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Mormon Priesthood Must Wear White Shirt and Ties? - Page 6

OldSouth, interesting points. I do think we over-focus on the attire issue. As long as the clothes that are being worn are clean and modest then I do not see the issue at all. Unfortunately, many times we are like the Pharisees, cleaning the vessel from the outside but the inside is very dirty.

Ties Shirt White Wear Priesthood Mormon

Name: Dan

Comments: I do not like the fact that white shirts are becoming more and more requested almost to the point of being required. I also think that to judge someone because they have facial hair or not is questionable. I have a mustache and I will not wear a white shirt. I believe that God does not want his children to wear uniforms and all look alike. I can understand white shirts for those passing the sacrament but beyond that no thank you.

Mormon Priesthood Must Wear White Shirt and Ties? Studies Doctrine Mormon

Hello. This is an interesting topic. Thanks for all of your comments....got me to thinking about a talk I read a few months ago by Boyd K. Packer called "The unwritten order of things." President Packer talks about how there are things in the church that happen that are not in the handbook , but are part of the order of the Church, although unwritten. I like how he explains why some of these things prepare the mind to understand a higher order and how it can help us to prepare to lead in the Church. I totally disagree, respectfully, that we wear white shirts and ties to be seen of men. I mean, that is not why I wear them. I just searched for the title in Google followed by the LDS. like this The unwritten order of things LDS
I thought it was a good talk. Besides that, I can think of much harder things that could be required of us.

Page 6 Ties Shirt White Wear Priesthood Mormon

Name: Kookie

Comments: Would we be having this discussion if the Lord was physically in the church with us? Would He turn someone away because of the color of their shirt or because they have facial hair? I think members are making mountains out of molehills.

Ties Shirt White Wear Priesthood Mormon

I think a clean pressed white shirt and tie on a young man passing the sacrament is rally impressive. How many of our youth would rather just wear whatever to special places like sacrament meeting.

Mormon Priesthood Must Wear White Shirt and Ties?

As I read the comments that have been posted, I was a little troubled but not surprised by the condescending, arrogant tone some express in their writing. They have no idea what is going on in the spiritual life or temporal life of those brethren who are attending church. There are plenty of unfaithful members who wear the best of clothes to church, and sometimes they dress so well to "cover" their sins and "satisfy" their pride.

I would rather receive a blessing from a worthy priesthood holder who came to church wearing board shorts and a T-shirt than a hypocrite dressed in a designer suit with a white shirt and conservative tie.

It's not a commandment to wear a white shirt to church. It's not even disrespectful to wear a nice dress shirt that's, say, brown or blue. It's just a little out of the ordinary, that's all.

Does anyone who is condemning non-white shirts actually know why white shirts are specifically encouraged for those blessing/passing the sacrament and those presiding?

It's so they are not a distraction to their role; their position is one of leadership (even the priests) to the congregation. It's the actions they perform that's important, and to stand out in any way from the "norm"--which changes over time--would distract the congregation from the purpose of Sacrament Meeting.

Right now the social norm in North America is a white shirt and a conservative tie. In the past it was different; in the future it will be different.

Sure, we should show respect and reverence in our dress. Last week I was in Hawaii and I wore flip flops to church because I didn't have my Echo's. My sister chided me on the way saying that Elder Oaks had recently talked against flip flops. However, I was pleased to find the island saints there wore sandals to church so I fit in with the norms. What is too casual here may be normal and appropriate somewhere else.

Either way, it's a personal issue. It's way more distracting to others when they give their kids toys to play with during Sacrament or Cheerios to crunch on--or worse, when the spoiled kids don't have those stuff and they weep and wail and gnash their teeth.

Mormon Priesthood Wear White Shirt Ties - Page 6

Why do you find wanting the priesthood to wear white shirts condescending? Its not like we are asking them to wear a ceremonial uniform. Most Bishops will probably buy whiteshirts for any young man that could not afford it in any case, so what's the problem?

Mormon Priesthood Wear White Shirt Ties Mormon Doctrine Studies - Page 6

The problem isn't our bishops providing a white shirt for those who are passing the sacrament. If you read my piece you would know that I have no problem requiring the YM who participate in the sacrament and the bishopric to wear white shirts and conservative ties.

Contrary to what others may think, wearing a white shirt and tie isn't "symbolic of purity" at all. That's really ridiculous to think so. It's just the social norm in a formal setting in many places around the world. If a priest came to church wearing, say, a bright green shirt with the top button unbuttoned, it's not that it would make him any less worthy to bless the Sacrament. However, it would be a distraction for the congregation and would undermine the purpose of the Sacramental prayer he is saying for the congregation. That's the reason why we require them (and should) to wear white shirts and ties.

The problem I have is when others make statements that imply they mean, "I think the men who wear a non-white buttoned up shirt and a tie to match are just too worldly and disrespect Jesus Christ's church by dressing in a non-white tie" and hence shun those who do not wear a white shirt to church--or merely "accept" them "despite" their evil blue shirt ways.

So the problem with "loud" attire or better dressed men is that it distracts the thoughts of others. And it really only applies to those in a position to be in front of the congregation.

Of course, as I said in my piece, up to a point it is a personal matter what you wear to church. Why do we socially require the men to wear the exact same "uniform" when the women can wear a variety of styles of clothing and colors (and the more vibrant the colors they wear it seems the more they are socially accepted)? It's really a sad statement on the condition of the church membership: we are placing the highest judgment towards a person's character or worthiness to come to church on the most shallow of conditions: what they wear.

It probably goes back to the bizarre and false belief that white = purity so if you wear white it is a statement to the rest of the church you are pure and if you do not feel pure you do not wear white.

That's the problem. It's not in the wearer of the burgundy shirt that the sin lies, it's in the eyes of those who say that's just not acceptable and that person must be less spiritual for wearing it.

Or they are somehow "offended" that someone is dressing better than a white shirt and brown tie from the 70s. Remember, pride from the bottom up is just as damning as pride from the top down. It's a personal matter. Why do you dress well? Why do you dress like a slob? You can't make a conclusion on what's going on inside the person unless they reveal it to you by admitting it. Therefore, judging others on their dress is inappropriate, prideful and foolish.

So to answer your question, "what's the problem?" There are several problems:

1. It gives a false sense of worthiness to wear a "purity" shirt
2. It sets a requirement some cannot meet financially (and there are tens of millions in this category in the US)
3. It leads to "groupthink" where identity is lost and the group is seen as perfect when they are not. (See reason #1.) In short, it leads to a more cult-like mentality.
4. It leads to a congregation-sized clique where outsiders do not feel welcome
5. It thereby hampers church growth
6. Have you been to a modern church other than our own recently? The more relaxed the dress code, the more people come because they feel accepted and welcome. I'm not saying we should relax to the point of shorts and a t-shirt, but that we should relax to the point of color versus white.
7. It is a form of social vanity (We're better than you because we wear white shirts to church).
8. Making it a social requirement negates the whole meaning of "dressing your best" for the Lord's day.
9. We already have a garment that really has symbolic meaning; and we take great measures to "cover" that item of clothing with all sorts of clothes. There's a reason for that: beware of pride.
10. Making other clothing sacred socially is idolatry and can lead to pride and damnation.

Hope this helps you see the problem with "requiring" all the brethren to wear white shirts. Remember, to require something means there is some sort of punishment if they do not live up to the standard (excused from the meeting, shunned socially, etc.).