How can they be involved in these events with their underclothes they must wear? Or are they allowed to be exempt if there are outdoor activities as such. What if they play tennis??
You can take the garmies off for sports. Some people are more fanatical than others, but no one would wear them swimming, few would wear them to the gym and most would probably wear them hiking and wear clothes that would cover them
I've known guys who play softball in garments because you can wear it under the uniform okay, but then in basketball they just wear standard jock straps or briefs because you obviously couldn't wear garments.
If the garments would be seen by the clothing needed for any activity, we didn't wear them. Some people are more strict about what they engage in, but most LDS folks I know usually didn't bother with garments if they could be seen or would be inappropriate for the activity.
I would not wear them to the gym, or to wear a sports uniform, or swimming, or a dozen other activities.
In cold weather hiking, I liked to wear the "Long John" cotton style that had pants with long legs to keep me warm.
I didn't wear garments when I went shopping and needed to try on clothing, especially when I knew that the clerks would be assisting me. I never wore them to the doctor when I had to have an exam, even if the doctor was LDS.
It's all about respecting their sacred nature as a believer and not making them visible to outsiders. That was my attitude at the time about the temple underwear.
... in which the mom of nine children would not take off her garmies even to go swimming.
Picture this: late 40's woman in long handled underwear covered by the travesty that Ricks College liked to call a swimsuit (those things could make a serial rapist go limp) floundering about in the pool at a ward party.
I'm now an avid hiker and I still wear garments. When I was first going out I had the cotton poly ones and my nevermo friends told me not to wear it because of how wet it would get from my sweat. I had no problem taking it off to finish off the hike properly. Now I just wear the nylon mesh ones when I go hiking. The annoying part is the length of the bottoms since as a guy you need to practically be wearing capris to cover them since they go to the knee or lower. I just thought it bad taste to show them. So I've got some longer shorts and I've also purchased a few pairs of the short person garments.
"I'm now an avid hiker and I still wear garments."
And you're posting here anyway?
I sympathise with the short-person's garments. Before I got out of the church I'd buy short garments so that they wouldn't make the tell-tale sign through my pants (the line at the knee), and so that I could wear normal shorts.
I used to do the same thing, buy "short person" garments so I could wear normal shorts in the summer and not ridiculous long shorts that went damn near half-way down my calf.
…which only comes about at their first trip to the temple. And they may not go to the temple until they have been a member for at least a year; and then, ONLY if they are paying 10% of their income to the church and are otherwise also determined by their bishop and stake president to be "worthy."
At the temple, members make covenants, one of which is to wear the sacred garments "at all times." Exceptions are allowed for playing certain sports, when having sex (with one’s spouse, of course) and when bathing/showering.
Nevertheless, you are right: It amounts to the church’s telling you what underwear you must wear.
I never really wore mine much, even when I was still "active" (well, semi-active). I never really saw the point in having to wear some sort of outward reminder of my covenants with the Lord, particularly when they were so uncomfortable (especially over summer... although perhaps that was the idea, how can you forget when you've got a constant garment wedgie or the fact that you're sweating rivers because you have no choice but to wear two layers of clothing?). I don't deal well with the heat at the best of times and having someone tell me I had to wear an extra layer made no sense at all. I much prefer to choose my own underwear thankyouverymuch.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/10/2011 04:43AM by sarah.
When my grandmother was alive she prided herself on always bathing whild still wearing a part of her garmies. She'd remove all but a sleeve or a leg and wash herself, dry off, and put a fresh garmie sleeve on before removing the soiled one. She felt going through this ritual gave her extra protection and blessings.
Ladies used to sometimes insist of wearing garmies for childbirth. I assume the bottom part of the garmies were removed in most cases, but not always. The older style garmies were one piece with a very long flap that opened at the crotch. The fabic slit ran from the waist in front to the waistline at the small of the back.
As a kid helping with laundry it was hard to figure out how to fold thes monstrosities because the legs got tangled up and twisted around this massive overlap of fabric. Thankfully, I never had to wear garmies, but I was around many women who did and it wasn't easy for them, especially if they were nursing or trying to deal with a monthly period. Just using the bathroom also took longer.
I had trouble keeping them on.. I would wear the tops but never the bottoms..I guess I was a bad garmie wearer no wonder I left the church there is no place for any one who only will wear half the magic undies..
wear the garment on a very individual basis. They set their own rules for how and when to wear it depending on what they have determined is appropriate.
Some people find them very comfortable. Some don't. Some wear them as close to 24/7 as possible, some do not.
I knew someone years ago that used to dye her garments to match her outer clothing! :-) That was considered a No-No, but it didn't stop her!
I also met someone who claimed to have over 150 pairs of garments and loved them.
I knew people that hated them and would take them off every chance they got.
As with everything in Mormonism, the individual sets their own personal standard. The religion doesn't make that claim, but that's how it works in reality.
Most TBM's I've known have taken them off for swimming, since they're wearing regular swimsuits that can be bought anywhere off the rack. They might not wear bikinis, but a tankini that covers the stomach is allowed.
Here, in the deep south, it gets STEAMY, STICKY, HOT. One of the guys who used to stop by was from Pheonix(where we know it's hot) but he said he'd never discovered such humidity. In the summer when it stips raining steam surfaces directly afterwards. I couldn't imagine having to wear MORE clothing.