Does God Care What You Look Like?

[SalixIncendium]

In my youth, when I attended church, there were expectation with regard to dress to attend mass, and this was stepped up during the sacraments.

I could never reconcile what one wears with how devoted one is to God or how one worships or why God would care given one came into this world naked. Wiccan rites in the Gardnerian tradition are performed in the nude, and I had an easier time wrapping my head around why with this than I did with wearing a suit and tie to church.

Do you have a dress code where you worship? Do you have a dress code mandated by your religion in daily life?

If so, why that is? Does God care more (or at all) about your appearance than God cares about your devotion? Why do you think God might find your appearance important?

 

[Brian2]

In my youth, when I attended church, there were expectation with regard to dress to attend mass, and this was stepped up during the sacraments.

I could never reconcile what one wears with how devoted one is to God or how one worships or why God would care given one came into this world naked. Wiccan rites in the Gardnerian tradition are performed in the nude, and I had an easier time wrapping my head around why with this than I did with wearing a suit and tie to church.

Do you have a dress code where you worship? Do you have a dress code mandated by your religion in daily life?

If so, why that is? Does God care more (or at all) about your appearance than God cares about your devotion? Why do you think God might find your appearance important|?

Neat casual is the usual. There is no formal code but we humans do tend to judge on appearances and do not want to be seen as someone who comes to a place of worship lacking some respect.
The expectation is from people however and not from God, who judges our heart.
One person actually comes in very casual clothes and if this caught on it might be better so that people would not feel judged if their clothes were not as good as other people's.
It is hard to say what people might think if they came to a church and everyone was dressed in dirty work clothes or if everyone was dressed as if they were going to a wedding.
Most people come in the clothes they might go to the shops in.
Nude is probably not a good thing. That would embarrass many and others would find it hard to concentrate on the worship. Maybe nude is an enforced social norm in the Wiccan rites, but we would like to think that we don't scare anyone away if possible with what we wear or do not wear.

 

[Spirit of Light]

In my youth, when I attended church, there were expectation with regard to dress to attend mass, and this was stepped up during the sacraments.

I could never reconcile what one wears with how devoted one is to God or how one worships or why God would care given one came into this world naked. Wiccan rites in the Gardnerian tradition are performed in the nude, and I had an easier time wrapping my head around why with this than I did with wearing a suit and tie to church.

Do you have a dress code where you worship? Do you have a dress code mandated by your religion in daily life?

If so, why that is? Does God care more (or at all) about your appearance than God cares about your devotion? Why do you think God might find your appearance important?

I can not say if Allah would be mad if a muslim did not wear arabian clothing, but it is common for Sufis to wear arabic form of clothing and a turban.
I still waiting for my own clothing, but can not say i will wear them every day.

 

[SalixIncendium]

...it is common for Sufis to wear arabic form of clothing and a turban.

Why is that?

 

[Spirit of Light]

Why is that?

Sufis wear turban because it is said Muhammad used to wear a turban. but it can also be used to cover some of the face if it is very windy and sand blowing in the face (this is of course in Arabic countries)

 

[SalixIncendium]

Sufis wear turban because it is said Muhammad used to wear a turban. but it can also be used to cover some of the face if it is very windy and sand blowing in the face (this is of course in Arabic countries)

So basically, they wear what they wear for the purpose of tradition (and in some cases, practicality)?

 

[Spirit of Light]

So basically, they wear what they wear for the purpose of tradition (and in some cases, practicality)?

Yes that is my understanding

 

[Spirit of Light]

Yes that is my understanding

Traditionally the cloths are made of wool (Suf is wool in arabic)

 

[Secret Chief]

In my youth, when I attended church, there were expectation with regard to dress to attend mass, and this was stepped up during the sacraments.

I could never reconcile what one wears with how devoted one is to God or how one worships or why God would care given one came into this world naked. Wiccan rites in the Gardnerian tradition are performed in the nude, and I had an easier time wrapping my head around why with this than I did with wearing a suit and tie to church.

Do you have a dress code where you worship? Do you have a dress code mandated by your religion in daily life?

If so, why that is? Does God care more (or at all) about your appearance than God cares about your devotion? Why do you think God might find your appearance important?

No dress code for Buddhist laity.

 

[Ashoka]

Shiva wears a leopard skin and has dreadlocks. He is covered in ashes from the cremation ground. I don’t personally think he cares about the outside, but more so the inside. That said, I make sure that I am following temple dress code. But everyday dress is jeans and a tshirt for the most part.

 

[Brian2]

In my youth, when I attended church, there were expectation with regard to dress to attend mass, and this was stepped up during the sacraments.

I could never reconcile what one wears with how devoted one is to God or how one worships or why God would care given one came into this world naked. Wiccan rites in the Gardnerian tradition are performed in the nude, and I had an easier time wrapping my head around why with this than I did with wearing a suit and tie to church.

Do you have a dress code where you worship? Do you have a dress code mandated by your religion in daily life?

If so, why that is? Does God care more (or at all) about your appearance than God cares about your devotion? Why do you think God might find your appearance important?

I was a Catholic in my youth and can remember questioning the dress code at Mass and why people came dressed up with the women in their best hats (it was the days when women were supposed to wear hats to church---I don't know if that still applies).
I guess in those days expectations were higher.

 

[Brickjectivity]

In my youth, when I attended church, there were expectation with regard to dress to attend mass, and this was stepped up during the sacraments.

I could never reconcile what one wears with how devoted one is to God or how one worships or why God would care given one came into this world naked. Wiccan rites in the Gardnerian tradition are performed in the nude, and I had an easier time wrapping my head around why with this than I did with wearing a suit and tie to church.

Do you have a dress code where you worship? Do you have a dress code mandated by your religion in daily life?

If so, why that is? Does God care more (or at all) about your appearance than God cares about your devotion? Why do you think God might find your appearance important?

I didn't know you attended mass as a kid. I gather that the priests wear robes that are symbolic, so I am not talking about them specifically.

I'll tell you a terrible story. A couple of times I attended a mass. That last time I attended, many years ago, this fellow came in and sat beside me. He looked perfectly normal, however he had extreme halitosis. It was like...how could he breath and not die from that? I was unable to bear it, because he was singing the hymns and was so friendly. I said nothing to him or anyone, however I left. I had to climb over him to leave. True story.

My guess is that those who have grown up in the mass will dress appropriately to show respect for the divinity in other people and themselves. I think this for a couple of reasons, however I don't think that mass should be a fashion show. What matters is not the level of success but why you dress. If dressing up makes others feel bad you should dress down. If dressing down makes them feel bad you dress up. You also should respect the divinity in yourself.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Do you have a dress code where you worship? Do you have a dress code mandated by your religion in daily life?

Speaking as a theist (which I am not, but was for half my life), God cares more about society than about your dress. Therefore, dress civil, be moderate, 'ati sarvatra varjayet' (do not go to extreme anywhere). There is no mandated dress except for priests (that means what is the traditional Hindu wear - Dhoti, Veshti, sari for women).

@Ashoka , Someone should clarify. I have read that Shiva wears elephant hide and sits on a tiger skin. Perhaps @ Vinayaka will say something on that.

 

[Erebus]

I doubt the gods care about your choice of clothing. However, I do think there are some benefits to a dress code, particularly during communal activities. There is a certain mood and atmosphere you want to maintain during worship or ritual and a dress code can help with that.

For example, a church congregation might find it hard to concentrate on hymns if somebody turned up in black, hooded robes emblazoned with the sigil of Lucifer.

Conversely, it would completely spoil the atmosphere of a Satanic ritual if you wore a pink jumper and bunny slippers. Mind you, that would be hilarious to see.

 

[SigurdReginson]

You know, there was no dress code in any of the churches I went to. Some chose to dress up as fancy as they please. Others just wore plain old tshirts and jeans. No one ever really cared.

One thing that god really hates, though, are hats. People would always ask me to remove mine when I'd go to church... For some reason, it was seen as a respectful thing to have one's head uncovered.

Not sure where they got that from, considering the bible says nothing about that as far as I know.

 

[Windwalker]

In my youth, when I attended church, there were expectation with regard to dress to attend mass, and this was stepped up during the sacraments.

I could never reconcile what one wears with how devoted one is to God or how one worships or why God would care given one came into this world naked.

In a word, ritual. Putting on special clothing for a sacred practice is part of creating a ritual space. Putting on a prayer shawl, lighting candles, incense, special music, group gatherings, etc, all go to center the mind upon the work that the ritual centers around. When you put on the "Sunday best", you are directing your mind to focus on the Divine, or at least engage in the form surrounding it, even if your mind wanders off elsewhere. Etc.

 

[JoshuaTree]

No dress code in Eden but God trusted Adam and Eve to keep their eyes shut the entire time.

 

[Brickjectivity]

Conversely, it would completely spoil the atmosphere of a Satanic ritual if you wore a pink jumper and bunny slippers. Mind you, that would be hilarious to see.

Maybe, but I'd need to hear from a Satanist about it. Maybe they wear bunny slippers?

 

[Vee]

Do you have a dress code where you worship? Do you have a dress code mandated by your religion in daily life?

If so, why that is? Does God care more (or at all) about your appearance than God cares about your devotion? Why do you think God might find your appearance important?

Although who we are is a lot more important than what we look like, the way we present ourselves sends a message so it's good to keep that in mind. There is a reason why we don't show up at work in our pajamas. Each occasion has a certain dress code.
The Bible says that people should dress "modestly and with soundness of mind" (1 Tim. 9) but it doesn't have a list of things to wear or their size, which makes perfect sense since certain regions of the world have different cultures and styles, plus a lot has changed over the years. It is up to us to adapt.
Since God, being all powerful, can see us naked, the principle of dressing in a certain way is more likely for our benefit that His.
As unfair as that is, a person's image says a lot. I don't like it, and I know that you might be the nicest person in the world in rags or the biggest criminal in a designer suit, but we live in a world where image matters.

 

[Vinayaka]

Speaking as a theist (which I am not, but was for half my life), God cares more about society than about your dress. Therefore, dress civil, be moderate, 'ati sarvatra varjayet' (do not go to extreme anywhere). There is no mandated dress except for priests (that means what is the traditional Hindu wear - Dhoti, Veshti, sari for women).

@Ashoka , Someone should clarify. I have read that Shiva wears elephant hide and sits on a tiger skin. Perhaps @ Vinayaka will say something on that.

The Puranic Shiva isn't very important in my version of Saivism, so I don't know. Mr. Google is far smarter than me.