I'm not a particularly "religious" person. I consider myself more "spiritual" than "religious", but it's been bugging me for years how people will dress when they go to a church service. No respect. Cut-offs, football jerseys, flip-flops, men with sleeveless t-shirts, beer commercial t-shirts, etc. They carry plastic water bottles into church because they would die within the hour if they couldn't swig something. Then they leave the empty bottle in the back of the pew.

As a kid, we were Methodists and I wore a tie to church every Sunday. My first wife was Catholic and we didn't attend church; ever. My second wife was also Catholic, and we attend church every Sunday. It never occurs to me to wear a tie, but I do try to stay with "smart casual".

I don't care if people go to church. Most people don't. I think I read one time that 90% of people in Latin America are Catholic, but only 10% attend church regularly. I think that pretty well sums-up Christianity in a nut shell.

This article I found interesting.

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/...so-tacky-for-church/

I go to church and dress the way I do for probably the wrong reason; respect for my wife maybe more than for organized religion, which many times doesn't deserve any respect, but I don't need to watch people eating popcorn in church and putting their feet up on the pews in front of them, and I'm sure that is next as people get even lazier and more disrespectful when they attend church.

Have a happy Easter, and it's not about the bunny.

I hate ties with a passion but I agree with how sloppy people are dressing for church. Then the women are wearing short skirts way up above their knees and shirts were their tits are hanging halfway out in Church

Agreed! 100%


.

Shirts where tits hang half way out---I bet if it were all the way out that mark of only 10% attend church would be shattered.

Well, not being religious at all, I don't have a dog (dyslexia) in this fight, but, assuming you believe, do you really think God gives a rat's ass how you dress? Are people going to church for religion or to impress the congregation with their attire?

Common courtesy, if for no other reason, same reason you don't go visiting BBQ joints with your pecker hanging out.

Don't go to BBQ joints with pecker hanging out??? When did that end?

quote:

Originally posted by Kensco:
Common courtesy, if for no other reason, same reason you don't go visiting BBQ joints with your pecker hanging out.

Ridiculous.....What does common courtesy have to do with wearing clothes that YOU find offensive but that apparently many others do not. I repeat, does God care how people dress to worship, and, if you think he does, cite the scripture? Not being a Biblical expert, to say the least, for all I know there may be one.

Without going into the broader definition of a "church" unless you are an active member of the church and the church as a result of the pastor, priest, or whatever has a set of rules about appropriate dress, then what someone wears within the bounds of legality comes directly squarely under the category of none of your business. It is between the church at large and God, if he cares. I suspect that most churches are glad to see members attending because they then can then glean donations from them.

Alternatively, you can always start a Church of The Well Dressed and you might be onto something, at least you will be with others of similar mind.

As you mentioned in your first post, you don't have any experience on the subject, and little of value to add. Your opinion about anything taking place within the confines of a church is ridiculous. Stick to BBQ joints.

Oh, I did my time in churches. Another example of speaking out your ass without knowing what you're talking about. I grew out of it. In my case, indoctrination didn't take. My opinion is that your telling someone else how to dress in church is ridiculous, when in fact, you admit that you don't dress for church but for your wife. What possibly gave you the idea that you can look down your nose at how someone else chooses to dress to worship? You must think someone, besides your wife, gives a damn.

I see both sides of this issue. When I was a boy in the Boy Scouts (through our church) in addition to the other awards I sought the "God + Country Award".The most prestigious + hardest to achieve.( probably because I'm a kraut + medals are our goal).It took a year,a long time for a 12 year old.Memorizing scriptures,polishing pews + the chapel bell,ad nauseum.Discussing biblical theory + American duties,etc. Learned a lot I will admit + that is never wrong. I do not consider myself an agnostic + am certainly no aethiest but I do not follow blindly. There is that old adage that goes :The catholics say-the pope says,the baptists say-the bible says,the church of christers say-christ says,the methodists say "well now it seems to me...". On the flip side of the coin which got us here in the first place;we dressed in respect when we went to church in the 50's + early 60's,but then that was how we perceived life in those days.
I can understand your ire at seeing someone in casual mode,but I have to agree with cat to a point that God is not interested in your garments providing you are there in sincerity.I suppose that the best argument as to showing up dressed decent in Church is to show some respect for the old folks from the last generation who are still of that mind set + will be until death.That is a small price to pay in honoring one's elders.

quote:

I suppose that the best argument as to showing up dressed decent in Church is to show some respect for the old folks from the last generation who are still of that mind set + will be until death.That is a small price to pay in honoring one's elders.

I can certainly agree with those sentiments.

Getting dressed in my best always put my mind where I felt like it was supposed to be: getting ready to go into the presence of the One that gave me life, food to eat, the clothes on my back, etc. It helped me mentally prepare for worship.

And I would ask this very poor analogy (although for the one presently in office I wouldn't care how I looked...): if you were going to meet with the President of the US, how would you dress? HD tee shirt, cut offs and flip flops? I doubt it...

Gato-what do you wear to funerals?



.

Usually coveralls, which I wear pretty much everywhere. Why do you ask? Is God dead?

Figures.......

quote:

I repeat, does God care how people dress to worship, and, if you think he does, cite the scripture? Not being a Biblical expert, to say the least, for all I know there may be one.

I am reminded of the passage in the Old Testament (Exodus 3) where Moses saw the burning bush. As he approached it, God told him "Take thy shoes from off thy feet; for the ground thou standeth on is holy ground."

I think that pretty well answers it for me, but the fact that the high priest in the Old Testament purified himself for a full 30-day period prior to going into the Holy of Holies is probably another good example.

Add to that Malachi 4, where God says "I am thy God. I do not change.", and I think my point is made...

It has all to do with respect. Wear the best you have, to show respect.

.

quote:

Originally posted by Doubless:
Getting dressed in my best always put my mind where I felt like it was supposed to be: getting ready to go into the presence of the One that gave me life, food to eat, the clothes on my back, etc. It helped me mentally prepare for worship.

That would be your parents!
Or have i missed the birth of a new Jesus?

quote:

quote:Originally posted by Doubless:Getting dressed in my best always put my mind where I felt like it was supposed to be: getting ready to go into the presence of the One that gave me life, food to eat, the clothes on my back, etc. It helped me mentally prepare for worship. That would be your parents!Or have i missed the birth of a new Jesus?

Said like a true atheist... Do you believe that conception occurs without divine involvement?

Follow me if you will: my life began because God created the ability for mankind to procreate. Therefore, my conception is due to Him...

Now: as for food to eat and clothes on my back, He also gave my parents the ability to learn and become successful members of society. Therefore, He gave them the tools that allowed them to acquire jobs, and make the money that put food in my mouth and clothes on my back.

All that ended when I turned 18; at that point it was the gift He gave me: the brain that allowed me to learn, etc. The brain I have allowed me to get a job and continue to put food in my mouth and buy the clothes I needed.

But I hardly expect you to agree...

I agree with Norman and Doubless on this issue. How so, since they seem to disagree? Well, I think if people go to church in the right mindset, God isn't going to take a dim view of the way they are dressed. On the other hand, I think most of them would wear their "Sunday best", or at least respectable clothes.

On the other hand, I disagree with Doubless on this count. If the current President invited me to the White House, I'd stand him up. If I had to go for whatever reason, I wouldn't show him the respect of wearing my "Sunday Best". Shorts, a T-Shirt and flip flops are plenty good enough for him.

Gato asked a most relevant question of which scripture? A couple of scriptures were mentioned, but in my books they were a stretch and did not really address Gato's question at all. Let's take wearing a tie as an example. Maybe that is your OPINION of showing respect, but it doesn't make it so anymore than perhaps someone else's OPINION that a turban is the way of showing respect. Let's take the example that was sited that in Exodus it says you had to be barefooted to be on the Holy ground. A shrewd con artist type could advance the theory that the only ones going to heaven were those members in good standing of his church that attended services barefooted. To be a member in good standing does require that you tithe and recruit others. Heard the term brainwashed? If this smooth talker could only get a following of ten---he'd be taking in what the average was making (tax free too). 20 would give him double and of course 100 followers he'd make 10 times the average of his "congregation". Only 100 is a pretty small following. Far fetched? How many people KNOWINGLY drank poison Kool Aid? Far fetched? Only 45 miles from here was a community--the FLDS where young girls were having sex with the church "Elders" and they had multiple wives. These women and girls were so brainwashed that they would go back to that way of life. Now should someone take this serious and start this new church, I think Accurate should be in the name. Perhaps Barefooted Exodus Accurate Reform called by the acronym BEAR. The recruiters would be bear hunters. They could sell guided bear hunts. Far fetched? People pay to get to shop at Sam's Club. Perhaps people get confused and think the BEAR church was the BARE church and not only go barefooted but naked and be offended by those that go to church being disrespectful and wearing clothes.

My parents were ambivilent to church, Dad was angry at God and Mom felt the need but had no desire.
While a cadet the academy required that the cadets attend services and formed demoninational church squads. The only religion I had experiance was with the Methodist Sunday school, so I was put in the Methodist squad.
My room mate was Catholic and belonged to the early, 06:00, Catholic squad.
I was bitching about how boring the Methodists were. He suggested that I should join the early Catholic squad. I did the proper paper work to change. It seems that nobody of any rank turned out for the 06:00 services. On the those occasions that we attended service we were in and out in thirty minutes.
I've not attended services since I quit wearing a uniform.

Jim

Anybody on this thread wonder why I have Ray the carpet layer on ignore? I look at his posts now and again to see if he is learning anything... sadly, he is not. He is still trying to think with scrambled eggs, apparently...

Doubless--- Anybody on this thread wonder why I have Ray the carpet layer on ignore? Gosh I worry about it all the time. Before you put me on ignore I got 8 hours sleep every night. Now on ignore I only get 480 minutes sleep. Has me on ignore, but he can't control himself, he responds to my posts. Wonder if anybody on the thread believes he really has me on ignore? I do, I think you are stupid enough to put me on ignore and then be like a kid at Christmas wondering what I wrote. BTW does that SS stand for super stupid?