Why Is It Acceptable for Christians to Dress Like Slobs to Church?

[Baby Cottontail]

Only a couple, hello kitty pajama pants or whatever. Pink and white are their colors right? T-Shirts and flip-flops are the most common offenders though, quite a few numbers of those. A guy a met recommended a church tomorrow and I can't try and keep a tally if you think some statistics would help.

Would you have an issue with a nicer t-shirt -- like a solid one that goes with a skirt or nice pants.

Such as one like this:
St. John's Bay Long Sleeve Crew Neck T-Shirt-Womens - JCPenney

or like this:
http://www.sears.com/laura-scott-wo...lerId=Sears&prdNo=41&blockNo=41&blockType=G41

And do you really consider it necessary for women to wear makeup to church? If they don't you assume they are being lazy and sloppy? But what if they don't wear make-up very often to any place?

 

[Zatek]

I am not saying it should be deemed acceptable, but people who have fallen into sin require our help even more. He who is without sin cast the first stone.
Jesus Himself let the woman caught in Adultery depart with "Go and sin no more".

Jesus told them to throw the first stone because they were trying to trap him in to denying Jewish law. Deuteronomy 17:7 says that the accusers must throw the first stone, so Jesus was calling their bluff by telling them to throw the first stone. Obviously they didn't because that would get them in trouble with the Romans because Jews couldn't conduct their own executions. If Jesus was denying Jewish law about stoning adulteresses the pharisees would have been happy because then they could go tell everyone how Jesus was a fraud.

Jesus was not excusing her behavior at all and the passage has nothing to do with not holding people accountable for their actions.

 

[Handmaid for Jesus]

I recently moved to a new city and I've been checking out a lot churches in the area and I'm curious why it is acceptable to dress like a slob at so many of them. People wear flip-flops, pajama pants, sweat pants, graphic tees that make them look like a billboard, athletic shorts, or shirts that actually might be parachutes I'm not sure. Stuff that doesn't even fall into the casual dress category, just straight up lazy slob.

Clearly it is not a money problem. Everyone has a $2-600 cell phone in their pocket they pay ~$60 or more a month for data, they can afford to go buy a collared shirt and some nice pants. Even designer stores have really nice clothes for ~$20-30 during their seasonal clearance sales which seemingly go on all year round these days.

I can only guess it's a respect problem? I mean I can't imagine these people dress like that all the time, do they? I know anyplace I've ever worked will tell you to go home if you dress like that, and I know if I was on a date with a woman and she showed up in sweats or flip-flops and we weren't going to the beach I'd just shake my head and leave. I can understand visitors, but why is it acceptable for Christians to dress like slobs to church?

Reverence for the body has been lost imho. When I was growing up, we had our Sunday best attire. When we dressed up, it made us feel appropriate to go to church. That has been lost. People use to use "I don't have anything to wear." excuse for not attending church so churches put aside the dress code. Now the just wear clothes thought is predominant. I agree with others that say it is the heart not the outward appearance that matters. But, it seems like the heart should want to dress the body for the Lord when we go to worship Him, kind of like when you go on a first date, or special date. Now some people do not have Sunday best clothing. In that case,people should come in the clothes they have. Hopefully some nice Christian will give them a nice set of clothes and shoes as their Sunday best attire. Things have gotten to be so confusing today. Up is down and down is up.

 

[Hank77]

According to strong's dictionary the word used in 1 Timothy 2:9 means both modesty toward men and reverence towards God.

Strong's Greek Dictionary - Bible Software by johnhurt.com

Of course it doesn't give explicit dress code instructions, but if you're dressing up for dates and for work, but not for church, then I'd say that's a pretty definitive example of not dressing in reverence for God.

It would pretty hard to dress in reverence for God seeing He is with us at all times.

I'm not sure what clothes have to do with showing reverence for God unless church is the only time that a person worships Him, or prays, or sings praises to Him.

I think people dress for other people and themselves.

 

[Hank77]

You can click on the little arrow in the quote and it takes you right to his full reply. Don't be lazy, and ironically that's what this thread is about.

So now I'm lazy. Do you feel threatened or is this just normal behavior for you?

Who was the 'they' in his response?

 

[Quid est Veritas?]

Jesus told them to throw the first stone because they were trying to trap him in to denying Jewish law. Deuteronomy 17:7 says that the accusers must throw the first stone, so Jesus was calling their bluff by telling them to throw the first stone. Obviously they didn't because that would get them in trouble with the Romans because Jews couldn't conduct their own executions. If Jesus was denying Jewish law about stoning adulteresses the pharisees would have been happy because then they could go tell everyone how Jesus was a fraud.

Jesus was not excusing her behavior at all and the passage has nothing to do with not holding people accountable for their actions.

Firstly, Jews could conduct executions. We see them execute Stephen for instance. Likewise, we see this in Josephus. The Romans allowed local laws to remain in effect when not applicable to Roman Citizens, nor disrupt tax or order.
Pilate's go-ahead was necessary to execute Jesus as there was likely a temporary ban on doing so during passover, in order to facilitate the Romans keeping order during a festival all about Jewish liberation.

Secondly, Jesus isn't excusing her actions, but forgiving her. He said to Go and sin no more, not that she hadn't sinned. The passage is about forgiveness.

 

[dqhall]

I recently moved to a new city and I've been checking out a lot churches in the area and I'm curious why it is acceptable to dress like a slob at so many of them. People wear flip-flops, pajama pants, sweat pants, graphic tees that make them look like a billboard, athletic shorts, or shirts that actually might be parachutes I'm not sure. Stuff that doesn't even fall into the casual dress category, just straight up lazy slob.

Clearly it is not a money problem. Everyone has a $2-600 cell phone in their pocket they pay ~$60 or more a month for data, they can afford to go buy a collared shirt and some nice pants. Even designer stores have really nice clothes for ~$20-30 during their seasonal clearance sales which seemingly go on all year round these days.

I can only guess it's a respect problem? I mean I can't imagine these people dress like that all the time, do they? I know anyplace I've ever worked will tell you to go home if you dress like that, and I know if I was on a date with a woman and she showed up in sweats or flip-flops and we weren't going to the beach I'd just shake my head and leave. I can understand visitors, but why is it acceptable for Christians to dress like slobs to church?

Some Christians are ascetics, not fashionistas. What is on the inside is more important than what designer label is on the outside. I have seen church congregations where the men wore suits and ties and the women wore semi-formal as well. There are other churches where people wore sandals, t-shirts and jeans.

Steve Jobs used to wear polo shirts, jeans and walked barefoot to work. He founded Apple and became a billionaire, not a bum. He was not eating filet mignon either. He was a vegetarian.

Clothes do not make the man.

 

[Zatek]

Would you have an issue with a nicer t-shirt -- like a solid one that goes with a skirt or nice pants.

Such as one like this:
St. John's Bay Long Sleeve Crew Neck T-Shirt-Womens - JCPenney

or like this:
http://www.sears.com/laura-scott-wo...lerId=Sears&prdNo=41&blockNo=41&blockType=G41

And do you really consider it necessary for women to wear makeup to church? If they don't you assume they are being lazy and sloppy? But what if they don't wear make-up very often to any place?

The men wearing t-shirts is more of what I was noticing. There's no excuse for a man not to wear a collared shirt to anything that is even moderately formal.

Those examples you listed I wouldn't call lazy, but they do look a bit casual. Hard to say without a full outfit though, they might not look so casual if they weren't paired with Jeans. Women usually don't wear collared shirts like men, so the difference between a nice blouse or sweater and a regular shirt isn't such as huge difference as it is with men.

Not being a woman I don't really know what it's like putting on makeup so I don't have any specific amount, but I would say a good measuring point is at least the as much effort as you put in for work or for dates. I mean I assume God is more important to you than your job or your husband, right? If you normally don't wear makeup anywhere and you look nice then that sounds fine to me.

 

[Hank77]

According to strong's dictionary the word used in 1 Timothy 2:9 means both modesty toward men and reverence towards God.

Strong's Greek Dictionary - Bible Software by johnhurt.com

Of course it doesn't give explicit dress code instructions, but if you're dressing up for dates and for work, but not for church, then I'd say that's a pretty definitive example of not dressing in reverence for God.

Not seeing where Strong's says anything about the word modest meaning having reverence to God. Certainly modest behavior is what is approved by God so in the sense modesty show reverence to God. But there isn't anything immodest about T-shirts or sandals, is there?

Strong's Concordance
G2887
κόσμιος
kosmios
kos'-mee-os
From G2889 (in its primary sense); orderly, that is, decorous: - of good behaviour, modest.

 

[Baby Cottontail]

The men wearing t-shirts is more of what I was noticing. There's no excuse for a man not to wear a collared shirt to anything that is even moderately formal.

Those examples you listed I wouldn't call lazy, but they do look a bit casual. Hard to say without a full outfit though, they might not look so casual if they weren't paired with Jeans. Women usually don't wear collared shirts like men, so the difference between a nice blouse or sweater and a regular shirt isn't such as huge difference as it is with men.

Not being a woman I don't really know what it's like putting on makeup so I don't have any specific amount, but I would say a good measuring point is at least the as much effort as you put in for work or for dates. I mean I assume God is more important to you than your job or your husband, right? If you normally don't wear makeup anywhere and you look nice then that sounds fine to me.

Thanks for answering my questions.

I think it also might be a generational thing -- not just cultural. For example, according to my mother, my great-grandparents used to get all dressed up when they would meet with their siblings as adults. They'd dress up wherever they went, and everyone did that. So, in that time, people didn't just dress up for church. They dressed up for just going out of the house and visiting with other people.

True -- men tend to have a different sort of dress up outfit than women do.

Of course God is more important than job or husband (though I am not married yet.)

 

[Zatek]

Firstly, Jews could conduct executions. We see them execute Stephen for instance. Likewise, we see this in Josephus. The Romans allowed local laws to remain in effect when not applicable to Roman Citizens, nor disrupt tax or order.
Pilate's go-ahead was necessary to execute Jesus as there was likely a temporary ban on doing so during passover, in order to facilitate the Romans keeping order during a festival all about Jewish liberation.

Secondly, Jesus isn't excusing her actions, but forgiving her. He said to Go and sin no more, not that she hadn't sinned. The passage is about forgiveness.

The passage is not about forgiveness. God did not give Israel the law so they could just ignore it. God forgiving sins and punishments for breaking laws are not mutually exclusive things. God can forgive you and you will still be punished even if that punishment is death if you broke a law such as murder or rape.

And Jesus could not stone the woman per Jewish law because he was not a witness. The accusers had to throw the first stone per Deut 17:7 so of course he let her go. If the passage is about forgiveness then it makes no sense because that's exactly what the pharisees wanted. They wanted to trap Jesus into denying Jewish law so they could try and get the people to turn on him, and Jewish law is very clear, adulterers are to be stoned. If Jesus had said to not stone adulterers then the Pharisees would have been telling everyone how Jesus rejects Moses and the law, which of course he does not.

 

[Hank77]

Jesus told them to throw the first stone because they were trying to trap him in to denying Jewish law. Deuteronomy 17:7 says that the accusers must throw the first stone, so Jesus was calling their bluff by telling them to throw the first stone. Obviously they didn't because that would get them in trouble with the Romans because Jews couldn't conduct their own executions. If Jesus was denying Jewish law about stoning adulteresses the pharisees would have been happy because then they could go tell everyone how Jesus was a fraud.

Jesus was not excusing her behavior at all and the passage has nothing to do with not holding people accountable for their actions.

They stoned Stephen while Saul/Paul watched.
I'm not sure that they were not allowed to do this. I think they were not allowed to crucify people. The Pharisees were afraid to kill Jesus themselves because too many of the Jews believed that He was a Godly man and that He had not broken in Jewish laws.

Actually the answer before mine could be true as well, because of the Passover.
It was in God's plan that Jesus be crucified for both Jew and Gentile.

 

[Zatek]

Not seeing where Strong's says anything about the word modest meaning having reverence to God. Certainly modest behavior is what is approved by God so in the sense modesty show reverence to God. But there isn't anything immodest about T-shirts or sandals, is there?

Strong's Concordance
G2887
κόσμιος
kosmios
kos'-mee-os
From G2889 (in its primary sense); orderly, that is, decorous: - of good behavior, modest.

That word does not, but the one I linked does. Paul uses several adjectives, the 9th Greek word in the verse is the one that mentions reverence to God. Don't play dumb. It's the same usage of the word as in "Hebrews 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear".

Reverence for God is part of how you dress. If it's not, then why do virtually all business have dress codes? Is there a mass conspiracy to help clothes manufacturers and retailers make lots of money, or could it simply be that the kind of clothes you wear and the effort you put into your appearance say a lot about who you are and how much you respect who you're dressing for?

 

[Quid est Veritas?]

The passage is not about forgiveness. God did not give Israel the law so they could just ignore it. God forgiving sins and punishments for breaking laws are not mutually exclusive things. God can forgive you and you will still be punished even if that punishment is death if you broke a law such as murder or rape.

And Jesus could not stone the woman per Jewish law because he was not a witness. The accusers had to throw the first stone per Deut 17:7 so of course he let her go. If the passage is about forgiveness then it makes no sense because that's exactly what the pharisees wanted. They wanted to trap Jesus into denying Jewish law so they could try and get the people to turn on him, and Jewish law is very clear, adulterers are to be stoned. If Jesus had said to not stone adulterers then the Pharisees would have been telling everyone how Jesus rejects Moses and the law, which of course he does not.

The Pericope Adulterae says the woman was caught in Adultery, and brought to Jesus to ask His opinion on whether they should do so.
Thus there are witnesses, and they are not asking Jesus Himself to stone her or act as a witness, and Jews could perform capital punishment under their own laws in the 1st century. Therefore there is no legal impediment to the unfortunate woman being stoned.
Anyway, Jesus said that if you look at a woman in lust, then you already committed adultery in your heart - so should we be stoning people left, right and centre? This is about fulfilling the meaning of the Old Covenant, like with Circumcision, not a rigid legalism.

So you may disagree with me, but it is clearly about forgiveness in my opinion. I know this is your thread, but I am not going to continue to derail it with this topic anymore. Good day, good sir.

 

[grandvizier1006]

If I had the choice I'd wear shorts and t-shirts to church. It has nothing to do with disrespect for God or the people there. I just think that God doesn't care about "proper" attire. That's a human thing. My mom is very insistent on me wearing clothes that match some sort of fashion standard in formal occasions. I understand dressing up but I find people who judge others based on what they wear are making a shallow judgement. I don't see what the problem is as long as people are not wearing something distracting, vulgar or are unhygenic.

 

[Tutorman]

I recently moved to a new city and I've been checking out a lot churches in the area and I'm curious why it is acceptable to dress like a slob at so many of them. People wear flip-flops, pajama pants, sweat pants, graphic tees that make them look like a billboard, athletic shorts, or shirts that actually might be parachutes I'm not sure. Stuff that doesn't even fall into the casual dress category, just straight up lazy slob.

Clearly it is not a money problem. Everyone has a $2-600 cell phone in their pocket they pay ~$60 or more a month for data, they can afford to go buy a collared shirt and some nice pants. Even designer stores have really nice clothes for ~$20-30 during their seasonal clearance sales which seemingly go on all year round these days.

I can only guess it's a respect problem? I mean I can't imagine these people dress like that all the time, do they? I know anyplace I've ever worked will tell you to go home if you dress like that, and I know if I was on a date with a woman and she showed up in sweats or flip-flops and we weren't going to the beach I'd just shake my head and leave. I can understand visitors, but why is it acceptable for Christians to dress like slobs to church?

I have ask that question for a long time. I go to Church with a tie and dress shirt and dress pants on but there are two parishioners that dress like absolute bums. They both even ask me why I dress like that to come to Church and I told them the truth I was raised to have respect for Church.

There is no respect anymore; people just want to do their own thing and by gum no one better brother them about. Children are not raised to respect others but do as they please. The world is a mess and it was much better in the good old days.

People can get dressed up to go on a date or other functions but they can not be brothered to dress nice for Church and the new excuse is "God doesn't care" like they know the mind of God. How would they like it if they invited someone to dinner and they came looking like a bum. If you go to someone's house you should show some respect and the utmost respect should be shown in God's house with the Eucharist but most can not be brothered and dress like they are bums

 

[dqhall]

The day Jesus was crucified, he had one set of clothes to his name. He and his disciples were like homeless men in the Garden of Gethsemane.

John the Baptist drew crowds with his teachings. He wore a camel hair garment and a leather belt (Matthew 3:4).

When I was in my 40's, I had a job doing computer application work. I wore wrinkle free oxford shirts, synthetic creased permanent press machine washable pants, and shiny black dress shoes. This was called business casual. We had casual Fridays. I wore jeans and an oxford shirt.

Now I have a home office. The dress code here is no shirt, no shoes, no problem.

I suppose people who go to church will choose what church they are comfortable in and be aware of what others are wearing.

 

[Hank77]

That word does not, but the one I linked does. Paul uses several adjectives, the 9th Greek word in the verse is the one that mentions reverence to God. Don't play dumb. It's the same usage of the word as in "Hebrews 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear".

Don't play dumb? You really think highly of yourself don't you? You think that it is Godly or clever to say such things?
I went to your link and it said exact what I posted which I copied from my personal copy of Strong's Concordance. The 9th word in the verse. What makes you think that a word is the 9th word in a verse in all translations? Just tell me what word you are referring to, if it is not modesty what is it?
Or tell me what number it is in Strong's. Can you do that?

Reverence for God is part of how you dress.

One should dress modestly.

If it's not, then why do virtually all business have dress codes?

Nope, not all businesses have dress codes either. I've worked for a couple that I wished did have a dress code.

 

[Little Lantern]

Reverence for God is part of how you dress. If it's not, then why do virtually all business have dress codes? Is there a mass conspiracy to help clothes manufacturers and retailers make lots of money, or could it simply be that the kind of clothes you wear and the effort you put into your appearance say a lot about who you are and how much you respect who you're dressing for?

I'm an oldie, so I agree with this, but I also realize that in general most folks don't dress up for anything these days.

 

[Handmaid for Jesus]

It would pretty hard to dress in reverence for God seeing He is with us at all times.

I'm not sure what clothes have to do with showing reverence for God unless church is the only time that a person worships Him, or prays, or sings praises to Him.

I think people dress for other people and themselves.

Yes, people do dress for other people and themselves, just as we worship our Father. In the Exodus, the people sanctified themselves by washing their clothes as an act of purifying themselves before our Father. We are purified by the blood of Jesus so we don't have to practice that. But there is something imho ,to making myself presentable in the congregation of the righteous. That being said, I am not going to condemn anyone for the way they choose to dress. I think it would make some men uncomfortable if women started coming to church in short shorts and halter tops just because there was no restrictions on what they could wear. People have motives to what they do so you are correct.