Gum

[Solon]

I wasn't there a week ago, but apparently the bishop of our ward stood and asked the congregation to refrain from chewing gum in church. He was very cryptic about the reasons for this request, saying only "It's not what you think."

Any ideas on what's going on? If gum is ruining the undersides of the pews, I'm pretty sure the bishop would bring this up. If someone has a problem with gum-chewers, it might be best to get that person some help rather than have the entire congregation try to (blindly) follow some silly directive.

Things are getting weird around here.

[myboynoah]

I wasn't there a week ago, but apparently the bishop of our ward stood and asked the congregation to refrain from chewing gum in church. He was very cryptic about the reasons for this request, saying only "It's not what you think."

Any ideas on what's going on? If gum is ruining the undersides of the pews, I'm pretty sure the bishop would bring this up. If someone has a problem with gum-chewers, it might be best to get that person some help rather than have the entire congregation try to (blindly) follow some silly directive.

Things are getting weird around here.

Weird is relative.

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[RobinFinderson]

As if fast-and-testimony-breath wasn't bad enough!

[Mormon Red Death]

I wasn't there a week ago, but apparently the bishop of our ward stood and asked the congregation to refrain from chewing gum in church. He was very cryptic about the reasons for this request, saying only "It's not what you think."

Any ideas on what's going on? If gum is ruining the undersides of the pews, I'm pretty sure the bishop would bring this up. If someone has a problem with gum-chewers, it might be best to get that person some help rather than have the entire congregation try to (blindly) follow some silly directive.

Things are getting weird around here.

Its a gateway to worse things. In the 50s the three biggest complaints from teachers were... talking in class, running in the halls and chewing gum. Now its gang violence, teenage pregnancy and drug use.

Its a slippery slope my friend and your bishop wants to cut it out from the start.

[Katy Lied]

Maybe there's an OCD gum hater who is struggling to come to church, but cannot get past the pew of gum-smacking teenaged girls.

Perhaps even a gum hater who won't go see Hurt Locker because there's a scene in there of a gum chewer.

[Moliere]

I saw this thread before church so I had a chance to take a quick survey during PH opening exercises. I noticed 4 people chewing gum. They were:

1st & 2nd counselor in the Bishopric (Bishop not there)
EQP and counselor (other counselor not there)

that was it. I guess we have no such policy in our ward. In fact, you could say chewing gum is encouraged since all the PH leaders do it.

On a serious note, the abhorrence of chewing gum is a generational thing, at least in my opinion. Many older people find it offensive and irreverent. Your bishop is either quite old, you some of the older people in your ward are complaining about it and he just wants them to stop bugging him.

[Mrs. Funk]

Reminds me of this thread over at FMH.

[Solon]

Reminds me of this thread over at FMH.

interesting thread, mrs funk.

Maybe it is a reverence thing - our bishop is young enough but he's becoming a 'reverence' hardliner. But why not say "I think it's irreverent to chew gum."?

In my opinion, when it comes over the pulpit (as this did), it's more than just asking for a favor. The bishop is laying down directives for the congregation over which he presides. It seems like an overstepping of what a bishop is and isn't expected to control. I'm not sure I'm willing to extend my allegiance to the gum-ban. Not without some sort of explanation, however vague.

[RC Vikings]

Our bishop asked everyone to be in their seats at 12:54 for our one o'clock start time. I think he wants a reverence warm up before the real thing. I'm only good for a three hour block so I've been leaving at 3:54.

[Mrs. Funk]

Our bishop asked everyone to be in their seats at 12:54 for our one o'clock start time. I think he wants a reverence warm up before the real thing. I'm only good for a three hour block so I've been leaving at 3:54.

I find this really irritating, actually. I think it's great that people just get to church. Continue piling enough conditions on church attendance and people will just stop going.

[SeattleUte]

I think the bishop is being reasonable. Gum is a disgusting thing. People should refrain from chewing gum in church of all places. Yikes.

[Portland Ute]

I find this really irritating, actually. I think it's great that people just get to church. Continue piling enough conditions on church attendance and people will just stop going.

I hear you.

[SeattleUte]

lol can we just have a Bishop bash thread? I mean if these typse of threads are going to proliferate.

[TripletDaddy]

I am on board with the no gum rule. If you volunteer to clean up the cultural hall once, you will also convert. It sometimes gets in the carpet or on the wood floor and then it is gross to clean up. It isn't like running a vacuum over some cheerios. also, in SoCal, discarded gum can often lead to ant invasions in the summertime. You get these killer trails of ants that go from the trashcan all the way down the hall, through the entire parking lot, and then off into the hills somewhere. I think the ants take stuff way out there and then do some sort of voodoo bonfire sacrifice. Ants are crazy. Why don't they just eat the food right there? If I were an ant, I would probably say, "screw this crap. I'm going to eat right now. I'm not carrying any more of this crap for miles and miles. Why should I?"

I'm totally on board with the no gum rule.

[TripletDaddy]

lol can we just have a Bishop bash thread? I mean if these typse of threads are going to proliferate.

I recently read about a guy bashing on his Bishop for doing tithing settlement in lieu of hanging out in a lobby. That would be a good post for the bishop bash thread.