Saving seats, not souls, I guess.
As a member of a large family I’ve done my share of seat saving in the past. I know it ticks people off sometimes but I think it’s legitimate. In fact, I’d say if our country is to survive seat saving must be respected. It’s like immigration policy, you don’t want to break families up, do you?
So this guy wasn’t just fighting over a seat, he was fighting for the right for his family to stay together. He was fighting for the fabric of our culture not to be torn apart. And he wasn’t going to allow that tear to happen. Not that day. Not in a church.
Just kidding around. I’m in a mood. Both dudes are idiots. But seat saving is actually a necessary thing. But fake seat saving should be punishable by being beaten with chairs.
I used to travel by train a lot from New York to Philadelphia and there were people all the time who would, even when the train was completely crowded, say they were saving the seat for someone. Or they’d pretend to fall asleep and hang over both seats and hope that people would be too kind to wake them. So I do not like fake seat savers. At all.
But I didn’t drag them off the train and beat them. This guy chose a different path.
News reports detail the story:
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.
You know, I’m sitting here thinking about it. And what’s with the whole seat saving thing. I mean, with absolutely no authority whatsoever I’m going to lamely put my hand on the seat next to mine or put my coat there because there’s someone else that I know better than you and like better than you who I want to sit next to. But here’s the thing – THEY’RE NOT THERE!!!
So I’m kinda’ of two minds here. You guys, feel free to discuss. I’m at a loss.
July 5, 2013 at 8:09 pm
At a TLM congregation in Dublin, Ireland, the top pew is kept free for the child and their parents whenever there is a First Holy Communion. An older gentleman "who always sits here" refused to move. The priest who was called upon to settle matters confirmed with said senior citizen that "this is your pew?… ah, may I see your receipt for your pew rent, please?" There was no receipt, of course. (Pew rent went out of fashion in about 1890!) Priestly response? "Go lower friend, go lower". 🙂
July 6, 2013 at 6:01 am
This would be like me having a road rage incident on my way to Mass.
July 6, 2013 at 12:59 pm
It drives me nuts to arrive an hour or more early for say Christmas and Easter Mass to get a seat only to have one person saving seats and their family shows up with seconds to spare or late!!! Meanwhile lots of folks show up and all these seats are saved. At one parish Father would come through 20-30 minutes before Mass and tell everyone "no saving seats" if folks weren't there by then, too bad. So saving is o.k. to a point.
July 6, 2013 at 3:37 pm
My church has a policy strictly enforced by ushers – you may save a reasonable number of seats for friends or family ….. until 10 of. At 10 minutes before Mass starts, they are fair game and the ushers will personally escort newcomers into those seats. The theory is ,if your friends and family really wanted to be here, then they'd be here.
July 6, 2013 at 9:25 pm
I save seats when my husband–with or without one or more of our kids–heads downstairs to the bathroom before Mass. We usually sit in the back, anyway, though.
July 7, 2013 at 4:12 am
Mormons. Sheesh.
July 7, 2013 at 2:34 pm
So, the pews were saved for a family that doesn't usually attend, and they wondered if they were actually still saved. But of course, we know (wait for it)…
once saved, always saved.