Posted on 07/23/2012 12:09:39 PM PDT by NoKoolAidforMe
I too was brought up with knee length skirts/dresses for church or longer and nothing else. Men were to wear suits with ties; sports jackets were frowned upon. Shorts or jeans were a HUGE no no even for children, who were expected to be dressed up like the adults. We were taught it shows respect and reverence.
You have to keep in mind, though, that today’s single dad on “visitation” is not allowed to correct his children in any way shape or form, otherwise mom, who 9 times out of 10 becomes the FRIEND of her children after the divorce, will call CPS on dad.
Care to chime in?
I hope you just forgot the (sarc) tag.
Jesus would be appalled at most of you hypocrites,
Matthew 23:25
Amplified Bible (AMP)
25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, pretenders (hypocrites)! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the plate, but within they are full of extortion (prey, spoil, plunder) and grasping self-indulgence.
I’m doing my part - start a new job a few months back and decided that I would at a minimum wear a jacket every day - took some initial ribbing but also received some compliments. Now it’s accepted - hoping I can get more to do the same eventually. Yes even in the blistering heat this summer I’ve held firm, though I will admit I tend to always be cold in the first place and I really like having extra pockets. Anyway - we can at least do our own part.
Timely question. During worship yesterday I noticed a few young girls dressed in what I would consider inappropriate for church. 1 strapless top, 1 midriff showing. Included in the pastors sermon were pointed topics which had something to do with “causing your brother to stumble”.........specifically calling out the way people dress.
Just in my opinion, as long as the clothes aren’t slovenly or too provocative I feel dressing as you wish is fine. Being there to honor God is the most important thing- it shouldn’t be turned into a fashion show, nor should it turn into gossip and snickering between the church members as to how other people dress. In fact, my church (a Pentecostal Assemblies Of God church) posted on the main page of its website a graphic and link basically saying to “come as you are”, to not be fearful of how you may be seen at the church- just to come and experience God’s love and salvation. As for the cell phones- yes that is highly annoying. There are large signs posted outside the sanctuary doors to please turn off all cell phones. On the rare occasion one did go off during a service, the person it happened to was so horrified and embarrassed that the one time it did happen was enough to make them remember every single time after that.
followed immediately by the story of the Prodigal .... where the lost son comes home in rags covered in pig slop .. and the father runs to embrace him and kiss him
Just sayin' ...
Yea, Jesus was always concerned about man’s exterior... (/sarc). BTW, who get’s the “job” of determining what “proper” is?
A person can worship in all manner of dress from naked to evening apparel. Just relax and learn to do the Christian thing.
At least they show up.
A father with two kids shows up late for Mass? I think he deserves credit for bringing them. Without the mother to help, it’s not the easiest thing to get two kids anywhere in time.
If he didn’t take a pew right away, it’s probably because he didn’t want too disturb people during the second reading, prior to the Gospel. Then he moved to a pew while everyone was standing up and it would be less distracting.
The real problem is that a LOT of Catholics have dropped out of going to church, or raising their kids to go to church. The turmoil and dissent in the Church over the past several decades has been horribly destructive.
Let us pray that more people come back, and that the bishops and pastors manage to pull up their socks and educate and inspire them properly as Catholics.
This past Easter at my Catholic Mass, a young 20 something woman came in wearing a very thin , bright yellow dress-sorta of the material of blouse...so thin you could see her white thong underneath crystal clear..yes, that is all she wore underneath and yes, people where looking....
Yesterday I worked the audio for all Masses at my parish. I did notice that the cloting became more casual through the day. 8am - suits/dresses, etc. 10am - shirt & tie/dresses/slacks. Noon - fewer ties, more short sleeves, shorts, etc. 5pm - lots of shorts, jeans, sleeveless.
But ya know what? They’re there. They showed up for Mass. Try not to get so caught up in what others are doing. Be there for Christ. Be there for your soul. Be the best example you can be. Others will do what they want regardless.
a. Was this all the guy had? If so, it is fine.
b. Most of us have something a bit nicer and I do think that when in church you should dress up. Tux is overboard.
They had stilettos back then?!
Of course, what matters most is what’s in the heart. But if someone comes to church and is such a distraction that he interferes with the prayers and worship of others, maybe what’s in his (or her) heart needs improvement.
Example: a young man and woman stroking each other and kissing in the pews, as if in a movie theater.
Example: a vain woman wearing a huge, extravagant hat suitable for the Royal Enclosure at Ascot, blocking everyone’s view so that she can garner admiration of her possession and her beauty.
Example: people talking, moving around, getting up and down, giggling, poking each other, making so much noise that it’s impossible for others to hear.
Example: girls wearing such sexy, revealing clothes that men around them have a difficult time not thinking about sex during the service.
Example: parents who let their kids run wild, scream, hit, have tantrums, and do not take the children out, so that others can’t hear or concentrate.
Jesus doesn’t care about the clothes we wear, but surely He does care if we actively prevent others from hearing His Word and worshipping Him. Interfering with the worship of others is selfishness. And for the young women who wear shirts that show their tummies and shorts that show half their backsides: yes, it’s a sin to be the occasion of sin for others.
As long as the dress is not distracting perhaps it is best to just let it go as a sign of the times. I noticed the same thing started happening many years ago with air travel. People used to dress in what was, by tacit consent, deemed appropriate to meet other air travels (maybe is was because you never knew who you might wind up sitting next to), but now it’s like the bus ride back from Tijuana on Sunday night.
I notice it. My grandparents raised me to wear “Sunday best.” Jeans were for Wed. night teen group only.
I do not want to see my pastor in jeans and sandals. Unfortunately, I see a lot of it these days. Too many churches are seeker-sensitive. They promote the “God doesn’t care what you wear as long as you show up!” mantra. Then they proceed to tickle ears with “Jesus loves you!” sermons.
That’s all fine for visitors and new believers, but The Church has an obligation to preach the Truth, which is far more shocking than “Jesus loves you!”
I don’t allow my kids to wear anything but “Sunday best” to church.
They also wore similar attire out in public. Standards have gone toward the casual, there’s no denying that. What bothers me most are the “parents” who don’t control their children in public places; simply cater/pacify them as gov’t has equated all forms of correction as “abuse.” Then they wonder why children have zero attention spans, diagnose them with “learning disabilities” and feed them dangerous meds.
But then that’s another thread.
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