My DH, who has been inactive in the years since I resigned, has evidently become a target for re-activation. Missionaries are dropping by at least once a month.

They know better than to call me "Sister."

Anyway, I had been teasing my DH and saying that I might go to the LDS church with him if I got myself a burqqa, since that would set just the right tone for the prevailing attitude. On a more serious note, I asked DH if he thought that a woman wearing a nice pantsuit would be turned away. (The point here is that if Hilary Clinton can represent the US to the rest of the world while wearing dressy pantsuits, then who are the boys in SLC to say this isn't good enough?)

During the missionaries' visit earlier today, my DH brought up that question, about a woman wearing a pantsuit. They boys assured us that they had no problem with that, and that in fact, they had an investigator (male) who has a long ponytail and wears jeans to church. (My immediate thought on that one was that the minute he got dunked, he would be given orders to the contrary, but I didn't say so.)

But they are TRYING to give the impression that "everybody is welcome," and appearances are only superficial.

Do you guys buy this? I don't.

Not for a minute!

They probably do tell women that, and it would be uncomfortably accepted by the other sisters until she was taught that Mormons fit a mold and if you don't fit the mold you will never be asked to participate fully. If she were to be given a calling she would have to fit the Mormon mold. If she ever wanted to go to the temple she will have to fit into the Mormon mold. Again milk before meat, whatever it takes to get a person to the dunking pool.

Mainstream = no garments
Mainstream = no temples closed to non members and recommendless peons.
Mainstream = full financial disclosure
Mainstream = women holding priesthood.

I don't think they are quite there yet...

They will say and promise almost anything until after you are baptized. Then all bets are off and they will suddenly "forget" everything they previously told you about how accepted non-conformist things are. It's a total bait-and-switch game.

I went to a mormon church after attending a protestant church one Sunday because I wanted to dump off some Mormony church books rather than throw them away. I totally forgot about Mormon dress code and could not figure out why I was drawing so many looks from people as I walked through the building. When I got home I did the V-8 head smack because I had been so dense as to think I was in Sunday dress. No, they will not be accepting after the person has been baptized. So much in the Mormon corporation is just for show.

I remember missionaries telling an investigated who loved their current church family that they could continue to go to both. Yeah, right.

Maybe I can make DH happy by accompanying him to the LDS church once in a while, wearing a proper pantsuit. It's a sure bet I will not be given any callings, because I am not AND NEVER WILL BE a member again. (If they had the nerve to ask, I would of course decline.)

And maybe, just maybe, DH will finally be able to see through the curtain and see the funny little man instead of the Great and Powerful Oz.

Ya gotta slow down and smell the BS once in a while, just to remember that it's still there!

I see standards of dress and appearance loosening compared to years ago. Tats are commonplace among converts and members attending sacrament out of traditional Sunday dress including nice jeans on occasion. They are still strict with the youth and every once and awhile I hear someone mention from the HP Group or Bishopric whether a particular long-time male member happens to own a dress white shirt since he favors something a bit more colorful.

http://www.zarinas.com/burqas.shtml

Not sure what country you're from but they are several modeled after different national flags.

:)

I attend sacrament a few weeks ago with my DD to help her with her young children. I noticed at least one woman wearing a pant suit and another young man with long hair in a pony tail.

I noticed that both took the bread/water as it was passed, so my assumption is that they are TBM.

This was in SoCal where things are a bit more relaxed. Although the boys passing the sacrament and most of the men were dressed in white shirts and ties.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/24/2013 10:25AM by caedmon.

They will tell a new convert they can wear jeans or nice pants. They know that the members will put the pressure on for them to comply with the dress code. They never mention that aspect of it though.

I've know RSP's that have taken people aside and told them what they "should" be wearing.

Hell, as a TBM, I was told that sport jackets are too casual and that as a penisholder, and that I should only be wearing a traditional dark suit with the obligatory white shirt and tie. This was preached from the pulpit to us in stake priesthood meeting by the SP himself. There were only two or three of us in attendance that were in sport jackets.

catnip Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> they had an
> investigator (male) who has a long ponytail and
> wears jeans to church. (My immediate thought on
> that one was that the minute he got dunked, he
> would be given orders to the contrary, but I
> didn't say so.)

There was a golden investigator in the ward who had a grand Santa beard. They made him shave it before they'd baptize him. No one recognized him afterward.

and have come to the conclusion that the LDS Church is becoming more OK with people who do not look the LDs part if 1) they serve PR needs and 2) knowing that at some point they will be assimilated.

Don't know who's seen the Al Fox I'm a Mormon bits or the video on YouTube but its like she's some sort of Freakshow of Faith— she does nothing to cover the tattoos and other than she is a novelty— tattooed mormon— I can't tell why her conversion.
And it's clear from the comments on the DNews site that her appearance is an unfortunate mistake but it's all good now she's LDS.

So that's my long way of saying that I don't really think LDS are OK with people looking different. They'll tolerate it while people are useful as a faith story or until they have been converted long enough to know better.