EQ Activity denied by other EQ

[dabrockster]

In EQ we have this cool activity where once a month on a weekday we go out to the Movies and then hit BW3's after wards.. It is pretty fun and the group really likes it along with our Bishopric. We have bonded more together and many of the members have talked about how close knit we are and all the fun activities we have. And our HT numbers have gone up since we started doing this.. I have seen a positive impact on what I have been trying to achieve which is that "Bond of Brotherhood"..

Since the Ward just split we usually invite the two other Wards that were involved in the split. Last invitation was to see Tron Legacy and we had a huge turn out..

So I emailed the EQ president in one the other wards for him to make the announcement to his group to let them know if they would like to join us..

He responded by quoting the Handbook about paid activities are prohibited (Even the Section etc) and how we should not do that and he was not going to make the announcement..

So, I told him that I would just contact his EQ people directly who had requested to be invited again so he didn't have to break any handbook rule







I had to refrain from telling him to take his letter of the law attitude and shove it up his ass.. Some things bug me and this self-righteous crap has always hits a nail with me.. Never mind how petty this one small thing is in the realm of things we should not be doing...




Anyway, it bugged me and I needed to rant... Thank you

[falafel]

We've done this (the movie night) a few times in my EQ, and like you, I've noticed that the EQ has bonded a bit more because of it. I don't hold any sort of calling in the EQ, but this is the sort of activity that I would attend. "Hanging out" on Sunday once a week is not going to get anyone to bond.

[Jacob]

We've done this (the movie night) a few times in my EQ, and like you, I've noticed that the EQ has bonded a bit more because of it. I don't hold any sort of calling in the EQ, but this is the sort of activity that I would attend. "Hanging out" on Sunday once a week is not going to get anyone to bond.

Yep. The only people I know well, or have any bond with are those who play ball with me on Tuesdays.

[Paperback Writer]

Quoting the Handbook is a specialty of a few people in my ward…but only when it advances their position. When the Handbook works against them…then suddenly we need to operate under “the spirit of the law rather than the letter”. It makes for some interesting committee meetings and I’ve called them out on it more than once. I wouldn’t mind so much if those quoting the Handbook would actually do more in the ward but they use the Handbook as an excuse to not to do things and to prevent others from doing innovative or novel things that would benefit members of the ward (including their own families). It’s putting a new Bishop in a difficult spot. Specifically, our Scoutmaster got fed up with “the Handbook” folks and asked to be released from his calling. And when one of “the Handbook” group was asked to be the new Scoutmaster, he didn’t accept the calling.

[BlueHair]

It's more than a little strange that people need a handbook to decide whether or not they can go to a movie with other adults. Seriously, who would even think to check the handbook?

[Paperback Writer]

It's more than a little strange that people need a handbook to decide whether or not they can go to a movie with other adults. Seriously, who would even think to check the handbook?

It's simple. Someone doesn't want to go to see a movie for whatever reason...perhaps he's stuck at home with the kids. And doesn't want anyone else to find enjoyment. So the Handbook is referenced along with any objectional movie content, etc. LDS people can be weird.

Recently I got chastised by another parent in the ward for letting kids play Call of Duty during a video game party over Spring Break. The funny thing is that it was her own son who had brought over the video game. And the kid was wicked awesome at the game. He keeps the copy at his neighbor's house and plays after school while he's supposedly doing his homework before going home. I didn't rat the kid out to his mother and bit my tongue during her sermon on we as LDS have to continually keep out temple/homes free from evil influences. If my home is invaded my Nazi zombies - her kid is walking point for me.

[Sullyute]

It's simple. Someone doesn't want to go to see a movie for whatever reason...perhaps he's stuck at home with the kids. And doesn't want anyone else to find enjoyment. So the Handbook is referenced along with any objectional movie content, etc. LDS people can be weird.

Recently I got chastised by another parent in the ward for letting kids play Call of Duty during a video game party over Spring Break. The funny thing is that it was her own son who had brought over the video game. And the kid was wicked awesome at the game. He keeps the copy at his neighbor's house and plays after school while he's supposedly doing his homework before going home. I didn't rat the kid out to his mother and bit my tongue during her sermon on we as LDS have to continually keep out temple/homes free from evil influences. If my home is invaded my Nazi zombies - her kid is walking point for me.

I hope the kid is going to mow your lawn for free over the summer.

[Moliere]

Just make it a non-EQ sponsored activity but still invite the EQ. We do this with things that don't fall into the guidelines of the handbook and our bishop's only request is that we don't announce it in PH. Thankfully with email the word gets spread more effectively than any announcement in PH.

[creekster]

I can understand the frustration expressed here, and I often share it. But, there are some very good reasons for the guideline in the Handbook.

First, within any ward there should be no pressure on anyone to participate in any activities that people can't afford. Put another way, all official activities should be available to everyone without barriers such as expense. I realize this may not apply much here, but it could be an issue.

Second, activities should generally be equivalent, within reason, among wards and stakes. Restaurant quality food at some ward activites and crappy donuthole casseroles for others is not good.

The handbook is only a guideline, and there are certainly exceptions, but this guideline has good purposes, IMO.

[Uncle Ted]

Just make it a non-EQ sponsored activity but still invite the EQ. We do this with things that don't fall into the guidelines of the handbook and our bishop's only request is that we don't announce it in PH. Thankfully with email the word gets spread more effectively than any announcement in PH.

What Eddie said. I don't even go to EQ so anything they announce there I miss. Just start the email off as "non-official EQ announcement" as the disclaimer so the handbookers don't have "legal leg to stand on."