Conference lgp30::christian-perspective

    You tell me, then we'll both know ....

    This is one thing that really bugged me about going to church...I
    really wasn't aware of the fact that "Dress For Success" included
    impressing God with one's manner of dress!

    About 5 years ago while visiting my mother-in-law I picked her up after
    church (First Methodist Church of Quitman, Texas).  I was PLEASANTLY
    surprised to see a number of people who were dressed in slacks and
    sport shirts ... jeans and short sleeve shirts ... VERY casual dress!!

    It was summer, and, some were even wearing shorts!  All were dressed in
    what could be called "good taste" but it was most assuredly casual - I
    ask - why not?

    Granted, the "younger generation" was dressed much more casual than the
    "older generation" ... perhaps the times are changing... for the
    better.

    Bubba

	I suspect that there are several reasons depending on the person.

	I do believe that for some it is to show off. There is a social
	aspect in church attendance for many people. This has been a problem
	since New Testament times.

	For others there is a desire to show by dress that attending "the house
	of God" is a special event. Thus the idea is that one wears "worship"
	clothing rather than "work" or "recreation" clothing.

	For others their dress helps them hold their state of mind. They
	associate some mannor of dress with some mannor of activity. So they
	pick clothing that in their minds provides a focus on worship. This 
	relates to other things. For example I am very uncomfortable at work
	or church in dungerees. Though that's what I wear most often at home.

	There are probably other reasons for other people.

	Reminds me. Back in Brooklyn my father used to add an early service
	in the summers. (Most churches cut back but dad is a mold breaker. :-))
	The early service was "come as you plan to spend the day". The idea
	being to allow people to attend church, dress as they wanted, and
	get an early start on their Sunday "non-work". Many took advantage
	of it just to not dress up. Some who did use it to get an early start
	still dressed up a bit because the idea of dressing down in church
	made them unconfortable.

				Alfred	

    Why do people dress up, ever?

<    Why do people dress up, ever?

   Patrick,

   Off hand, because nudity is not widely accepted?  ;-)

   My personal taste is casual, shirtwaist dress, cotton skirt, or slacks
   and a comfortable blouse.  Certainly clothes I can and do wear to work
   but not the suit du jour of the dress for success crowd.  But then
   I was brought up to generally not go out in public looking like
   something the cat dragged in.  I also frequently visit for a while
   afterward.  Part of what I select is also governed by the fact that
   I sing in the choir so sometimes appearence is more important(in the
   church I attend the choir is not always in the choir loft).  The 
   general range of dress there does fun the gamut.

   Then again what I've said is most people wear what they are most
   comfortable with in group settings, and eeryones idea of comfort
   is different.

   Peace,
   Allison

    People show respect by their clothing.  We would dress in our best
    clothing if we were going on a job interview, appearing in a court of
    law, or meeting the President of the United States.
    
    Wearing such clothing is nothing more than a sign of respect.
    
    Conversely, not wearing such clothing is not a sign of disrespect if
    one doesn't intend disrespect.

   Patrick,

   Dress for respect, makes sense.  I do feel the answer is somewhat
   shallow.

   For a job interview, it is not respect, it is to impress.  It would
   be disrespect if the interviewer was shabby about their manner of 
   dress.

   To meet the President, context sensitive, is it dinner, Whitehouse
   Lawn, or at the local school?  In each case the appropriate dress
   would likely be different to show proper respect.

   In church, to whom are the clothes to show respect?  
   One is obvious to me, those people around me.  I would not wear dirty
   clothes or not take a shower and then attend as it would likely make
   people uncomfortable.  Wearing extravagant clothes and fancy jewlery
   would be unkind also, though for different reasons.  Does a homeless
   person who slept in the park show disrespect by wearing the only
   things he has?  My feeling is the Higher Power is little impressed with
   our trivialities of dress.

   Peace,
   Allison

I wear the same clothes I wear everyday to church.  It's all I own.
All my clothes are mixable; all my shirts (3) go with all my slacks
(3), etc..

Boring?  Perhaps.  But I love the simple elegance of it.

Peace,
Richard

    
    
    		I vote for the "never dressing up" thing.  Its hard to
    imagine Jesus in a 3 piece suit.  Many Churches I have been in would 
    be appalled if anyone came in jeans or shorts to *ANY* function.  I
    would doubt that Peter's vision of the first church was so "hung up"
    about such things.
    
    
    Dave

.8> Its hard to imagine Jesus in a 3 piece suit.

    A big 10-4 on that!  Considering the union wages for carpenters at that
    period in history I doubt that he could have afforded it - probably
    would have to go to K-Mart or the like ... 

    Bubba

    Whadyaknow. Something I have an oppinion on in C-P. I imgine that
    dressing for church is a holdover from times past. people did dress up
    to go to "God's House". They were doing it to show respect to God.
    Also, probably to impress the neighbors. Knowing how the Puritans
    behaved, it was probably a criminal offense not to dress up. The other
    clothes were for everyday work. After all, one might be struck down by
    a thunderbolt or something, if one did not present her/his best
    appearance to the Lord. 
    
    Why do we dress up at all? I can only speak for myself. All my jobs
    have never required me to wear more then jeans and a t-shirt. Even my
    DEC jobs. I like the oppurtunity to wear a suit and tie once in a
    while. Like out to dinner.  I can't speak for anyone else. I think that
    if I had to wear a jacket and tie to work everyday, then I might feel
    different about them.
    
    
    All above IMHO
    
    PJ

    Could it be a holdover from the days when the community church was the
    main, or sometimes only, center for social gathering?  It was the
    primary opportunity for farmers, blacksmiths, and shopkeepers to visit
    and chat with one another, as well as worship.  I can picture everyone
    dressing up in their "Sunday best", packing a picnic lunch, and driving
    the entire family to Sunday meeting in the old buckboard wagon.  Of
    course, this is 90% my imagination and 10% "Little House On The
    Prairie".  A little nostalgia for the good old days, before electricity
    and running water.  :-)
    
    This discussion also reminds me of my childhood.  Dressed in three
    pounds of crinolines and my freshly polished patent leather shoes,
    sitting in our little country church, sans air conditioning.  South
    Carolina summers can get pretty hot and humid.  Do you have any idea
    how itchy mosquito bites can get on sweaty, skinned, eight-year old
    legs when said eight-year old is supposed to be sitting quietly and
    respectfully for a two-hour Sunday school/worship service?  I still
    "dress up" for church, but in July, I utter a prayer of thanks for 
    air conditioning.   :-)
    
    bj

    Well, I dress "up" for church on Sunday. The rest of my family does
    also. Being an engineer at DEC, my Sunday "Best" is just a sport coat
    and tie...but....
    
    I do it to show respect for the fact that I'm in a special, holy
    place. Simple as that.
    
    One small (minor, really) reason that I left the Roman Catholic
    Church, was that on Sunday Service, most people tended to show
    up in their latest "bowling jacket", where as later in the
    day, they would dress up to go visit their friends house for
    a picnic!
    
    I would think that Jerry B., being in sales, would agree that the
    right clothes are needed for the occasion.
    
    I don't want to sould like I'm Hung up on clothes.....I just
    like to show respect.
    
    Marc H.

.12> I would think that Jerry B., being in sales, would agree that the
.12> right clothes are needed for the occasion.

Absolutely, positively correct!  I have made it a resolute habit to
dress for my customer.  If my customer is in a coat and tie - I am
in a coat and tie.  If my customer is in jeans - I am in jeans.

Question is ... does the Lord really care if my trousers say "Levi"
or "Brooks Brothers"?

Then again .... who's the "customer" in this situation ... me .. or
the Lord?

Bubba

    As a child, I had a suit that I only wore for church attendance, and I
    *hated* wearing that suit on Sundays.  Not only was it uncomfortable,
    but for me it epitomized the formality that I disliked so much about
    the Protestant church services I attended.  Worship at First Christian
    Church in Columbus, Indiana was such a serious experience.  Sitting
    there in my uncomfortable clothes, listening to organ music that did
    nothing for me and a minister who delivered sermons in dry monotones
    and with a content that resembled a college lecture more than anything
    else--the experience was anything but joyous for me.  The minister
    would tell the occasional joke, which brought on restrained and
    tasteful laughter from the audience, but that only seemed to highlight
    how forced and strained the whole experience was for me.  I hated being
    so constricted and formal.  I felt like I was attending a funeral every
    Sunday.

    Once, as a teenager, my church youth group went on a backwoods weekend
    retreat.  We held a mini-service among ourselves, dressed in our
    jeans and sweatshirts, and it was for me both a literal and a
    figurative breath of fresh air.  In *my* church, no one would be caught
    dead attending service in blue jeans.

    As an adult, I always attend worship in my usual attire--blue jeans and
    t-shirt; fortunately, in the denomination I belong to, that is not
    all that unusual.  Some Quakers do dress up for worship, to varying
    degrees, but you also see many people wearing casual clothes.

    -- Mike

    Re: .13
    
    The Lord surely doesn't care about the attire...rather whats in your
    heart. My only point is that I like to show respect through what
    clothes I can wear.
    
    I quess that I feel that I'm the customer when I go into church.
    I'm looking for love, understanding, guidance, peace,etc.
    
    Most times I get it!
    
    Marc H.