View Full Version : the tut tut brigade and empty churches
my friend has been attending the church of scotland for some time. he was approached by some of the leaders and told that his clothes were not fit for church, and that he was not to ware his football tops in church again, his reply was"God looks at peoples hearts and not their clothes". only to be told that if he continued to ware his football tops in church he would be in trouble with the session.
once a fellow told me a true story of a young man outside the church door another man passed by and said" why are you not going in"they wont let me in" he said."oh!" said the man "dont worry about that they wont let me in either and im Jesus" so come follow me.:Razz
That is just stupid! So if someone on the street who was poor wanted to go in and have a quiet word with the Lord in the hopes of a warm bed would they be refused? I thought the church was charitable and helped those in need. What does it matter how you are dressed if you are showing your faith.
alanatkie
11-Dec-07, 00:18
I cant see how it matters what someone wears to go to church, all that should matter is their faith.
I think it's more the congregation that go to that particular church who complained. Wearing football shirts etc should not be a problem especially in this day and age when the church is trying to get a more younger person into the fold. Back down South, my neice attended a funeral with red hair, tattoos and piercings and the vicar afterwards at the house spoke to her and said he admired the tattoo on her back that was visable above her jeans. he was relating to the younger generation. In Scotland, they now allow a woman to go to the grave yard and hold a cord etc so they are becoming more modern. Its worship, not a fashion show, gone are the days of shirt and tie for Sunday's etc. Down South a lady with Downs syndrome who I used to work with was banned from the local village church for singing too loud, the parishioners complained it put them off singing. After putting in a complaint and making my feelings known, I started to take her to the church that I used to be in the choir as a youngster. Sure enough at midnight carol service M boomed out like a foghorn, worried something may be said here,I quitely said to her, "not too loud M" and then got a sharp dig in the back from an elderly lady warden who told me not to say that, "she is worshipping in her own way and thats all that matters", and having spent many years in the choir i should know better! After the service we had mince pies and mulled wine and I explained to this lady what had happened in the other church, she, the vicar and the other parishioners were horrified and told me to bring her there anytime. The congregation at the other church were well to do and affluent people, mostly who worked in London and around the world and brought up all the property or built houses in and around the village, making it an expensive place to live. Anything that dont fit in with their ideals was ousted out. I suggest your friend swaps churches and wear his football shirt and see what happens then.
It doesn't matter what you wear to church, it's what is in your heart that counts.
Saying that, as one who has moved from the south of england where I have seen people come to church wearing bikini tops and shorts. Football tops would not even be commented on. Attending church up here, there is a difference. I did the round of churches before I made my decision as to which one I would attend and they range from 1890's style through to modernish. Also the ageing population of the churchgoers and the lack of younger people attending does affect things. Attitudes are not changing with the times and some churches are stuck in a time warp, won't mention which one is the worst offender but I'm sure some of you can guess.
This seems to have more to do with the snobbery of some members of that congregation rather than anything religious, the saying goes, 'It's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven'.
What does it matter what someone wears to church, as long as they are not indecently dressed. In this day and age with so many church closures through poor attendance it would be wise for them to reconsider their treatment of a person willing to worship there.
my friend has been attending the church of scotland for some time. he was approached by some of the leaders and told that his clothes were not fit for church, and that he was not to ware his football tops in church again, his reply was"God looks at peoples hearts and not their clothes". only to be told that if he continued to ware his football tops in church he would be in trouble with the session.
Apparently He is bothered about dress code.
God will "smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion" because he dislikes the way they dress and walk. Isaiah 3:16
"The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God." -- Deuteronomy 22:5
Timothy 2:9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array
and la piece de la resistance
"I will punish ... all such as are clothed with strange apparel. -- Zephaniah 1:8
burstbucker
11-Dec-07, 14:57
Some of the pubs and nightclubs have a ban on football tops. Why just single out the church?
em i think thats more to do with football rivalry than anything else. If thats the attitude they are taking i think they need to have a long hard look at themselves, people should go to church for one reason only and thats to worship god. Its not a fashion parade! hypocrites!
this is why so many people have turned away from the church. it is run by people who have not the faintest idea who or what god is. churches are run on corporate lines just like any business and run by overbloated hypocrites who wouldnt know a christian act if it bit them on the backside. i stopped going years ago and take the direct route to god by praying anywhere anytime all by myself. if the man in the football shirt offered a huge donation to the church, they would snatch his hand off, shirt or no shirt. i rest my case.
KEEP_ON_TRUCKIN
11-Dec-07, 15:54
which church of scotland was it ??
I wear whatever I want to church ( including football shirts) and have never been told off......
cuddlepop
11-Dec-07, 17:34
With more and more churches closing their doors because of dwindling congregations surely now is the time to welcome people in and not turn away someone because of their mode of dress.:confused
Gone are the day's when you had "Sunday best" clothes.
christina
11-Dec-07, 18:48
my sunday best was always my horrible tweed trousers that made me itch all the way through sunday school :confusedi think any thing you feel comfortable in should be alright but to be honest i wouldnt wear a football shirt to church because i wouldnt feel comfortable wearing one in church because i was brought up to make an effort and wear summit smart so each to their own i suppose
Margaret M.
11-Dec-07, 19:15
if the man in the football shirt offered a huge donation to the church, they would snatch his hand off, shirt or no shirt. i rest my case.
Yep, I agree, if he dropped some big pounds in the plate, they'd be lined up to tell him how good his shirt looks.
em i think thats more to do with football rivalry than anything else. If thats the attitude they are taking i think they need to have a long hard look at themselves, people should go to church for one reason only and thats to worship god. Its not a fashion parade! hypocrites!
I suspect that, as the old adage about people who live outwith Manchester states, God is probably a Man Utd fan. That might mean a lot of fallout if a Chelsea top were worn inside church!!
One a serious note, it shouldn't matter what you wear. Anyone who wants to attend church should be allowed to go regardless of what they choose to wear. I would have thought that dwindling attendances would have meant that churches could not afford to be picky. However, these situations are often about people, with a little bit of power and influence, imposing THEIR ideas of what it right!!
I attend (and always have) a branch of the church where those officiating normally wear robes and I have never (in all my long, long life :)) heard of anyone in the congregation being asked to dress differently. Indeed I would consider it the height of bad manners to comment on anyone's dress code. Ridiculous.
This just one of those silly rules dreamt up by people wanting to be exclusive in some way and has nothing whatever to do with following Jesus. Can you even imagine what He would say?
This just one of those silly rules dreamt up by people wanting to be exclusive in some way and has nothing whatever to do with following Jesus. Can you even imagine what He would say?
I'd imagine that if someone was obsessed enough with football to the extent to which it dominates how they think and dress 24/7 then He would probably be dismayed because they are not thinking about God, Himself or their families enough.
Can you seriously imagine Jesus turning up at church wearing something like a football shirt?!!!!
I don't imagine He had much choice of dress and no, I don't suppose He would wear one, but equally would he condemn someone for wearing one? If it was worn to be deliberately provocative in some way, making a statement, then maybe it wouldn't be appropriate. If it just happens it's your favourite shirt, or even perhaps your only decent shirt - your best shirt even - then I don't see the problem. It's what's inside that matters, not what's outside - isn't it?
Looking back at the original post, it doesn't sound as if either side was approaching this in a very friendly or Christian fashion. If one side says "you can't wear that there 'ere" and the other says "shall if I want" I think they both have a problem.
Can you seriously imagine Jesus turning up at church wearing something like a football shirt?!!!!
Didn't know Jesus had a dress code.:roll: I seem to remember a passage in the bible that stated that the people Jesus travelled with did not recognise him. Would they have paid more attention if he had worn a Ross County shirt?
Personally I always dress smart out of respect but if I had jeans on and fancied going to church then I would hope not to be commented on.
My parents were the first to turn up in jeans to their church about 25 years ago and yes they got strange looks but after that nobody really bothered.
If pope Benedict donned his old nazi uniform again, i am sure folks would see what was on the inside and so would Jesus.:lol: Or how about a free Church of Scotland minister putting on a mitre? If that isn't the clearest indication that clothes do matter then I don't know what is. I know they are extreme examples but it is the principle.
A football shirt is distracting and it interupts the train of thought of worship, and there should be nothing that interrupts the communication between one and one's god.
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