Church Requires Modesty From Brides

freeatlast,

I have heard of a priest in northern Pennsylvania who will not give the sacrament to women who are not modest as to their clothing. Hey, that's one + for the Catholics! I know when we were kids we wore our Sunday best to present ourselves before the Lord, and if a person is too poor, they can at least use soap.

 

Right in my own Christ Tabernacle, a couple of the pastors would not marry someone with a low cut in the front gown/dress, or other similar provocative styles.

 

Sounds to me like some of these folks are being fashion police, and in some cases, even culture police. Unlike a service which is open on the congregational public, a wedding is a private affair. I'm amiss as to why a pastor would have a more restrictive dress code for weddings than sunday mornings.

I've also heard of pastors who refuse to perform ceremonies where the bride isn't wearing white. There's no biblical requirement for a bride to wear white, or, for that matter, the groom, either. For that matter, there's no biblical requirement for a bride and groom to wear anything differently than they wouled normally wear. If a bride and groom want to wear a sleeveless tee and shorts to get married in, then whatever floats their boat. What I'm really curious about is how this church's "bridal" dress code differs from the Sunday morning dress code.

My lady love, being partially of middle-eastern decent has said, if she ever gets married, she'd like to have a dress of bright colors, reflecting her cultural background. Part of the dress would have a sheer skirt. Perfectly modest in places like India and the like, but technically "immodest" by many western church standards. Go figure.

 

Well, for one thing, the pastor doesn't want to be getting tempted right as he officiates, with the front partly exposed or whatever (one of the reasons offered by one of the pastors). I usually don't go with those types of restrictions, but Ithink this ine is understandable (not the color of the gown, of course), and some of what is being shown should be reserved for the groom afterwards.

 

A bride, or anyone, should always be modest no matter the occasion. if these same women are wearing backless and low-cut shirts to Sunday church then they are in the wrong and this should be brought to their attention. We, as Christians, are to never give the occasion to sin, that is cause someone to stumble in their morality.

Romans 14:20 - Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble.

This kind of explains my point. The woman's body is clean, but revealing certain parts or too much is not.

 

Nah... It sounds to me like they are being "Holiness" police, but I fully agree with your last comment, John - "Go figure."

 

I wish that brides and their bridesmaids would just use common sense in what they wear in a wedding. Pictures are made and indescency stands out.
I have seen women that were not normally indescent by nature show too much at weddings.

 

I have to laugh, everytime I have seen the Funnist Home Video of the groom at the altar, who forgets that his mike is on. He looks at his bride and fusses at her for showing too much cleaveage. I Love It! You GO, young man!

I do wonder at brides who plan their weddings with dresses they know are not acceptable at any other occasion in their churches, yet the churches let them get by with it.

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One of the things some do not realize is that when a woman wears an outfit that, when she takes that last glance in the mirror, looks great, it does not always look so great away from that last sighting.

In some churches, for example, the people kneel in order to receive communion. The minister or priest stands above them, by necessity looking down, and guess what is in his line of vision! That outfit that appears modest straight-on is often not so modest from his perspective.

In some churches, people kneel at the altar. What many do not realize is that anyone across from them sees what the above-mentioned minister sees. Furthermore, what the congregation behind them often sees is their thighs -- right up to their wazoo. Hips will always hike the skirt up somewhat while a woman is kneeling, and if the skirt is not of ample length, much will be seen. Also, the tighter the skirt, the more it will naturally hike up. Add to this the slits many wear in their skirts: these make the visual field four - ten inches higher!

Consider those at the front of the church and what they see, when a woman sits on the aisle of the pew. If the skirt is not ample, and if she is not constantly aware of the way she sits, they see more than they want to see. I know!!

Then, there are those who sit on the platform, which is raised up several inches from the floor. The stuff I have seen from the eyelevel of the congregation has been shocking.

If nothing else, the place of worship should, at least, be a sanctuary from the sights outside of it. Sadly, for many, it is not.

 

Amen, Abiyah!

 

I will not allow my church to become a 'wedding chapel'. I am very fussy in regard to music chosen for ANY wedding. And I think it's great that some churches have a 'dress code'. I'm almost of the notion that churches should just 'get out' of the wedding business, and simply have a 'blessing of a civil marriage' service.

 

It's too bad more people are concerned with the physical garments people wear instead of the garment of salvation and the robe of righteousness.

 

A Pastor or a Church has every right to set up guidelines. Churches and Pastors are often abused by people in this area. Personaly I think Jude has the best idea.

 

The problem is a lack of reverence for God and His sanctuary.
Though our bodies are the real temples, the church buildings represent Him also. Our conduct and attire reflect the way we feel about God.

 

atestring,

The truth is, we are the temples of God. We were created in His image. He didn't create buildings in His image. God is not represented by anything made by the human hand. People are too caught up in "cleaning the outside of the cup" instead of keeping the "inside of the cup" clean.