Church Attire – Human Tradition or Biblical Principle?

I was invited to church last summer. I wear t shirts year round and in the summer cargo shorts and in winter cargo sweat pants. I asked if the church had a dress standard and they do, and shorts were not on the list. Need less to say I did not go.

Where do you work and do you dress that way for work?
 
my comments are aimed at LEADERSHIP. Ignorant hayseeds (like Tarheel) can wear whatever to attend. When they get some learnin' and growin' they'll come around.

Does this learning and growing involve an actual education, or trailer park rallies?
 
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Literally the only arguments I've ever seen from "culturally" conservative Baptists on these topics are setting up extreme example strawmen that don't exist in 95% of non-IFB churches.

We call these extreme strawmen the "Law of Indistinct Induction" here. There are lots of them.

"Don't want to wear a suit and tie to church? Clearly, you would be perfectly comfortable coming to church naked. Since you don't meet our dress standards, you clearly have no dress standards at all." (Conversely: "If you would wear a bathing suit to the beach, you would obviously have no problem wearing one to church.")

"You think having a glass of wine with your dinner is OK? I'll bet you wish you could take hard drugs, too. Since you don't believe in our standard of complete teetotalism, clearly you have no limits at all when it comes to intoxicating substances."

"Is that an NIV? Don't you believe the Authorized King James Holy Bible is the one inspired Word of God for the English-speaking world? I'll bet you think the Book of Mormon or the Quran is the word of God, too. If you don't accept our bibliology, you're a 'Bible agnostic' with no Bible at all."

And so forth. The above are paraphrases of actual examples that have been posted to the FFF over the years.
 
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Does this learning and growing involve an actual education, or trailer park rallies? You don't have to answer, my comments here are just responding as someone with actual leadership experience.

You have to remember, Twisted is a Ruckmanite.

There's probably some "advanced revelation" between 1 Timothy 3:7-8, in which Paul educates Timothy all about appropriate suit materials and acceptable tie widths, that Westcott and Hort "omitted" from your so-called "Bible." ;)
 
You have to remember, Twisted is a Ruckmanite.

There's probably some "advanced revelation" between 1 Timothy 3:7-8, in which Paul educates Timothy all about appropriate suit materials and acceptable tie widths, that Westcott and Hort "omitted" from your so-called "Bible." ;)

Lol I see. Things may get interesting at some point then. I'm actually part Ruckmanite, part Classic Dispensationalist (Scofield/Ryrie, etc.). It's prob clear which parts I don't agree on with Ruckman.
 
When we go to church we're not going to work to meet with "business partners" or something, we're going to gather with brothers and sisters in Christ: it's God's family.

Suits and ties are associated with higher-context communication cultures requiring more politics, which often fits work settings that operate from a business standpoint since everyone has to keep each other at a professional distance to avoid closer relationships jeopardizing the mission of the company.

If you read about the churches in the Bible, they operate with a more low-context communication style (as does the Apostle Paul), meaning more down-to-earth and straightforward without requiring euphemisms behind a tight outward appearance. Many are now coming forward about the duplicity behind some IFB's hidden political nature underneath the ultra clean outward appearance they let on.

If they had separated work from church, it would help.

To translate this gibberish: "Jesus didn't wear shoes or use flush-toilets so why do you?"

Somehow an increased standard-of-living over that of the 1st century is anathema. The Amish have openings.

This group of "down-graded-clothing-on-purpose" will be blindsided when in Glory they are only to wear what they've been given.

Some will no doubt yearn for "off-white" robes (or maybe paisley?).

The bottom line is that we will ALL weep over our utter failures in this life and then laugh at the ridiculous ways we went about things.
 
This group of "down-graded-clothing-on-purpose" will be blindsided when in Glory they are only to wear what they've been given.

So no "Sunday best" to impress God with--just the one outfit, like people had for most of history?
 
Yes we do/did!
Jack Schaap ALWAYS wore a suit!
Haymaaaannnnnnn!

I understand that the Dave Hyles defense team has hundreds of pictures of Dave attending church in a suit and tie...thus insuring his acquittal.
 
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When we go to church we're not going to work to meet with "business partners" or something, we're going to gather with brothers and sisters in Christ: it's God's family.

Suits and ties are associated with higher-context communication cultures requiring more politics, which often fits work settings that operate from a business standpoint since everyone has to keep each other at a professional distance to avoid closer relationships jeopardizing the mission of the company.

If you read about the churches in the Bible, they operate with a more low-context communication style (as does the Apostle Paul), meaning more down-to-earth and straightforward without requiring euphemisms behind a tight outward appearance. Many are now coming forward about the duplicity behind some IFB's hidden political nature underneath the ultra clean outward appearance they let on.

If they had separated work from church, it would help.

Well said. (y)
 
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Somehow an increased standard-of-living over that of the 1st century is anathema. The Amish have openings.

Where does the Bible give instructions to raise moral standards because the standard of living has been raised?
 
I am more convinced than ever that the reason conservative churches are struggling is because of, at least in part, silly cultural teachings and baggage like these dress rules. Let the main things be the plain things and quit majoring on the minors. No wonder Christians can be marginalized so easily.
 
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