Dressing up to go to church

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Yes. Inspired by my comments here: https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=61668.0

I find it kind of bizarre honestly.

[Flying Dog]

You don't need to wear a suit and tie but it's very respectable to go in some of your "better" clothes.

[Keystone Phil]

I don't do a suit type deal unless it is Christmas or Easter (and I usually don't do it then either). I wear my regular clothes which are respectable.

[Joe Biden 2020]

You don't need to wear a suit and tie but it's very respectable to go in some of your "better" clothes.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

I get dressed up whenver I go to synagogue, although I only wear a suit on the High Holy Days.

[JSojourner]

I attend services at least once a week and I never wear anything but nice jeans and a pullover.  Most of the folks in our parish come casual.  A few dress up.  Most dress up for Easter and Christmas Eve, but I don't. 

I yam what I yam.

I preach once a month and wear the same clothes, though I am vested and people can't see anything unless I wear flip flops.  (Which I did get complaints about.)

The only time I make an exception is if someone else is the focus.  For example, I preached at a friend's ordination service.  I wore a coat and tie under my vestments.  Funerals and weddings are generally the same, though I am not the celebrant.

But it really doesn't matter.  The only Biblical standards are for decency and modesty.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I went Easter in a hoodie, a band shirt, and some torn jeans. In other words, the exact same thing I'd wear to an emo show. I don't know if that counts as "better" clothes but no one else there was dressed much differently.

[Keystone Phil]

I went Easter in a hoodie, a band shirt, and some torn jeans. In other words, the exact same thing I'd wear to an emo show. I don't know if that counts as "better" clothes but no one else there was dressed much differently.

For some reason, this post made me...like you.

[John Dibble]

No. Dressing yourself to suit the situation is a normal facet of human society in pretty much every culture on the planet - how could this possibly be an alien concept to you?

[tik 🪀✨]

I always thought it was a pointless thing to do, but I still understand it. "You're going to meet with God, shouldn't you look your best for Him?" The answer to that is that God doesn't care about what clothes you're wearing. Indeed, that would be a pretty shallow standard for God to be working under...

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

No. Dressing yourself to suit the situation is a normal facet of human society in pretty much every culture on the planet - how could this possibly be an alien concept to you?

Because no one does it here.

I always thought it was a pointless thing to do, but I still understand it. "You're going to meet with God, shouldn't you look your best for Him?" The answer to that is that God doesn't care about what clothes you're wearing. Indeed, that would be a pretty shallow standard for God to be working under...

Yeah, one has to wonder why God would prefer a suit and tie to an emo band shirt anyway.

[dead0man]

No. Dressing yourself to suit the situation is a normal facet of human society in pretty much every culture on the planet - how could this possibly be an alien concept to you?

Because no one does it here.

I went Easter in a hoodie, a band shirt, and some torn jeans. In other words, the exact same thing I'd wear to an emo show. I don't know if that counts as "better" clothes but no one else there was dressed much differently.

You seem to be dressing to "suit the situation" to me.  (or you missed Mr Dibble's point...or I did, in which case, my apologies to all)

[John Dibble]

No. Dressing yourself to suit the situation is a normal facet of human society in pretty much every culture on the planet - how could this possibly be an alien concept to you?

Because no one does it here.

And your parents never had you dress up for anything when you were a child? Pu-lease. You've been in the United States for your entire life so don't try to give me a bulls**t answer - you've seen people dress up for certain occasions, and you've more than likely experienced it in your lifetime. Just tell the truth already - the concept is not alien to you, you just don't like it.

[JSojourner]

I always thought it was a pointless thing to do, but I still understand it. "You're going to meet with God, shouldn't you look your best for Him?" The answer to that is that God doesn't care about what clothes you're wearing. Indeed, that would be a pretty shallow standard for God to be working under...

The scriptures say, "The Lord does not look on the outward appearance, but on the heart."

[Keystone Phil]

I always thought it was a pointless thing to do, but I still understand it. "You're going to meet with God, shouldn't you look your best for Him?" The answer to that is that God doesn't care about what clothes you're wearing. Indeed, that would be a pretty shallow standard for God to be working under...

The scriptures say, "The Lord does not look on the outward appearance, but on the heart."

The whole point of people getting really dressed up for mass is so they look as respectable as possible. Of course God isn't looking for who is in the best suit or who is wearing the biggest pearl neglace. Many just aim higher so that they don't become too laid back and allow their child to come to mass in a miny skirt.

Tonight, for example, I'll wear jeans, a polo and maybe a hoddie. It's decent looking and that's what matters. My church doesn't expect me to pull out a shirt and tie every weekend but they also don't want me walking in with a white beater on and a big chain around my neck.

[JSojourner]

I always thought it was a pointless thing to do, but I still understand it. "You're going to meet with God, shouldn't you look your best for Him?" The answer to that is that God doesn't care about what clothes you're wearing. Indeed, that would be a pretty shallow standard for God to be working under...

The scriptures say, "The Lord does not look on the outward appearance, but on the heart."

The whole point of people getting really dressed up for mass is so they look as respectable as possible. Of course God isn't looking for who is in the best suit or who is wearing the biggest pearl neglace. Many just aim higher so that they don't become too laid back and allow their child to come to mass in a miny skirt.

Tonight, for example, I'll wear jeans, a polo and maybe a hoddie. It's decent looking and that's what matters. My church doesn't expect me to pull out a shirt and tie every weekend but they also don't want me walking in with a white beater on and a big chain around my neck.

That's why I said in an earlier post that the only scriptural rules about dress were modesty and decency.  Of course, who determines what is modest?  My mother in law (this was in the 1970's) was told to put a sweater on to cover her arms at a Nazarene Church in August.  It wasn't air conditioned, either. But they considered wearing a top with short sleeves to be immodest.  The pastor I grew up under used to tell women who wore slacks to church that they were going to hell.  My parents never agreed with that extreme thinking, but Mom still attends that church today.  It has moderated since that pastor died. Even so, my 81 year old mother STILL lectures me about how we should dress up for church.  She will say, "If you were meeting the President or the Queen, you would dress up.  But you're going to meet God and you dress down?" 

She misses the entire concept of the heart versus the outward appearance.

But I am not completely dismissive of what you're saying Phil.

I sometimes help the priest serve communion as a chalice bearer.  And some of the ladies are fairly spilling out of their blouses or tops.  One teenage girl used to come up for communion with a tight t-shirt that read, "I know what boys want".  IMO, they cross the line.  I think it's up to adults to decide for themselves and parents to decide for children. Especially when someone else's manner of dress affects another person's ability to worship.  (Or causes me to spill the consecrated wine! LOL)

But because people can be so easily wounded spiritually, I think it behooves everyone to keep in mind the verse about how the Lord looks on the heart and not the outward appearance. 

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

No. Dressing yourself to suit the situation is a normal facet of human society in pretty much every culture on the planet - how could this possibly be an alien concept to you?

Because no one does it here.

And your parents never had you dress up for anything when you were a child? Pu-lease. You've been in the United States for your entire life so don't try to give me a bulls**t answer - you've seen people dress up for certain occasions, and you've more than likely experienced it in your lifetime. Just tell the truth already - the concept is not alien to you, you just don't like it.

Dressing up for some occasions, yes. But church has never been one of those.

[opebo]

The last time I attended a church it was probably the early eighties and I was probably still wearing, for church, some seventies dress shirt and slacks selected by my dear mother.  But I probably also wore one of those very light plastic jackets.. remember those?  lined with white fuzzy stuff.. practically disposable.

[J. J.]

I wear a jacket and tie, but some of the reason is to cover my back brace.  I tend to button my coat for the Gospel, the Creed and the Eucharist.

[Gustaf]

I'm really not a dressing up person in any context, but it's about showing that you care. If you go to your best friend's wedding you can of course come in casual clothes and think that your friend shouldn't care but it may be hurtful too. I can't say I care much either way on this issue.

[Joe Biden 2020]

I went to church this morning in a regular collared knit pull-over shirt and nice looking jeans and my OU tennis shoes and among my age group, I didn't feel out of place.  Many of the older crowd and the teenagers dressed up.

[Хahar 🤔]

Yes. When going to mosque, I wear clothed in which it is acceptable to pray in. Other than that, there are no qualifiers.

In fact, I don't own a suit and the fanciest thing I have is a few pairs of slacks.