http://www.ldsliving.com/White-Dress-Shirts-for-Men-What-the-Church-Has-Actually-Said/s/87765?utm_source=ldsliving&utm_medium=email


Always let your decisions be made by others.

The title of your post says it all! That is a bunch of bullshit for sure!

I enjoy the sideways looks I get at MORG funerals with my black dress shirt and tie

Not only did I wear a black shirt to my step mother's funeral, I wore a Bolo tie.

I was told I couldn't give a speach but the bishop said I could read the obituary.

So I read the obituary and then gave a speach and.....ended the speach by thanking everyone that came.

I read my dad's eulogy, wearing my black dress shirt, tie, jeans and roper boots.

How dare any bishop tell a bereaved son or step-son of the deceased you can't give a speech at her funeral.

That is egregious.

Glad you overcame that with love for her, in place of deference to a moron.

He had no power over you at her funeral, and you stood up for your right to be heard.

Good for you!

once you've got the podium what are they gonna do?

Well that makes it clear as mud.

I think they do that on purpose, according to the plan.

Tell them it's prefered by god but not mandatory. This way they don't look too controlling to the outside world (if that's possible), and the members will comply out of fear of going against the leaders and pissing off god.

Brilliant! Let the sideways looks take care of the issue!!

If you think peer pressure is only for teenagers, you should see what happens in the morridor when a 70 year old high priest shows up for priesthood in a blue shirt.

I consistently show up in red, blue, burgundy,and yellow.
I D O N 'T WEAR WHITE SHIRTS!!!!!

What happens if an elder shows up in a rainbow shirt and/or tie? Sure sign of apostasy??

My nephew, before the age of ten, loved all things rainbow. I'd love to hear the talk he would have received from the bishop if he had stayed in the church past that age. Oh, yeah. He's not gay and he's not Mormon.

(from the article)
While serving as a bishop Elder Hales observed, “I could not understand the rationale of youth who dressed in wild colors and provocative fashions to show their ‘in your face’ independence from modest, conservative dress codes and traditions.”

Gee, Hales, have you considered that they weren't choosing those clothes to "show their 'in your face' independence?"
And that they simply chose them because they *liked* them?
And that "conservative dress codes and traditions" aren't necessarily "best" -- just old?

Of course you didn't consider that.
Because you're also old.
And also like to pretend you know why other people do things, even when you don't.

You could use a little "in your face" independence.
Or even better, some "in your face" pie.

Of course, there's nothing wrong with some 'in your face' independence either.

After all, it's not like the church is a controlling, smothering, dull, bland, uninspiring, boring, authoritarian, cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all organization, dedicated to stamping out all traces of individuality, is it? I mean, who would ever want to push back against something like that?

"We do not dress to attract attention to ourselves, thus distracting others and causing the Spirit to depart."

Every time I wear my dark purple dress shirt the Holy Ghost pees his pants and runs out of the room screaming. The spirit must be really sheltered. He should probably get out more.

Reminds me of the classic song by Johnny Cash, "Man in Black." Now there was a guy who was a sexy Christian with swag.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dY8_vZXo8oY

Amyjo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Reminds me of the classic song by Johnny Cash,
> "Man in Black." Now there was a guy who was a sexy
> Christian with swag.

And right on my Amy Miami. Compare that song to the lame verses sung out by white-shirted saints somewhere most Sundays.

"We wear white shirts
We look like jerks.
Putcher shoulder to the wheel."

Better nowadays, I think, to wear stuff like real men in black.

Bada-bing. Bada-bang.

:)

The white shirt policy teaches nothing about charity or service. Just another whacko rule for a dress code that is more 1950's than 21st century.

"Man in Black" lyrics by Cash - now that is Christian. He was all SOUL. Bet you never see these lyrics in a Sunday program! ;-)

"Well, you wonder why I always dress in black,
Why you never see bright colors on my back,
And why does my appearance seem to have a somber tone.
Well, there's a reason for the things that I have on.
I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down,
Livin' in the hopeless, hungry side of town,
I wear it for the prisoner who has long paid for his crime,
But is there because he's a victim of the times.
I wear the black for those who never read,
Or listened to the words that Jesus said,
About the road to happiness through love and charity,
Why, you'd think He's talking straight to you and me.
Well, we're doin' mighty fine, I do suppose,
In our streak of lightnin' cars and fancy clothes,
But just so we're reminded of the ones who are held back,
Up front there ought 'a be a Man In Black.
I wear it for the sick and lonely old,
For the reckless ones whose bad trip left them cold,
I wear the black in mournin' for the lives that could have been,
Each week we lose a hundred fine young men.
And, I wear it for the thousands who have died,
Believen' that the Lord was on their side,
I wear it for another hundred thousand who have died,
Believen' that we all were on their side.
Well, there's things that never will be right I know,
And things need changin' everywhere you go,
But 'til we start to make a move to make a few things right,
You'll never see me wear a suit of white.
Ah, I'd love to wear a rainbow every day,
And tell the world that everything's OK,
But I'll try to carry off a little darkness on my back,
'Till things are brighter, I'm the Man In Black.

Songwriter: Johnny R. Cash

I served as a bishops counselor to two consecutive bishops. One demanded the white shirt for all the bishopric. The other, younger bishop always wore a pastel shirt and didn't care what we wore. It all depends on who is in charge and how controlling they are.

Aaronic Priesthood Years 1983-1991 in a stake in Northern CA

As I grew older in the church following my baptism, I began to observe changes in how the slightly older AP holders' Sunday dress was beginning to change. As long as the shirts and pants were clean and men wore a tie then everything was good! I remember young men wearing brown, tan and even corduroy pants were acceptable. Shirts and ties varied in colors and patterns; many wore vest suits as well. I think the BP at the time was happy that the YM even showed up for church and didn't have to be badgered or threatened to perform AP duties.

However, we got a new Stake President as the correlation years set in. Prez Maytag became heavy handed in choosing new bishops as well as micro-managing the YM programs. I can't tell you enough of my displeasure of attending church from 1984-89 because of his reign of terror (and a lot of his cronies ~ Brother Blowhard my YM prez that kissed Maytag's ass).

These were the Priesthood Standards that were expected in order to participate in Sacrament. They were strictly enforced as I ascended from the office of Deacon to Priest.

-white shirt long sleeves (no short sleeves EVER!)
-suit or long sleeve sweater during winter months (All dark, conservative colors)
-black belt only
-dark socks
-black or dark blue dress shoes
-neck tie (wide with conservative colors or stripes)
-tie pin or clasp (to control those swingin' neck ties)

Things that Messy wore to church that were openly ridiculed and criticized by YM leaders and my "church peers":

I regularly wore short sleeved white shirts in the summer as the church maintained a 78-80 thermostat to save $$$.

I liked brown so my choice of brown hush puppies as shoes were deemed inappropriate.

I wore brown belts.

During the winter, I wore out my dark navy sweater so I started to wear a baby blue one. My mother was advised to make sure I had a priesthood appropriate sweater to wear.

One day they picked on me for wearing my Ketch clip-on tie. The deacon's quorum prez actually walked up to me and tugged on the tie because he said it was crooked. He hid it somewhere at church and it caused me to wear the "loaner bishop's tie". I was later punished by Mom for losing my tie "on purpose".

One of the biggest punishments (really called blessed opportunities to serve the Lord) for failing to wear THEIR dress code was to go collect fast offerings after church. You went to the bishop's home where you went through a lengthy PPI (about an hour) to determine your worthiness before he drove around to visit less actives. The whole event ran 2-3 hours after church on fast Sunday. Since I was usually in trouble and non-compliant, I spent many Sundays with a BP that I neither liked nor respected.

Back when I was a priest, I had a thing going with the bishop's daughter.
For christmas, she got some material and hand-made me a Mickey Mouse tie (yeah, I know, mormons and Disney...).

I wore it to church the next week.
The bishop (her dad) approached me before Sac. meeting, and said my tie was "too comical" for blessing the sacrament, and asked me where I had gotten such a thing.

I informed him that his daughter lovingly hand-made it for me as a gift.

He shut up and walked away.

At the time, it was a clear demonstration to me that the bishop didn't have a clue what was going on in his own home. His daughter had certainly spent many days cutting/sewing the tie, and he had no clue. Too busy spending time at the church berating young men about their attire, I guess.

What I notice in this article is that from David O. on, the wording is careful to make the white shirt sound like a suggestion. "God would not be displeased if you wore a white shirt" is a long way from "God says white shirt only."

The members themselves in their zeal to show themselves to be the perfect Mormons who can jump the highest through the hoops immediately turn it into a commandment and look down, and in some cases condemn, anyone who doesn't comply with the apostolic "suggestion." Suggested white shirt is now a mandatory uniform and mission is accomplished. Flock confirmed to be obedient as necessary!


This phenomenon works well across the board with the Mormons--and not just for white shirts. The Gerontocracy knows they only have to suggest and that most of the members will then take it to the extreme. This leaves the leaders looking benevolent while still securing their purposes of tight control.

Any lawyer like Oaks knows the power of being able to say, "Not our words."

I guess I hit aaaaronic priesthoodness at the hay day of mormon liberalness. After I hit 14 years old in 1971, I never wore a white shirt again until i went on my mission. I wore all kinds of pastel and patterned shirts. I had all sorts of comic and colorful ties. I think I even had a few with Peter Max designs. Then the big bow tie fad hit in 1974, and we all looked like we could be opening for the O'Jays.

I think a crisp white shirt is attractive. I think I look really good in a white shirt, without a tie of course because I think ties look stupid. I really hate it that Mormonism sucked the inherent beauty of a simple, well pressed, white shirt from my bones.

Goddammed Mormons, killing fashion since 1820.

I agree completely. Nothing sexier than Ray Donovan in one of his white shirts with a dark suit.

Funny, he'd never be mistaken for a mormon.

The white shirt has more to do with conformity which also implies conformity of thought and ideology. I don't think there is anything wrong with conformity so long it doesn't stifle ones ability to question the dogma that is attached.

"Though the wearing of white is encouraged while handling the sacrament, it is not required. In the same 1956 address by President McKay, he expressed the desire that those who do not have a white shirt will still “come with clean hands, and especially with a pure heart. . . . Anything that will make the young boys feel that they have been called to officiate in the Priesthood in one of the most sacred ordinances in the Church” (emphasis added)."

So wearing a white shirt...ALREADY means you have clean hands and a pure heart. Those wearing different color shirt, do not..

TSCC loves when all the members look the same. Clean shaven, clean cut, white shirt. This is how Jesus looked like when he was on earth!

White Haynes T-shirt, with a bilious green wide tie, pinkish shorts and black Florsheim wing-tips.

Top that!!!

Two thoughts:

My grandfather went on a mission in the late 1800's. He bought colored shirts because they were cheaper than white shirts. He was ridiculed for it by the mission prez in charge, but to him he said it was more about the heart of the person than the clothing.

The pligamists in colorado city believe that the color blue is a sign a purity and goodness. Who is right? Mo's or Plig's?

So silly! HAHAHAHA Makes me laugh.

Mo's take themselves way to seriously!

In the 70's, the trend in the Protestant churches I attended was turning towards casual clothes. The teens and young adults started it (Jesus movement), but the middle aged were catching on. When I converted to Mormonism, I rebelled against wearing a dress to church. I really believed that God cared about our hearts rather than our outward appearances. How silly of me! But the Branch was so eager to get and keep converts that they were tolerant of my pants, as long as I didn't wear jeans. God would never accept jeans! After a few years I did end up wearing dresses like everyone else, feeling that very human need to conform.

I wanted to point out that girls and women feel just as bad about having to wear dresses as men do about facing those white shirts and ties on Sunday morning.