When I write in haste (like when I start writing a post when I'm already 20 minutes late for work)I come back and realise that it sounds so much harsher than its meant to be. I am quite the sanctimonious prig.
OK so God doesn't look on the outward appearance of man - of course He doesn't - even if you could be drapped in gold leaf and lotus flowers you'd hardly impress God but that isn't the point of dressing smartly as per the norms of current society - its to do with an outward expression of the inner person and attitudes.
Let me give you an example: While I have no problem at all with Goths and their dress sense there is a definite choice being made to be different from the mass but part of the sub group, a desire to express to people around that they identify with the broader aims, feelings, styles and culture of 'Gothness'(with an increased likelhood of enjoying similar music, movies etc.) in other words they are showing an outside symbol of who they want to associate with and feel kinship with. I know a couple of nice Goths so please understand I'm using them as a fairly obvious object example not as something to censure. Black nail varnish blows chunks mind you.
Now if I was to meet God while at church, after the initial humiliation of probably being caught out daydreaming about Rome Total War or some other computer game, I'd feel a lot happier if I was making an effort to dress my best than if I was in my PJs or bondage kit. Hopefully by making an effort with the outer man the inner man will spend less time on worldy diversions and vica versa.
I agree that what is accepted as smart by society moves a lot faster than church leadership. I see no issue with long hair or beards on men and for that matter pants on women.
P.S. Just to clarify - I have no unusual evening wear if you think my post suggested otherwise!:)
Skirting the issue
by Virgogirl 54 Replies latest jw experiences
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Qcmbr
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clear2c
Just wondering if anyone else ever had serious reservations about JW dress code? I always wondered why we had to wear BUSINESS SUITS like some one from wall street. After all is'nt the business suit a secular uniform? Here in california it gets extremly hot and too have to wear a new york style business suit on a 110 degree day imho was shear torture..
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Frogleg
Qcmbr, your last reply was interesting. You said that you dressed in such a way as to please yourself, and I applaud you for that. But what difference does it make what I applaud? If a person meets God in church (in the grocery store, or comming out of the shower) and God takes exception to that person's dresscode, then he is not God. Maybe its just me, but I have the hardest time picturing the son of an impoverished, itenerate carpenter wearing the first century equivalent to a Saville Row three piece. There seemed to be a certain amount of discussion in the Bible in reference to the religious elite of the first century and what they chose to wear, in that they tended to show off their position and "earthly" wealth with extra long fringing, purple colors, etc. I don't recall anyone in JC's circle ever bitching at some poor slob for dressing beneath himself. What I object to, Qcmbr, is not personal taste, but the desire, no, compulsion, of the JW herd mentality to force everyone else to be just like them based upon the claim that God will hate them if they insist on their own conscience. It is their obvious and adolescent lust for power and control that is objectionable. Their personal libraries are doubtlessly very small, as they must only consist of the covers of books.
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PoppyR
This was a biggie for me! I was told years ago that trousers were not considered 'Smart' attire for women to work in. for example would you go to a job interview in trousers.. well actually yes. now I work secularly I find that out of 10 female applicants probably 7 of them will wear trousers. In our local congregation one sister who is actually still faithful took to wearing trousers and was criticised so much, when I defended her in a group I was told darkly that I did not want to be taking sides with 'rebellious' ones..So that's when I started to wear trousers to my book study (which was in our house) with absolutely no comment from anyone..I find almost all people agree nowadays the 'rule' is outdated, but of course it wont change. I've always been a non-conformist!
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Elsewhere
My mom even bought an extra large pair of pantyhose for my dad (an elder) to wear in service during one below-freezing winter! And he wore them. Afterall, no one could see them.
Sure, with my luck the day I did that I'd be hit by a truck and when the paramedics cut my pants off.... WTF?!?!?
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stillconcerned
you are right, Froggie; it's ALL cultural...
The conservative black suit i am wearing TODAY (cuz i went to the courthouse) woulda gotten me thrown in the pokey for indecency or prostitution a generation or two ago.
I have a letter from my great-grandma wherein she discusses a Boston lady who was vilified and FINED for 'purposefully' showing her ankles and ONE KNEE (horrors) while exiting a carriage.
Fine Christian ladies in most parts of China (where my sister lives) think diapers and undergarments on young children are barbaric.
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Sheepish
It does seem to be a way they can keep everyone looking fairly the same. Given American's penchants for following fads, (and rather immodest ones at that) your can almost understand.
It seems to me, the scriptures indicate the Creator doesn't want us mucking about with gender.(Not meaning to start a big to-do about this issue) the scriptures seem to indicate that cross- dressing/transvestitism is not what God had in mind.He doesn't use "abomination" lightly.
The rule would hold true no matter what culture you were in.The men back then wore robes, but I imagine there was a difference between the men's and women's robes or dresses (I'm pretty sure the women would make SURE of it! Being that women haven't changed all that much, and are interested in style and such.) A woman can wear pants and not wear men's trousers. We can all pretty much tell the difference. The society decided to draw a line in the sand and blame it on God. Scriptures only say modest dress, well arranged hair. That leaves a lot of latitude.
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Virgogirl
So, maybe this is one of those things where they have taken a stand and don't know how to back down from it? Maybe "new light" will come to a dressing room in Brooklyn soon!
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DanTheMan
The JW organization is a marketing organization above all, with clear distinctions between the male and female members being part of the overall product pitch. Although it isn't set in stone that the womenfolk must wear skirts or dresses, it's just understood that "this is how it is here". And the vast majority of JW women seem to happily comply.
One thing I've noticed on the TV news is that male newspersons, especially the anchors, never have beards, and the females are almost always wearing a conservative skirt suit. Same thing I guess, the powers-that-be in the world of TV news know that the presentation has to be conservative.
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Frogleg
DanTheMan, how "AssTute!" Your observation as the the Borg being a marketing firm is sooooooo accurate! The non-bearded news casters has an exception: Wolf Blitzer. Not that he is different, other than his beard, but I listen to him anyway (I try to trim my face to approximate him.). But, I think, your point is that mainstream worldliness has its definitions. I agree. One of the first things that attracted me to the WTS was its defiance of the "world". However, now that the Borg has been infiltrated by the counterfeits, they seem to be doing their best to "fit in". We are the sum total of all that we have been; and, that includes the hair we grow on our heads. The bending to world acceptance has it's obvious roots.