Does it bother you to see families super underdressed at church?

[Anonymous]

I’m non-binary but physically a woman. Most days, I feel intensely uncomfortable in a dress.

I’m grateful for my Reform Jewish synagogue, where I can go to Friday night services in jeans and a hoodie and be welcome.

Glad to know you wouldn’t want me at your church.

[Anonymous]

"Gals"?
Back when people said that, yes we dressed up for church.
Or we sat in the car in swim suits and listened on drive in type speakers before the beach. St. Pete, FL.

[Anonymous]

Nope! Come as you are!

[Anonymous]

Yes! It’s sloppy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t care one bit. No one needs to be dressed up to attend church.

Why did everyone dress up for church in the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s? You don't think that looked much nicer? You don't admire a random good looking family wearing their Sunday best if you see one on a Sunday afternoon? Come on, we all do.

This erosion of effort and appearance and coming to church in casual clothes seems to be a relatively new phenomenon.

I can say this, my current church has a much higher attendance of teens since they can dress comfortably. Just because things were done in the past doesn’t make a change bad. There will always be those who dress up. Mind your own business.

Back in the 90s my parents used to fight my brother every weekend to get him dressed for church. It made everything super stressful and definitely didn't turn my brother into a church goer.

I'd bet anything the children who are allowed to come to church like slobs are exponentially more likely to cease church attendance when they can (age 18, college, moving out of the house). If their parents never took the church seriously, why would they? It doesn't take money to be tidy, shave, brush hair, put on a collared shirt, tuck your shirt in, and iron your slacks.

[Anonymous]

Mass near our vacation home, over 50% of the people are wearing flip flops.

[Anonymous]

My personal line in the sand is sports jerseys. Come on. It takes no additional effort to put on a decent sweater instead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mass near our vacation home, over 50% of the people are wearing flip flops.

I see this, too, but I'm fine with flip flops with a casual dress or a polo shirt and shorts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t care one bit. No one needs to be dressed up to attend church.

Why did everyone dress up for church in the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s? You don't think that looked much nicer? You don't admire a random good looking family wearing their Sunday best if you see one on a Sunday afternoon? Come on, we all do.

This erosion of effort and appearance and coming to church in casual clothes seems to be a relatively new phenomenon.

I can say this, my current church has a much higher attendance of teens since they can dress comfortably. Just because things were done in the past doesn’t make a change bad. There will always be those who dress up. Mind your own business.

Back in the 90s my parents used to fight my brother every weekend to get him dressed for church. It made everything super stressful and definitely didn't turn my brother into a church goer.

I'd bet anything the children who are allowed to come to church like slobs are exponentially more likely to cease church attendance when they can (age 18, college, moving out of the house). If their parents never took the church seriously, why would they? It doesn't take money to be tidy, shave, brush hair, put on a collared shirt, tuck your shirt in, and iron your slacks.

Based on the teens I know, I would be shocked if this is true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t care one bit. No one needs to be dressed up to attend church.

Why did everyone dress up for church in the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s? You don't think that looked much nicer? You don't admire a random good looking family wearing their Sunday best if you see one on a Sunday afternoon? Come on, we all do.

This erosion of effort and appearance and coming to church in casual clothes seems to be a relatively new phenomenon.

I can say this, my current church has a much higher attendance of teens since they can dress comfortably. Just because things were done in the past doesn’t make a change bad. There will always be those who dress up. Mind your own business.

Back in the 90s my parents used to fight my brother every weekend to get him dressed for church. It made everything super stressful and definitely didn't turn my brother into a church goer.

I'd bet anything the children who are allowed to come to church like slobs are exponentially more likely to cease church attendance when they can (age 18, college, moving out of the house). If their parents never took the church seriously, why would they? It doesn't take money to be tidy, shave, brush hair, put on a collared shirt, tuck your shirt in, and iron your slacks.

SLACKS…. 🙄

[Anonymous]

I've never understood dressing up for any religious house of worship.

Why would any God even care? Cleanliness, I understand. But specific or dressy clothes? That's for humans, not any God..

I felt the same way about mosques, growing up Muslim - why do women need to cover their hair when praying or going to a mosque? Why on earth would God care at all?

It's all performative. I know that all religion is basically performative, but it's wild to me how people care about these things.

[Anonymous]

Doesn’t bother me one bit. They are there. That’s the important thing.

Judge not, OP.

[Anonymous]

You “go to church,” but you don’t worship there, OP. Any one with a true heart would not write what you wrote.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've never understood dressing up for any religious house of worship.

Why would any God even care? Cleanliness, I understand. But specific or dressy clothes? That's for humans, not any God..

I felt the same way about mosques, growing up Muslim - why do women need to cover their hair when praying or going to a mosque? Why on earth would God care at all?

It's all performative. I know that all religion is basically performative, but it's wild to me how people care about these things.

I think it goes hand and hand. You're setting the tone that this is something to take seriously and worthy of respect. It's once a week for an hour or two. Why is it so hard for people to demonstrate some level CARE?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My personal line in the sand is sports jerseys. Come on. It takes no additional effort to put on a decent sweater instead.

The dads who let their kids dress like slobs at church probably put 10x the effort into what they wear to some Washington Redskins football game.