Ranked seating?

How about those reserved seats at General Conference for families of GAs? We always try to get tickets for the annual Christmas Concert. Sometimes we make the cut, sometimes not. I always look down from the nosebleed seats at all of those empty reserved seats for special people who didn’t show up. The last shall be first and the first shall be last.

Korash

Our previous SP used to always sit on the stand. He actually used to make his entrance at just the right time so we could see him walking to the stand. Our present SP always sits quietly in a back row, very unassuming. It always makes me smile to see him hiding back there.

Yesterday in Gospel Doctrine our instructor (I love this guy!) mentioned the importance of seating to Jewish leaders in Christ’s day. We were reading about the apostles’ argument over who was the greatest and he said that the most prominent person would sit at the head of the table, the next prominent to his right, and the third prominent to his left…I was wondering, is there established protocol that demands this seating? If so, does anyone else feel this is a little Pharisee-like?

Yes, all this focus on rank and special titles seems like a bit much. It reminds me of the following scripture passage (Matthew 23:11-12):

But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

The higher up the chain of command Church leaders are it seems like the more they typically look and act like business executives rather than humble servants of the people.

Ray, I have found men like these, such as Gene R. Cook, my mission president, and others to have that same personable quality that is very caring in contexts that aren’t using Church resources. However, I have also seen that when finances and procedure are involved, the tone becomes decidedly business and executive-like.

We beat up on them about this, but I’m prepared to cut them a bit of slack because we tend to hire and call people to the senior positions who have the capacity to lead large groups of people. Not always, but in the majority of the cases, these men have had significant accomplishments within organizations and business, and Church leadership is a modified version of their leadership style in business. Also, the fact that we don’t train people to be full-time ministers like other Churches tends to bring to the Church a business-like quality because that is the nature of their career-training. And, considering that men in the most senior positions are there for life, I don’t see this changing any time soon.

Bottom line — in situations where they are speaking (and policy, resources, and liability aren’t at stake) I think it’s easier for them to be the personable, kind men you would expect them to be given their Apostleship or high position. On the other hand, I know first hand that when it comes to the business side of leading a Ward, Stake, or the Church as a whole, they are VERY business-like — often at the expense of what’s good for individual members or even consistent with our own substantial claims about our divine commission. And that has been a testimony-challenger for me over the years.

I have a hundred thoughts on this topic. Hopefully I will condense them well. Ranked seating also has purpose. Yes maybe it can be done differently (and I have seen it done) but even in business meetings, conferences and so on (all non-LDS) you usually have people up on the stage/stand who conduct, organize, represent, etc. To me it is the attitude that makes the ranking issue. I remember teaching this very parable/lesson in seminary and feeling as I read the account in the scriptures that it again was this idea of hypocrisy. Where the rich or ranked forever had the head seat and lined up people accordingly. We do release, rearrange, and change who sits in the chairs. To me their style makes the difference.

In reference to GA’s and their off camera persona, that is the hardest for us to see them as real when they are in conference or conducting a meeting, but like the examples given I know they do have more down to earth sides. One time we had Elder Dellenbaugh of the Seventy for Stake Conference. Our SP and his “team” were fanatical in their adherence to image. Who sat where, said what, etc. Anyway. my husband and I both held stake leadership positions and so we were invited to the luncheon between sessions. Everything was stiff and formal. We were on parade. Ironically my husband ended up sitting across for Elder D. during lunch. The guy was super down to earth. Politely listened to our dog and pony presentations, etc. When lunch was finished he noticed the table center pieces – home canned produce. So Mormon. He says to my husband, how about we try these pickles. To the total chagrin of SP and team, this GA/Seventy opened the jar, stuck in his fork, ate one passed it to my husband, and invited everyone to partake. From where I sat I could see the SP and his councilors, when the jar came to them they refused. From the looks on their faces they were appalled by this “guest”- in that warm, human moment he fell in rank in their eyes.

As I said before I have a couple of other stories like that but I’ll save them. To me the rank is really in the eyes/heart of the person sitting in that seat.

I agree, mom3, there is a practical side of it. To have some sense of order can be useful, and I think that is how it starts, just to be orderly and look professional on where they should sit. Although that may be where it starts, just practical, the problem comes when people start putting significance to something that is not significant. That is the natural person in all of us, that begins comparing, or ranking, when there is no meaning behind it. That is when someone needs to remind the group that it is not ultimately significant, just orderly or symbolic. Christ did that frequently.

I believe this comes about because the presiding officer needs to be seated on the stand so that they can take charge of a meeting should they need to. It is their stewardship. However, I was told Pres Monson sits in the congregation in his ward, so this goes back to just protocol in many places.

I typically see the SP or Counselor to SP sit next to the bishop so they can whisper in the ear of the bishop if something needs to be clarified/corrected/announced, in the same way the bishop whispers in the ear of the 1st or 2nd counselor.

While I see a tradition of the 1Coun – Bishop – 2Coun, I was told in my leadership position this was symbolic of how we read in the scriptures Christ stands on the right hand of God.

Some people really like that order and the symbolism to the order … but I put it in the category of white shirts…some tradition we use that came from a good idea, but not something we need to get hung up on or think there is more significance to it than there should be. I could quote Pres Uchtdorf here but … :eh: ok I’ll quote it…

Sometimes, well-meaning amplifications of divine principles—many coming from uninspired sources—complicate matters further, diluting the purity of divine truth with man-made addenda. One person’s good idea—something that may work for him or her—takes root and becomes an expectation. And gradually, eternal principles can get lost within the labyrinth of “good ideas.”-Pres Uchtdorf

Orderly seating is a good idea…but not an eternal principle, IMO.