've always wondered why, if the bishop knew there was a problem, he didn't just stand up and state the problem and the solution, rather than putting someone else up to take the flak the information would caue.

[_Some Schmo]

Why would a god place his most important organization in the hands of such weirdoes?

Don't you think it's the other way around? That the church creates that type of person/weirdo? Rather than them being weirdos first?

Yeah, it likely goes both ways. I suppose whether a person is born in as opposed to being a convert also factors in to the equation.

[_moksha]

A guy in our testimony meeting today gave a seventeen minute testimony. Some people overdo everything.