I noticed on the other board you asked if you would be judged for having a Monroe piercing and wearing flip flops to church...you were told that it wouldn't be an issue.

I beg to differ, as I'm sure most of the posters on this board would.

You will most definitely be judged as "less righteous" for having a visible lip piercing. I know it seems horrible and shallow but that's the way it is in the church.


This is straight from the LDS Church website:


"Latter-day prophets strongly discourage the piercing of the body except for medical purposes. If girls or women desire to have their ears pierced, they are encouraged to wear only one pair of modest earrings.

Those who choose to disregard this counsel show a lack of respect for themselves and for God. They will someday regret their decision."

http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=5285991a83d20110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=ed462ce2b446c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD

Believe me, this is the way people think about the issue of piercings and you will be judged because of it. They will probably even subtly pressure you to take it out after getting baptized. If you are not okay with that it might be a red flag for you that joining the Church isn't what you want. If you are okay changing who you are to fit in, by all means go ahead and do it. Just know what you are getting into. You will be expected to conform after you join. Been there, done that. Good luck!

Has anyone told her about garmies?!

Susie, if the lip ring isn't a problem, why don't you see more of them in the LDS church? Take a good look next time you're at sacrament meeting. How many lip rings, eye brow rings, tattoos, edgy hair cuts, etc do you see? How many folks in jeans and flip flops do you see? How many women in pants? How many men in colored shirts?

Just a few things to think about.

If you think that you're going to get away with not wearing 'church uniform' I am afraid you're mistaken...... no matter what your LDS buddies tell you.

Even in the UK, where things are a tiny bit more *liberal* [relatively] than in Utah, I was taken aside and told that a *good* potential priesthood holder wears a suit and shined black leather shoes.

I also remember, later, being taken aside and told I could not pass the sacrament, because I had a Snoopy tie [a tie with the cartoon character on it]. It was "Not reverent".

if your friends are telling you, that you will be OK wearing flip-flops, they are either 'lying for the lord', or sadly, sadly mistaken themselves

I noticed the lip piercing in her profile pic over there and wondered if she knew about that little issue yet. I know tattoos must be covered in the temple, but do piercings need to be removed?

SusieP, Mormons use piercings and tattoos as a clue that a person either isn't LDS or is rebellious/unrighteous. They do the same with sleeveless shirts since that means the person isn't wearing garments.

My sister has a small tattoo on her ankle from when she was younger and wasn't active in the LDS church. She's since gone through the temple with her husbands and kids, and goes to church pretty regularly. Last year she overheard a conversation between her five-year-old daughter and a friend. The friend made a comment about my sister's tattoo, saying she wasn't allowed to go in the LDS church because of it. My little niece got indignant and stuck up for her mom, saying that she went to church all the time. That's just a little story that shows how Mormons really feel about tattoos and piercings.

Susie, your LDS friends are either flat out lying to you, or don't have full knowledge of the situation either.

If you have a piercing other than one set in the ears, you will be instructed to remove it before you can hold any sort of calling and before you will be allowed to enter the temple. Period. It isn't some thing that the local bishops made up just to be a jerk, it is a rule that is enforced at a much higher level.

As for your clothing, your fellow LDS folk might tolerate flip-flops and pants for a while....But eventually someone will ask you to stop wearing them. Mark my words.

there wouldn't be so many threads on the LDS families BBC board about whether or not it's ok to wear flip flops to church when heavily pregnant and feet are too swollen to fit in regular shoes. They do it, but they feel *guilty* about it.

Do you really want to enter a situation being the rebel who sticks out, especially if one of the things that is drawing you to the church is the potential support network, friendship and camaraderie. To achieve those goals you will have to be SUPER conservative, and still you'd stick out just if you are a single female.

Everyone is accepted for awhile just as they are. But after a few months you are expected to conform. Ask those ladies if the piercing would be allowed in the temple? Then ask them why not?
Ask them if it would come up in a temple worthiness interview?