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

Heart2Soul

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You know if you went to church to size up everyone according to your principles then you went for the wrong reason. Just go and worship God....keep yours eyes on Jesus....don't let what others do be the focus of your church attendance.
 
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Catherineanne

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You just changed the subject from dressing for church to openly unrepentant sinner. Full stop on that one.

Suppose some homeless guy sees everyone filing into church decides to come in and he's wearing worn out trousers and a smelly t shirt? He gets a first row seat in my church.

Anyone who wants can have a front row seat in mine. Anglicans fill from the back. :)
 
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Catherineanne

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If all that matters is "the heart", then let me ask if you dress up for dates with your wife? I mean if the heart is all that matters then you're cool if she shows up to date night with flip-flips, torn sweat pants, bed hair, and no makeup even though she probably wears makeup everywhere else she goes. You plan a nice date night out and if she showed up looking like a slob you wouldn't mind at all, correct?

Newsflash; wives get to choose what they wear. Always; no exceptions. If they choose to turn up on a date in flip flops & no makeup, then any husband who doesn't like it needs to stop being so shallow and get over it.
 
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Catherineanne

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He alleged that a person showing up to church is of supreme value and nothing else matters. I was pointing out how such a claim is absurd.

1st Timothy 2:9 you mean? Paul mentions jewelry and woven hair, but he contrasts that and says women should dress modestly, with decency and propriety. He's telling them not to dress like a prostitute who sells sex for money, not that they shouldn't dress in respectful and dignified clothing.

So this isn't about 'Christians' dressing badly in church. It is about women, and in particular women looking like prostitutes.

Good grief.
 
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Catherineanne

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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?

This is the problem with fashion taliban; the moment one person creates arbitrary rules they create a whole raft of other questions. There is too much diversity of fashion across generations, across cultures and across taste to set any really firm rules.
 
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Catherineanne

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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.

Funny how it is always the men having a problem with what the women wear, isn't it?
 
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Catherineanne

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The day Jesus was crucified, he had one set of clothes to his name.

That does not mean he only had one set of clothes; he may have had, or he may have had a second set; probably not more. But they were different times, when wardrobes full of spare clothes would have been unheard of. And wardrobes, come to that.

He and his disciples were like homeless men in the Garden of Gethsemane.

That does not mean they were actually homeless at that point, any more than anyone else camping out for the night.

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

Yes, that one is correct.

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.

And with any luck not worry themselves about what other people choose to wear. :)
 
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Paidiske

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Using clothing as any kind of overt personal statement is the kind of immodesty Paul was talking about.

I have to agree with Catherineanne on that one. Clothing communicates by virtue of its existence. It says things about our culture, social status, economic means, personal taste and values, and so on and so on.

Now, we might deliberately try to obscure some of those things, and it's possible to misread them, too; but if you can tell the difference between what might be implied by this:

a96dfb9be8f9e2cddd348dbbcc32d7ac--chinese-clothing-chinese-dresses.jpg
vs. these:
Article_Images.jpg
vs. these:
hats2.jpg

Then you take my point. (And that was just me looking for some distinctive headwear, and is before we look at all the other choices one might make!)

I mean, sure, most of us try to blend in and not stand out, but if we were able to see one another in person right now, you could draw conclusions about me based on what I'm wearing, and likewise I could about you. And that's not wrong, it's just part of how humans function.

So I think the problem is not that our clothes makes statements about who we are, but that we need to take care to make sure that the statements our clothes make are congruent with the gospel.
 
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Catherineanne

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So I think the problem is not that our clothes makes statements about who we are, but that we need to take care to make sure that the statements our clothes make are congruent with the gospel.

Quite right, as long as we don't then extrapolate from that to judge everyone else six ways to Sunday.
 
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Heart2Soul

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It isn't right for people to cheat I get that, but aren't churches supposed to be hospitals for sinners? It's not right to act high and mighty and then go out and commit horrible acta, come back repent and repesnt, but churches are sanctuaries for the lost. If they come to church and really mean to get right it's not up to me to judge.

Did you know that the Apostle Paul had to battle with sin everyday? in Romans 7:14-26 NIV
14We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.c For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

21So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful natured a slave to the law of sin.

My point is....every Christian battles the temptation to sin on a daily basis and Jesus said even if we "think it" it is a sin. I have to repent of that one often especially that rude driver ahead of me who just cut me off. (LOL)
You worry way too much about others and their sinning/going to church......that's Gods job and He is fully staffed with help. So I am pretty sure He doesn't need you pointing out to Him who is sinning because frankly we all are.
 
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Heart2Soul

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It isn't right for people to cheat I get that, but aren't churches supposed to be hospitals for sinners? It's not right to act high and mighty and then go out and commit horrible acta, come back repent and repesnt, but churches are sanctuaries for the lost. If they come to church and really mean to get right it's not up to me to judge.

Did you know that the Apostle Paul had to battle with sin everyday? in Romans 7:14-26 NIV
14We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.c For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

21So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful natured a slave to the law of sin.

My point is....every Christian battles the temptation to sin on a daily basis and Jesus said even if we "think it" it is a sin. I have to repent of that one often especially that rude driver ahead of me who just cut me off. (LOL)
You worry way too much about others and their sinning/going to church......that's Gods job and He is fully staffed with help. So I am pretty sure He doesn't need you pointing out to Him who is sinning because frankly we all are.
 
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RDKirk

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Thank you for your opinion, but you do not get to translate for Paul.

EVERYONE makes an overt personal statement with their clothing. That is not 'immodesty', let alone the 'immodesty Paul was talking about.' It is just part of wearing clothes; what we choose to wear ALWAYS says something about us.

Oh, bosh, everyone in christianforums translates for Paul.

Paul's injunction was certainly against ostentatious in dress, and the person who dresses with a mind "to shake things up" is just as ostentatious as the person who dresses to impress others with wealth or physical beauty.
 
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RDKirk

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I have to agree with Catherineanne on that one. Clothing communicates by virtue of its existence. It says things about our culture, social status, economic means, personal taste and values, and so on and so on.

Now, we might deliberately try to obscure some of those things, and it's possible to misread them, too; but if you can tell the difference between what might be implied by this:

View attachment 208373
vs. these:
View attachment 208374
vs. these:
View attachment 208375

Then you take my point. (And that was just me looking for some distinctive headwear, and is before we look at all the other choices one might make!)

I mean, sure, most of us try to blend in and not stand out, but if we were able to see one another in person right now, you could draw conclusions about me based on what I'm wearing, and likewise I could about you. And that's not wrong, it's just part of how humans function.

So I think the problem is not that our clothes makes statements about who we are, but that we need to take care to make sure that the statements our clothes make are congruent with the gospel.


You did not agree with her, you agreed with me.
 
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fat wee robin

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"Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly."
(Matthew 7, v 24)

It's ok you wear your 'nice' clothes. Many do.

It's profoundly dangerous for anyone on the coming day of judgement if they here and now judge others by appearances! "The measure you use will be measured to you," He said.

I don't know about you, but I want a lenient measure!

In fact, we should only judge actions, not people, and only "correctly" (some translations have "righteously"), and "not by appearances." This is Christ's Word to us about how to judge actions.

Here's something to check. Do you welcome the stranger even if he is dressed in a way you don't like?
You sound awfully 'judgemental' of people who don't think like you .If all the world was like you we would never have left the caves .We would never have achieved anything .Most people who dress permanently like 'slobs ' are just that . What we wear most of the time is our business ,but sometimes it is
not .
 
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fat wee robin

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Had I not knowing that you were talking about this thread before reading that, I never would have guessed.

I feel like you unfairly represented some of the viewpoints expressed.

For example, I don't think anyone in this thread has exactly advocated for wearing wearing anything that they wanted to church, without some idea of modesty in mind. If you asked everyone in this thread, I am sure that most people (if not, everyone in this thread) would have some sort of line that they wouldn't go beyond.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with dressing up for church and wanting to look nice. I generally do dress up for church. However, I do see that there are reasons why some people don't want to, or why, in some churches, there is not a cultural norm to dress up.

You spoke of a lack of a middle road view in the thread. I think you missed some comments. Most people that I've seen in this thread have expressed that if they don't normally dress up for church, they would if they were going to a fancy church, or if the people in that church dressed up.

There are other issues here besides just it being a respect issue for God. That is one view, and it is valid, but there are other viewpoints, too. There are also cultural factors and other things at play. There is more than one perspective from which we can look at this issue.

Not everyone in this thread has been anti-OP either. There are some people that have very much agreed with then OP.
our Pastor used to always wear a suit. One Sunday a guy(sloppily dressed) came in, shook the Pastors hand then looked at his suit and said, " I feel out of place here..." He turned and left. The Pastor stopped wearing suits.
S
So the slob gets to dictate what the pastor should wear . What next ,change the bible ?
It makes sense not to dress up too much if it is not the norm for most parishioners to do so ,but, that one individual gets to change the habits of the others !!
 
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Paidiske

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RDKirk

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our Pastor used to always wear a suit. One Sunday a guy(sloppily dressed) came in, shook the Pastors hand then looked at his suit and said, " I feel out of place here..." He turned and left. The Pastor stopped wearing suits.

You didn't say anything about how anyone else was dressed. It seems unlikely to me that someone would base his decision to remain or leave solely on how the pastor was dressed, unless he was looking for an excuse.
 
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RDKirk

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I agreed with this:

EVERYONE makes an overt personal statement with their clothing.

Clothing communicates. We have some control over what it communicates, but there's no clothing choice that says nothing.

I disagree with that statement, unless "overt personal statement" can also include "I identify with my group"--such as a soldier makes with a uniform.

A person can choose to wear unnotable clothing in a particular venue--I would not categorize it as an "overt personal statement" if the intent is to be unnoticed.

And I'd argue that to be non-ostentatious--to wear unnotable clothing--was Paul's point.
 
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Clintpauljohnson

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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 remember in the Bible that one can come as they are.
 
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