instead of clasping their hands while praying? I was asked this at work today by a nevermo and I had no idea that only Mormons do this, or why. Anybody know where the arm folding came from?
LD$ aren't that thoughtful though. I see it as just another trivial detail to dictate to the sheeple to make them feel they have the twooth. Essentially I don't know either.
That the gesture internalizes a subconcious feeling of powerlessness before the almighty dictates of an alien living in the star system kolob.
With the arms bound (like in a straight-jacket) you can't defend yourself. I never thought about it before, but that's just as good an explanation as any bishop will give :)
I want to say that it started in the '60s or '70s, but I'm not sure. My BIC grandparents never folded their arms, & neither did most adults of the same age or a bit younger. & even then adults my parents age only did it as an example, or if they were converts.
example: If you're talking to a (car) salesperson, listening to a sales pitch...if you fold your arms, salesperson takes that as an unfavorable attitude indication.
then we'd follow with "Our Father which art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come......" etc.
So... at the branch we'd pray
I'd put my hands together and close my eyes to be told to get it right and fold my arms.
At school I was accused of irreverence when I folded my arms then at church I'd be accused of irreverence when I put my hands together and closed my eyes.
I was messed up with all the silly rules.
'I just want to thank God!' 'He can hear me anyway' I thought.
They consider it a sign of reverence. It's cultural. Children fold their arms, especially the young boys. Sometimes it continues into adulthood out of habit of youth.
I don't know either. When I converted, I only started praying this way (at least in public) because everyone else seemed to be doing it. When I prayed at home, I still put my hands together like everyone else. It always seemed weird to me-at my house, when someone folded their arms over their chest (like MoMos do when praying) meant that you either were pissed or you weren't listening.
at family prayer and food blessings, then during Sunday School, primary, and Sacrement meetings. It was tough at general conference to keep those arms folded for hours, but many kids suffered the fate.
Eventually, all mormons were folding their arms at prayer and sacrement to express humble reverence and as an example to the kiddies.
(1) It helps prevent involuntary jerking motions and fits in which the Mormon's unconscious revolts against hearing the same exact prayer for the 10,000th time or when someone blesses the "refreshments" which consist of vast quantities of sugar, aspartame, margarine and such things.
(2) It's a reminder of the pose required for wearing a strait-jacket, which symbolizes the true nature of life as a Morgbot.
10) Best way to prevent bitch slapping between jack-mormons and TBMs. 9) Symbolizes wearing of 'spiritual' straight jacket. 8) Prevents booger picking during Sac Mtg. 7) Covering up gut slash from pre-1990 endowment ceremony 6) Initiated by JS so ol'l Joe could cop a quick feel from the sisters before they could load up a slap. 5) Gentile hand-clasping already taken. Swinging dead chicken over head voted out as too extreme. 4) Drool catcher. 3) Easiest way to discretely pinch oneself during long, boring talks to stay awake. 2) Old Kolob sign of power and prestige. 1) Can't pester your pickle with folded arms.
The practice actually began several hundred years ago. For example, as early as 610 AD at a monastery somewhere in Southern France or Northern Italy, monks used scraps of dough and twisted them to represent a child's arms folded in prayer. The pretzel was born. The three empty holes represented the Christian Trinity. The monks then baked the twisted dough strips and awarded them to children who learn their prayers well. I think the main reason was to keep kids still and not poking each other while praying.
It's a way to keep children from fighting with each other as they sit through hours of tedious meetings. They are taught that being "reverent" means folding your arms and sitting quietly. When they get out of hand, they are forced back into the revence pose to maintain discipline.
Over the years, Mormons get used to sitting this way and it feels comfortable for them. I often sit this way and I've had people ask me why I'm angry. One of my friends finally explained that Mormons are just taught to sit that way, even though it looks like a defensive posture to non-Mormons.
Ugh, I got so much shit for not folding my arms during prayer, while on the mission. I always thought I looked like an escaped patient from the M.A.C.H.
I never really understood that, but even as a convert, I eventually started folding my arms in church as it's what everyone else did. At home, I just held my hands together as that's what I'm used to, and it used to drive my TBM ex crazy.
Now, I make it a point just to hold my hands together, even if I was with TBM's and listened to their lengthy blessing of the food. My mom actually said something about the Mormon blessing of food being long, as she was more used to a quick prayer.