It's an attempt to legitimize themselves and make what they are doing seem more important that it is. A window washer feels much more important givin a 6 minute number #2 Bible reading if he's wearing a 3 piece suit.
Why Do Jehovah's Witnesses Dress Up For Meetings?
by RULES & REGULATIONS 37 Replies latest watchtower bible
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shadowclone
Thought Underwood was a real nice guy
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Brock Talon
The comments from Biahi and LongHairGal make me sad because it brings back memories of when I was in.
My JW wife and I were in our late twenties. She was busty and curvy in all the right places. Having strawberry blonde hair, some called her "Jessica Rabbit" or "Lonny Anderson" behind our backs with a snicker. She was friendly and outgoing and would give the food off her plate and the shoes on her feet to anyone, but she was ALWAYS the subject of criticism regarding her clothing no matter what she wore. She could never win. It was impossible to please the elders because behind the scenes it was the elders wives who were always finding fault with her. Thus I received regular "council" on "controlling my wife" on the subject of blouses that were "too tight" or skirts that were too high, or too snug, etc. In actuality, anything that fit her properly simply showed her curves. What they really wanted was for her to wear a gunny sack around her neck, straight down and hide what nature gave her. In lieu of that, she was always deemed "immodest" simply because she did go out of her way to hide her figure. It was a constant struggle for us.
I will never forget two incidences I had with the knucklehead elders where I pushed back.
The first time was when one elder in particular came to me and pulled me into our back room. He said my wife's blouse was "showing off her breasts too much." I marveled at that because they were completely covered (no cleavage) and the blouse was made of material that was actually quite thick on that day. Sure, the blouse fit her, but it wasn't like it was pulling at the buttons or anything like that. It wasn't like she was in a thin silk blouse, like the ones that particular elders wive always wore. At that moment, through the glass in the back room where we were meeting (and could see into the Kingdom Hall) I noticed his wife talking to mine. On that day his wife had on loose thin, silk blouse that was cut down low enough to see a lot of cleavage. Enough to show a necklace she was wearing that had a charm between her breasts. I told this hypocrite "I can't believe you of all people would say that. Look at [the elder wife's name] right now. Your wife has a flimsy silk blouse on, cut down to here with a gold medallion on it between her boobs. I realize your wife is modestly endowed and a bit overweight as a mother of four with hips and thighs that betrays that fact, but her breasts are showing WAY more than my wife's. Just because [my wife's name] is young and pretty and well endowed, doesn't give you permission to pick on her for that reason alone, especially since your wife always shows off WAY more than mine. Same goes for her skirt lengths. Your wife always wears dresses and skirts that show off way more leg than mine does." He never bothered me with that again.
The second incident came when there was a congregational pool party at someone's house. Now, I knew this could turn into a disaster so I asked my wife, "Please honey, wear your most modest one-piece bathing suit. No two piece suit, OK? We do not need a hassle about this." She responded, "what about my bikini?" We both laughed at that thought. Anyway, she agreed and we went. Once people started actually swimming at the pool party, many of the sisters (not all) who got in the pool wore T-shirts over their bathing suits. I noticed that the ones who did were mostly those who had bodies they were embarrassed to show. Look, I don't judge. I'm older now myself and I don't like my own body all that much compared to back then, so I get wearing a T shirt to a pool party. It is a personal choice there and I don't say this to be cruel. I thought nothing of it. Many of the younger females (little girls on up into the early twenties) did not wear T shirts and a lot of them wore two piece suits. No problem. My wife gets into the pool with her one piece suit, one that completely covered everything, no cleavage at all mind you, and there's a problem. One of the more annoying, sanctimonious elders pulls me aside and says "why isn't your wife wearing a T shirt?" I respond, "why does she need a T shirt? Not everyone is wearing one. Why aren't you asking this about every adult female across the board? Why just my wife?" He stammers, "uh... well.. she.. looks too...uh..." he couldn't even explain it. I look at him and sarcastically finish his statement... "good? attractive? sexy? what?" Awkward silence. He looks over at his homely wife who is frowning at him. I realize the dynamics now. His wife told him to tell me to get my wife to wear a T shirt so she didn't have to look at my wife's body, covered up completely in a modest one piece swim suit. They couldn't actually complain about the suit, because no swim suit available in the world was more modest than that. They were actually complaining about my wife's body. Period. So, I finally put that stupid elder out of his misery and said, "Look [elder's name] I realize all you elders and your wives constantly look at my wife with criticism because God gave her a lovely face and a beautiful body. I made sure she wore the absolutely most modest bathing suit that is available for her to wear today, just to prevent you from complaining. Yet you still do. You have always made this issue my problem or my wife's problem, but today it finally dawned on me clearly: It's your own insecurities that are driving this. Let me put it to you this way: If any skin at all offends you, even modestly covered up skin with nothing private at all showing, THEN DON'T GO TO A POOL!"
I walked away and never concerned myself about what my wife wore ever again.
Of course, neither was I given "privileges" in the congregation ever again.
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Biahi
Good for you, Brock Talon, for sticking up for your wife. My parents stuck up for me, too. Those damn elders complained I “looked too old for my age”. Then my dad brought up one of the brothers with prematurely grey hair. He also “looked too old for his age”. They eventually were forced to back off. Most of these elders are dead, or in their late 80’s now. Asshats.
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LongHairGal
BROCK TALON:
I’m glad you got to say all you did to these hypocrites who were persecuting your wife because she was naturally endowed with a beautiful figure. (Because you were a ‘brother’ and her husband you got to say all this in her defense - not that it mattered in the end.) Very interesting about all the furor over the pool incident. I remember being invited over to somebody’s pool with a bunch of JWs. I had on a one-piece bathing suit but was the topic of much gossip after that.
Thanks for bringing out that it’s absolutely true that even if a woman with a nice figure dresses modestly and covers up..she is STILL criticized. There is no winning with this.
I too also felt that much of the criticism is/was instigated by jealous women (mostly elders wives) who had dumpy figures and resented sisters who had an attractive form. Believe me, I never went out of my way to look sexy but all these idiots acted as if I did. So glad to not be subjecting myself to this anymore!
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Rattigan350
Rules and Reg said "There is not a pair of jeans or an opened collar to be seen"
That's good. jeans are to be worn when mowing the grass or doing other work. Not for meetings or even court.
People should always dress in the best for court and church and meetings.
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RULES & REGULATIONS
The Watchtower—Study Edition | September 2016
18 How grateful we are that Jehovah does not burden us with detailed lists of regulations about our dress and grooming. Instead, he has permitted us to exercise our free will and make sensible personal decisions, which should be guided by sound Scriptural principles. Thus, even in our dress and grooming, we can show that we want to ‘walk in modesty with our God.’—Mic. 6:8.
Will your style of dress generate respect for the God you represent? (See paragraphs 7, 8)
11 When making decisions about what to wear, God’s servants take into account that “there is a time for every activity and every action.” (Eccl. 3:1, 17) It is understandable that different climates and the change of seasons influence what we wear. So do varying circumstances and living conditions. Jehovah’s standards, however, do not fluctuate with the weather.—Mal. 3:6.
This article is very ambiguous! Jehovah does not burden us with rules about dress and grooming. Witnesses have free will when it comes to dress and grooming.
The photo above shows a ''worldly'' woman who is dressed business attire and two sisters who are shown in field service dressed in skirts below the knee. Let me guess which type of dress Jehovah prefers?
Also, Jehovah has the standards ( not the Watchtower Society ) that woman should not wear slacks in field service and congregation meetings, where winters are brutal.
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Rattigan350
Of all the things to complain about, the WT encouraging people to dress better and more sensible should not be one of them.