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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you won’t put a bit of effort into your appearance for God, it speaks volumes.

God doesn't just see you at church. I'll take a family who shows up consistently, who volunteers, who gives a weekly donation, but who wears casual clothes over a family who is just there to be seen in their Sunday best.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know I sound both old and old fashioned but I love seeing clean cut families put effort into their appearance. Boys in chinos and a tucked in shirt, dad in a blazer or suit (or at least a collared shirt under a nice sweater), mom and gals in dresses. Everyone's hair styled nicely. It displays such an appreciation and respect for the church and the service. We'll probably never return to that but semi-casual is still nice to see. However, the hooded sweatshirts, baggy fleece pants... untucked shirts... kids wearing t-shirts under a jacket... sporty sneakers... I hate it. Often parents are dressed nice but the kids look like they just rolled out of bed. It's not a wealth thing, it's a caring thing.

Yep. Western civ was nice while it lasted. Now everyone looks like sh!t. Not just church: air travel, public transit, buying groceries.

I was going to write that clothing is the least of western civ's problems right now ... but actually, this idea that other people are scenery in your life, such that you get annoyed when the scenery is not pleasing to you, is pretty central to what's wrong.

I think it’s more the broken window theory but about people. Perhaps people are more likely to be well behaved and civil when dressed nicely? Is this a factor in the breakdown of behavior in public places? I am not saying it is but it’s a theory.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know I sound both old and old fashioned but I love seeing clean cut families put effort into their appearance. Boys in chinos and a tucked in shirt, dad in a blazer or suit (or at least a collared shirt under a nice sweater), mom and gals in dresses. Everyone's hair styled nicely. It displays such an appreciation and respect for the church and the service. We'll probably never return to that but semi-casual is still nice to see. However, the hooded sweatshirts, baggy fleece pants... untucked shirts... kids wearing t-shirts under a jacket... sporty sneakers... I hate it. Often parents are dressed nice but the kids look like they just rolled out of bed. It's not a wealth thing, it's a caring thing.

Yep. Western civ was nice while it lasted. Now everyone looks like sh!t. Not just church: air travel, public transit, buying groceries.

I was going to write that clothing is the least of western civ's problems right now ... but actually, this idea that other people are scenery in your life, such that you get annoyed when the scenery is not pleasing to you, is pretty central to what's wrong.

I think it’s more the broken window theory but about people. Perhaps people are more likely to be well behaved and civil when dressed nicely? Is this a factor in the breakdown of behavior in public places? I am not saying it is but it’s a theory.

I think the theory holds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you won’t put a bit of effort into your appearance for God, it speaks volumes.

God doesn't just see you at church. I'll take a family who shows up consistently, who volunteers, who gives a weekly donation, but who wears casual clothes over a family who is just there to be seen in their Sunday best.

Somehow, I doubt that the family who comes in casual clothes, gives a weekly donation and shows up consistently, also volunteers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you won’t put a bit of effort into your appearance for God, it speaks volumes.

Do you think God cares?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know I sound both old and old fashioned but I love seeing clean cut families put effort into their appearance. Boys in chinos and a tucked in shirt, dad in a blazer or suit (or at least a collared shirt under a nice sweater), mom and gals in dresses. Everyone's hair styled nicely. It displays such an appreciation and respect for the church and the service. We'll probably never return to that but semi-casual is still nice to see. However, the hooded sweatshirts, baggy fleece pants... untucked shirts... kids wearing t-shirts under a jacket... sporty sneakers... I hate it. Often parents are dressed nice but the kids look like they just rolled out of bed. It's not a wealth thing, it's a caring thing.

I think it's nice to see families dressed nicely, but I don't dress up myself. I'll do semi-casual maybe with nice jeans and my kids will too. Frankly, we don't own anything that would be called "Sunday Best" anymore. That said, we won't dress sloppy or wear fleeces, hoodies, street casual clothes or pajamas to church.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you won’t put a bit of effort into your appearance for God, it speaks volumes.

God doesn't just see you at church. I'll take a family who shows up consistently, who volunteers, who gives a weekly donation, but who wears casual clothes over a family who is just there to be seen in their Sunday best.

Somehow, I doubt that the family who comes in casual clothes, gives a weekly donation and shows up consistently, also volunteers.

Are you being sarcastic? Those are exactly the people who show up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know I sound both old and old fashioned but I love seeing clean cut families put effort into their appearance. Boys in chinos and a tucked in shirt, dad in a blazer or suit (or at least a collared shirt under a nice sweater), mom and gals in dresses. Everyone's hair styled nicely. It displays such an appreciation and respect for the church and the service. We'll probably never return to that but semi-casual is still nice to see. However, the hooded sweatshirts, baggy fleece pants... untucked shirts... kids wearing t-shirts under a jacket... sporty sneakers... I hate it. Often parents are dressed nice but the kids look like they just rolled out of bed. It's not a wealth thing, it's a caring thing.

Yep. Western civ was nice while it lasted. Now everyone looks like sh!t. Not just church: air travel, public transit, buying groceries.

I was going to write that clothing is the least of western civ's problems right now ... but actually, this idea that other people are scenery in your life, such that you get annoyed when the scenery is not pleasing to you, is pretty central to what's wrong.

I think it’s more the broken window theory but about people. Perhaps people are more likely to be well behaved and civil when dressed nicely? Is this a factor in the breakdown of behavior in public places? I am not saying it is but it’s a theory.

Everybody in congress wears a suit, as does every jagoff PE guy and boardroom idiot chasing enshitifaction. So no, I don't think dressing up makes you pro-society.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you won’t put a bit of effort into your appearance for God, it speaks volumes.

God doesn't just see you at church. I'll take a family who shows up consistently, who volunteers, who gives a weekly donation, but who wears casual clothes over a family who is just there to be seen in their Sunday best.

Somehow, I doubt that the family who comes in casual clothes, gives a weekly donation and shows up consistently, also volunteers.

Way to announce that you don't volunteer. Those families are exactly who is doing the heavy lifting at church and in your community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you won’t put a bit of effort into your appearance for God, it speaks volumes.

God doesn't just see you at church. I'll take a family who shows up consistently, who volunteers, who gives a weekly donation, but who wears casual clothes over a family who is just there to be seen in their Sunday best.

Somehow, I doubt that the family who comes in casual clothes, gives a weekly donation and shows up consistently, also volunteers.

Way to announce that you don't volunteer. Those families are exactly who is doing the heavy lifting at church and in your community.

PP (me) doesn't even go to church. I'm an atheist. When I did, many years ago, I was active and everybody dressed up.

I take it that the person I'm responding to does not dress up for church.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree and as much focus people place on college admissions, they need to pay more attention to appearance. Being well dressed and put together is just as important professionally or more so than where you went to college.

Which really has nothing to do with going to church. Appearances are important to people, not to God.

Yeh -- GOd doesn't care at all about clothes. He just wants to be worshipped.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know I sound both old and old fashioned but I love seeing clean cut families put effort into their appearance. Boys in chinos and a tucked in shirt, dad in a blazer or suit (or at least a collared shirt under a nice sweater), mom and gals in dresses. Everyone's hair styled nicely. It displays such an appreciation and respect for the church and the service. We'll probably never return to that but semi-casual is still nice to see. However, the hooded sweatshirts, baggy fleece pants... untucked shirts... kids wearing t-shirts under a jacket... sporty sneakers... I hate it. Often parents are dressed nice but the kids look like they just rolled out of bed. It's not a wealth thing, it's a caring thing.

I think it's nice to see families dressed nicely, but I don't dress up myself. I'll do semi-casual maybe with nice jeans and my kids will too. Frankly, we don't own anything that would be called "Sunday Best" anymore. That said, we won't dress sloppy or wear fleeces, hoodies, street casual clothes or pajamas to church.

Please don’t exaggerate what’s being asked here. There’s a very wide gap and plenty of tasteful options between looking like a slob and “Sunday best.” Nobody is saying every family should be in Sunday best every service — there’s a baseline middle ground that ought to be adhered to is all. Just “showing up” for an hour is hardly some heavy lift. Spare me the theatrics that everyone’s life is so busy and full of far more important things than looking decent for church service.

[Anonymous]

No, but I don't go to church so I don't have to worry about that type of thing.

[Anonymous]

You do you op, dress up nicely. Maybe someone will be inspired by you and change. I would rather have children in church dressed up casually than not have them at all. I would rather have people listen to the message of love. That’s what Jesus wanted. He picked fishermen to be his people. Look beyond the superficial. That’s what a church is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you won’t put a bit of effort into your appearance for God, it speaks volumes.

God doesn't just see you at church. I'll take a family who shows up consistently, who volunteers, who gives a weekly donation, but who wears casual clothes over a family who is just there to be seen in their Sunday best.

Somehow, I doubt that the family who comes in casual clothes, gives a weekly donation and shows up consistently, also volunteers.

Way to announce that you don't volunteer. Those families are exactly who is doing the heavy lifting at church and in your community.

PP (me) doesn't even go to church. I'm an atheist. When I did, many years ago, I was active and everybody dressed up.

I take it that the person I'm responding to does not dress up for church.

As an athetist, why do you care?