Craziest table mates you have had.

[alaskanabbott]

You just assumed about me, didn't you? Awfully judgmental and harsh of you. I never cease to be amazed at how people get upset when their personal ox is perceived to have been gored but don't take others into consideration. Too many people assume that you're comfortable with their ministrations of any sort at the table. That's rude. I see it too often. Proper etiquette would be to ask your tablemates if they mind, if it's that important to you, and if they say they do then you should abstain or ask to be moved to a table that genuflects along with you. It's common courtesy, which is far too uncommon these days. You can say your thanks before you even get there and not take a chance at making others uncomfortable. It's very presumptuous and rude of anyone to assume that people they don't even know would be comfortable or not offended by their actions.

Just about every religion asks that it's followers show thanks for their meal prior to eating. That's Muslim, Hindu, Buddhists, Jewish and Christians.... I think it's presumptive to expect someone who's culture is to bless their food to abstain from doing so. Don't worry, they won't accidentally bless your food.

 

[phinz]

Just about every religion asks that it's followers show thanks for their meal prior to eating. That's Muslim, Hindu, Buddhists, Jewish and Christians.... I think it's presumptive to expect someone who's culture is to bless their food to abstain from doing so. Don't worry, they won't accidentally bless your food.

I merely said proper etiquette would be to ask if your tablemate minds, and if they do then you should abstain or ask to be moved. It's rude to do otherwise. Not everybody is comfortable with somebody's religious overtures, no matter how unobtrusive or mild the offending party may think they are being.

 

[alaskanabbott]

I merely said proper etiquette would be to ask if your tablemate minds, and if they do then you should abstain or ask to be moved. It's rude to do otherwise. Not everybody is comfortable with somebody's religious overtures, no matter how unobtrusive or mild the offending party may think they are being.

I think the problem is that for many cultures blessing their food isn't an option, it's a requirement. In the western culture religion is sometimes a little loose, but many cultures believe they are commanded to pray just prior to (and often upon finishing) their meal. When venturing out on vacations I think we need to remember that other cultures are just as valid and deserving of respect.

 

[phinz]

. When venturing out on vacations I think we need to remember that other cultures are just as valid and deserving of respect.

I agree. I would ask that all people be shown that same respect, and I've given a perfectly viable way to do so.

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

On our last cruise ( we wised up and now have a table by ourselves too many bad experiences lol ) the family on the table next to us arrived late every night. Ordered twice as much food whatever was on the menu. Example two entrees, extra fries etc. the children ate without cutlery ( we dreaded mac n cheese every night ) . In the middle of dinner they stood up half way during eating and ordered the servers to plate it all up and send it back to the cabin. The noise was just not acceptable...

The noise was fine. This delayed the food for everyone else every night! It was the same pattern. You could time your watch by it. It was like The Truman Show..

Twice of everything please plus 4 extra fries
Mac n cheese everywhere
Wife jumps at circa 6:10 and screams 'plate this to go'
They all leave...

most strange. Maybe they had ressie at Palo!

 

[fnrsgrl]

You just assumed about me, didn't you? Awfully judgmental and harsh of you. I never cease to be amazed at how people get upset when their personal ox is perceived to have been gored but don't take others into consideration.

Too many people assume that you're comfortable with their ministrations of any sort at the table. That's rude. I see it too often. Proper etiquette would be to ask your tablemates if they mind, if it's that important to you, and if they say they do then you should abstain or ask to be moved to a table that genuflects along with you. It's common courtesy, which is far too uncommon these days.

You can say your thanks before you even get there and not take a chance at making others uncomfortable. It's very presumptuous and rude of anyone to assume that people they don't even know would be comfortable or not offended by their actions.

As long as it is done quickly and unobtrusively and with no expectation that the non-believer join in, it is certainly not bad manners for someone to practice their religion. I'm not going to ask your permission before I engage in any reasonable religious observance, because, like most individuals of any religious persuasion, I don't care if my religion makes you uncomfortable. I'm not praying for your benefit; I'm doing it because that is what my faith requires of me and what I believe that God would want me to do. I have the right to practice my religion regardless of your feelings about it, just as you have a right not to practice any religion at all. Being religious is not bad manners, but being disrespectful of others' beliefs or expecting them to request your approval before displaying them is.

 

[alaskanabbott]

As long as it is done quickly and unobtrusively and with no expectation that the non-believer join in, it is certainly not bad manners for someone to practice their religion. I'm not going to ask your permission before I engage in any reasonable religious observance, because, like most individuals of any religious persuasion, I don't care if my religion makes you uncomfortable. I have the right to practice my religion regardless of your feelings about it, just as you have a right not to practice any religion at all. Being religious is not bad manners, but being disrespectful of others' beliefs or expecting them to request your approval before displaying them is.

Wow, you said that so much better than I did!! And articulated exactly what I wanted to say

 

[momof2n2]

As long as it is done quickly and unobtrusively and with no expectation that the non-believer join in, it is certainly not bad manners for someone to practice their religion. I'm not going to ask your permission before I engage in any reasonable religious observance, because, like most individuals of any religious persuasion, I don't care if my religion makes you uncomfortable. I'm not praying for your benefit; I'm doing it because that is what my faith requires of me and what I believe that God would want me to do. I have the right to practice my religion regardless of your feelings about it, just as you have a right not to practice any religion at all. Being religious is not bad manners, but being disrespectful of others' beliefs or expecting them to request your approval before displaying them is.

Very well said!

 

[Shuherk]

This is the most disturbing things I've ever seen.

i agree, very strange!

 

[lelalittlelegs]

I'll take a family saying grace and a hundred crying babies over just one of the ill mannered "adults" we had to deal with on our last cruise. But that's just me. So maybe that makes me the worst table mate anyone has ever had because I am not offended by other peoples religious observations and as a Mother I know that the last thing another Mother needs when her baby is crying, is a room full of eyes on her.

And before anyone flames, there is a big difference, at least in my eyes, between a crying fussy baby and a 5 year old who wipes their mac 'n cheese in your hair because his parents are too drunk to realise he is an absolute terror. True story.

 

[Freesia123]

Less than 15 seconds, maintain low tones. Over 15 seconds, they are showing off and you can carry on as normal. Touche. I have a bias against fans of that team, bad experiences at Sharks games. Maybe you can turn my bias around?

Well I do live in Quebec City not Montreal. I guess I could bring my Nordiques jersey instead. They don't actually exist anymore so that might be less offensive. Or I cpuld show my routes and dress my daughter in her Canucks hat and mittens.

 

[chateau]

This is the most disturbing things I've ever seen.

it looks, from your sig pic, that you're young yet. Believe me, you'll see things much more disturbing in life (or with great luck, hopefully not).

 

[disney212]

Not exactly table mates but it was a family next to us at Cabanas. They were a large family at a round table next to DH and I and we were seated at a 2 top. Their 5 or 6 year old son kept inching over until he was seated at our tiny table and practically on my lap! It was so bad that the waiter actually asked me if my son was finished with his plate. I was so shocked that his family totally ignored him being on top of me. They were joking in Spanish about sitting so close so they knew. We hurried to eat and quickly left. I did tell them as we left that I did speak Spanish. The rest of the cruise they turned and walked the other way when they saw us which leads me to believe they knew they were being rude.

 

[cgolf]

I merely said proper etiquette would be to ask if your tablemate minds, and if they do then you should abstain or ask to be moved. It's rude to do otherwise. Not everybody is comfortable with somebody's religious overtures, no matter how unobtrusive or mild the offending party may think they are being.

A private prayer is a choice, now if they try to get the whole table involved that is a different story. For me to be offended, it would be if they were trying to make me join in there prayer before dinner, but if it is just the family, that is just what they do. They don't do it to offend anyone.

I worry more about the people we have sat with that bad mouth everything that is going on food and server related, maybe they should abstain from talking because their tone is rude and offensive, same thing. This is probably worse because it usually goes on for the whole meal, not just for a minute or 2 before everyone eats. In the one case we did see this happen, bad tablemates, we did see the older son actually try to shush his parent because he too was embarrassed by their behavior.

cgolf

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

We always travel with family, so we usually have a group of a minimum of 7 or 8 (in this case, 8 family and 3 more friends), and so by default, we usually end up at our own table. But even if we are served at another table (ie as mentioned hibachi or lunch with open seating), we still will say a brief personal prayer prior to our meal, one that is brief and either very quiet or completely silent. Such a prayer is at a minimum would I would do even if no one was around, (especially then), but the point is not to draw undue attention to oneself. I do not think anyone should ever interfere with anyone, period. No one interferes with my very quiet moment of thanks and we don't interfere and insist on a group prayer either. Which is never something I would do (have a public prayer with strangers) because our beliefs would vary anyway.

I would say that when we are seated at our own table, sometimes we will have a family member say a blessing for our table. Not something that would be a really loud or big deal then either, we are just a family dining together.

Bottom line, if everyone exercises respect, no one will feel uncomfortable, and each situation is different. No one should look down on our choice to demonstrate quietly our faith, just as we choose not to involve ourselves in someone's business who chooses not to exercise a faith. (Although if ASKED, emphasis on ASKED mind you or if the topic comes up, we will happily discuss our happy hope!)

RESPECT.

 

[ilovetexas]

As long as it is done quickly and unobtrusively and with no expectation that the non-believer join in, it is certainly not bad manners for someone to practice their religion. I'm not going to ask your permission before I engage in any reasonable religious observance, because, like most individuals of any religious persuasion, I don't care if my religion makes you uncomfortable. I'm not praying for your benefit; I'm doing it because that is what my faith requires of me and what I believe that God would want me to do. I have the right to practice my religion regardless of your feelings about it, just as you have a right not to practice any religion at all. Being religious is not bad manners, but being disrespectful of others' beliefs or expecting them to request your approval before displaying them is.

Thank you for clearly articulating my position.

 

[Minniemiss]

We say grace in our stateroom before we get to the dining room. We also say it in the car before we go into a restaurant or a friends home. We feel comfortable doing it this way.

 

[phinz]

like most individuals of any religious persuasion, I don't care if my religion makes you uncomfortable.

Thank you for proving the point I made in my original statement that started this whole kerfuffle.

 

[phinz]

Keep in mind that the OP asked what the etiquette for dealing with "Jesus bullies" was, and I said that they had no etiquette so there was no etiquette. It looks to me like there might be a bit of a difference between those kinds of people and the ones who are getting all in a lather right now, if the way those people say they behave is truly the way they behave.

 

[OceanAnnie]

Keep in mind that the OP asked what the etiquette for dealing with "Jesus bullies" was, and I said that they had no etiquette so there was no etiquette. It looks to me like there might be a bit of a difference between those kinds of people and the ones who are getting all in a lather right now, if the way those people say they behave is truly the way they behave.

I've never heard the term, "Jesus bullies".

You are exposed to someone praying and it offends you? It constitutes bullying behavior to you? You could do a lot worse than be in the presence of someone praying. You think someone should ask you if they can pray in your presence? It doesn't involve you nor does ask anything of you. You could choose to ignore it.

I'm curious, are you offended by a person's religious garb? Should people ask you if their hijab offends you before wearing it? Are they religious bullies too?

Face it. You are going to be exposed to religion in all walks of life. You'll be offended quite a lot if you choose to be.

In this day and age of tolerance being promoted by all, it sure is funny what is tolerated and what isn't.