Sitting and Standing

[blazerb]

Maybe someone has already posted a discussion about this. If so, I apologize. I saw the recent devotional Elder Bednar gave. You can watch it here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SQ8JbI0CGA

If you go to the 49:25 mark, you will see what happens just after the prayer. Elder Bednar remains sitting for a short time. No one in camera view stands. Then when he gets up, everyone gets up. It is apparent that Sister Bednar almost stood before her husband, but stopped herself.

What the heck? When did weird rules start about who stands first after a meeting is over? I was in meetings with apostles when I was much younger. No one worried about things like this. We might have stood when they came it. I don't remember. Whatever we did it did not seem odd to me, but maybe I was just oblivious. Do all the current apostles demand this type of deference, or is Bednar just a special case? I think this is just creepy.

[Palerider]

Just another one of those "proofs" that Mormons don't worship their demi-gods and you'll get body slammed back into your chair if you don't believe me....

[Give It Time]

I once sang in the choir for women's conference. My skirt didn't have pockets, so I just chose to carry my lipstick and keys. Before the conference there's a special meeting with two GAs. When everyone rose when they entered, my lipstick fell out of my hands and exploded! Case, lid, lipstck. All different directions! I didn't want sisters stepping in the lipstick and ruining their clothes and the carpeting, so I started looking around for the lipstick.

Some of the sisters around me asked what I was doing. I told them and they started helping me. Before long, I noticed the organ music was playing the same stanzas over and over again. I stopped what I was doing and noticed everyone was waiting for me to snap to reverent attention. One GA was looking at me with an amused expression on his face and the other with a scolding expression. A Q15 game of good cop/bad cop. The one who was amused was...Bednar. The one who wasn't amused was...wait for it...Holland.

[moksha]

Here is Special Witness - Elder Bednar. What is missing is a high-intensity backlighting for Elder Bednar to add that all-important glowing effect. Perhaps they could have also played A Mighty Fortress for that special witness emphasis, but the production staff did come through on all the rest.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8233mUFFYB0

[vankimber]

I think the guy takes pleasure in wringing out every bit of power he can whenever he's among those whom he considers to be the lowly rank and file of the church. He relishes every opportunity to remind everyone that he is not quite one of them, and his little power plays are to make sure no one forgets it. I pity his wife, who obviously doesn't seem to grasp just how special and important he is now. More than once we've seen her catch herself as she has nearly upstaged him by standing or speaking when he has not given the OK. I can hardly bear to look at him and his smugness.

[LostGirl]

I have never seen that before and until I watched the video I actually thought you might be exaggerating. It is so blatantly obvious though that they are all waiting for him to stand. That is just plain weird. Do they give instructions to the attendees about this before the meeting now as it seemed like every single person knew they had to wait?
Does he send a list ahead of time like Beyonce with his requirements?

[blazerb]

I have never seen that before and until I watched the video I actually thought you might be exaggerating. It is so blatantly obvious though that they are all waiting for him to stand. That is just plain weird. Do they give instructions to the attendees about this before the meeting now as it seemed like every single person knew they had to wait?
Does he send a list ahead of time like Beyonce with his requirements?

Seeing is believing.

I am pretty sure that instructions were given beforehand. It's just too scripted.

[Hagoth]

Question to blazerb: did you actually watch the whole thing to get to that point? I don't think I could do that.

[LaMachina]

This is the type of thing I do with my dog to ensure she knows that we're the alphas and she does not have run of the house. For example, I make her sit at the door til all of us have entered and then she can come in or I make her wait til we've eaten and then she eats.

To see someone employ this method with a room full of grown adult humans is amazing. The look on Sis Bednars face when she's about to move and then remembers reminds me so much of my puppy when she's about to do something but then remembers "whoops...I need to check with the alpha first!"

The parallels disturb me greatly.

[Rob4Hope]

This is the type of thing I do with my dog to ensure she knows that we're the alphas and she does not have run of the house. For example, I make her sit at the door til all of us have entered and then she can come in or I make her wait til we've eaten and then she eats.

To see someone employ this method with a room full of grown adult humans is amazing. The look on Sis Bednars face when she's about to move and then remembers reminds me so much of my puppy when she's about to do something but then remembers "whoops...I need to check with the alpha first!"

The parallels disturb me greatly.

I've heard account that Bednar treats his wife like crap. Is this true?....

[blazerb]

Question to blazerb: did you actually watch the whole thing to get to that point? I don't think I could do that.

No, no, no! I saw it pointed out by several and checked it out myself.

[Fifi de la Vergne]

This is the type of thing I do with my dog to ensure she knows that we're the alphas and she does not have run of the house. For example, I make her sit at the door til all of us have entered and then she can come in or I make her wait til we've eaten and then she eats.

To see someone employ this method with a room full of grown adult humans is amazing. The look on Sis Bednars face when she's about to move and then remembers reminds me so much of my puppy when she's about to do something but then remembers "whoops...I need to check with the alpha first!"

The parallels disturb me greatly.

You nailed it with this analogy, and it disturbs me too. This is the man everyone predicts will be leading TSCC for a long while at some not-too-distant point, and I can't see anything hopeful in that.

[didyoumythme]

Ok is Bednar really as douchey as he seems? I think yes, but I know TBMs would flip and call me a dirty apostate for thinking this. I see this behavior now as extremely telling of the leadership. Do other members not feel it strange to be treated like this, or do they also notice but justify it for the sake of deference to the Q12?

I try to see the good in these guys, I really do, but I can't see them as anything other than puffed up administrators basking in their celebrity status.

[Korihor]

This video kills me. Is he really that big of an egomaniac? All the stories i've heard indicate "yes". Yet I don't have first hand experience.

When did it become a thing to not stand before a Q15? This video can't be the first example of such behaviour.

Sadly, I fear the accusations of Bednar are correct.

[MoPag]

Does he send a list ahead of time like Beyonce with his requirements?

He would be the Diva of the Q15.

I think he looked kind of pissed that the girl who said the prayer was standing up before him as she walked off the podium platform. He is going to try to implement a new rule where the person saying the prayer must immediately sit down on that little step stool they have for the primary kids until the GA in attendance stands.

[Emower]

I remember being trained in the MTC specifically to stand when the GA enters the room, and not to stand until he stood. When you train the preisthood like this it trickles down to the rest of the church. I guarantee a memo was sent out or a letter read from the SP before that conference happened instructing all on the proper Apostolic etiquette.

[Sheamus Moore]

"And the LDS Emmy goes to..."



When I served on a HC it was customary to stand as the stake presidency walked into the room at the start of the HC meeting. Always thought that was a tad pompous too though the SP was pretty cool. Tradition?

[MoPag]

This is the type of thing I do with my dog to ensure she knows that we're the alphas and she does not have run of the house. For example, I make her sit at the door til all of us have entered and then she can come in or I make her wait til we've eaten and then she eats.

To see someone employ this method with a room full of grown adult humans is amazing. The look on Sis Bednars face when she's about to move and then remembers reminds me so much of my puppy when she's about to do something but then remembers "whoops...I need to check with the alpha first!"

The parallels disturb me greatly.

I've heard account that Bednar treats his wife like crap. Is this true?....

Probably. But he is going to treat anyone he views as beneath him like crap. When I saw them together at BYUI, she was always simpering and ditzy. But alone, when she would speak to us girls at RS firesides, she could be mean. She harped on and on about modesty. And she LOOOVVED to slut shame. (well Mormon slut shame, which would probably be better described as modesty shaming.) She like to tell this story about her and her hubby randomly dropping in on students in their apartments. And one time there was a girl who was wearing a tank top and the girl was obviously uncomfortable so she kept pulling couch cushions over to her to cover herself up.

Now that I understand more about abusive relationships, I can see some real red flags in her behavior in front of him verses her behavior without him. In front of him she always tried to appear weak and non-threatening. When she is in front of students (girls who are beneath her status) she is condescending and mean.

[Hagoth]

To see someone employ this method with a room full of grown adult humans is amazing.

I am constantly amazed at how we Mormons surrender our agency so easily to men who claim authority over us. Mrs. Hagoth came home early from church last week and said that one of our bishops counselors at the end of Sacrament meeting announced that the "classrooms in the halls and foyers have been cancelled." All of the hall lurkers felt justifiably chastised. I was so proud of Mrs. H for just walking out and coming home.

[vankimber]

It almost makes me want to attend a meeting he's presiding over just so I can look him in the eye as I stand up before him.