Honest to goodness. I think women would be more likely to go to the meetings if slacks/pants/trousers are allowed.
I thought trousers was a bygone word. LOL. It is why I laughed. I'm sorry.
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- Thread starter savagewind
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Honest to goodness. I think women would be more likely to go to the meetings if slacks/pants/trousers are allowed.
I thought trousers was a bygone word. LOL. It is why I laughed. I'm sorry.
Wherenextcolumbus
Well-Known Member
Oh no we still say trousers in the UK
I know. I looked up your profile and there you are in the UK.
I understand if someone was so daft that they wore jeans to every meeting it might be proper, after a while, for someone to take them aside and say jeans are for sport and there is no sport going on here. Can I help you find something else, more appropriate, to wear? It shouldn't be the rule though (James 2:2-4).
In reverse order...
It doesn't matter to me. It would matter to some, I guess. My interest is more historical than anything, to be honest. Obviously modern day inhabitants around the Mediterranean are olive skinned, rather than black. But we're talking a long time ago, and you have to account for migratory patterns.
For what it's worth, my ponderings are around the following (and no...I'm not certain about ANY of this, but this is what lead to my question);
My best guess at the skin colour of ethnic Egyptians would be that they were African, and therefore dark-skinned. Not sure on the exact tonage, of course, but they weren't Arab as they are today. To some extent, I'm basing this from the original Egyptian art pieces found from the approximate time period of Moses.
My understanding is that the Hebrew tribes WERE permitted inter-racial marriage. I'd be interested in sources which indicate they weren't? Most of what I read is much later in history (say 300BC onwards) but I thought it was inter-faith marriage that was prohibited.
Regardless, I'm confused. Aren't the descendants of Ham black? I always assumed Cush, Mizraim, Phut and Canaan were more metaphorical than simple individual's names. Meh, my New Testament knowledge is shaky, OT is far worse.
Anyways, in short, Moses was able to hide amongst the Egyptians, which I'd find interesting if they were of obviously different skin colour. And unlike in Classical times, Egyptian royalty wasn't racially different to the bulk of the Egyptian people*.
Similarly, there are references in the Bible to Joseph being able to blend in.
Anyways...I've read a bunch of different theories about the ethnic make-up of Egyptians in those times, but I guess my default position (loosely held) would be that they were dark-skinned.
* I have read one or two theories about a royal family in OT times not of the same race as the people, but it's such a small sample of dubious origin that for now I'm discounting that prospect.
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Wherenextcolumbus
Well-Known Member
So it doesn't matter that almost all bibical characters are depicted as white? Yes it does matter because images speak just as much a words. Why does the watchtower want most bibical characters to be depicted as white. And please no one come out with nonsense that I don't like white people or whatever, like you wouldn't notice if a religion depicted all of their bibical characters as black African or East Asian, yes you would notice.
White is treated as default, that's why even the celestial beings including the 144,000 are white men.
White is treated as default, that's why even the celestial beings including the 144,000 are white men.
Katzpur
Not your average Mormon
Don't think I haven't seen that particular typo a million times.
Ouroboros
Coincidentia oppositorum
Don't think I haven't seen that particular typo a million times.
Yay, I did it for the 1,000,001th time!
Pegg
Jehovah our God is One
on our jw website, there is a banner with photos of witnesses out preaching. There was a photo of a brother and sister up in a scandanavian country and the sister was wearing pants. And we had a new release at our recent district convention in which the sister on the front cover is wearing a pair of pants.
Obviously there are no rules that woman can't wear pants. If the weather calls for pants, then we certainly can wear them. But most sisters choose to wear skirts and dresses to meetings or our in the ministry because its a more formal occasion.
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Wherenextcolumbus
Well-Known Member
So if I went to the ministry and meetings all the time wearing trousers, I wouldn't get any funny looks, or questions as too why I am always wearing trousers?
JayJayDee
Avid JW Bible Student
Since people are so used to seeing us dressed in clothing that we consider appropriate for those who worship the Sovereign of the Universe, if a baptized Witness turned up in trousers, they would probably wonder who you were? Since you look different to everyone else, they will not assume that you are a Witness. We dress so that no one will consider our message to be unimportant. Company directors and executives seldom wear informal attire to work, have you never wondered why?
You know what's funny about this whole issue H? JW's don't look for things to complain about. You have mentioned such inconsequential things as criticisms of us and yet you and perhaps some 'ex' Witnesses seem to be the only ones concerned about them.
We just go with the flow of what is acceptable to us. We don't care about what others think.
If it is considered proper attire to wear formal clothing to a function, would you show up in jeans? If you were invited to a ball at the Prime Minister's house, would you turn up in something that was considered completely inappropriate? Unless there is a valid reason for a sister to wear trousers (and sometimes there is) then we follow our own dress code. Visitors to our meetings can dress however they wish. There are no rules for them.
It is inappropriate for us to worship and serve our God in what we would consider (in a western nation) to be casual attire. We do not have a casual attitude towards our worship. In countries where it's is extremely cold, perhaps the wearing of trousers is appropriate there. In countries where it is very hot, brothers do not wear ties. That is appropriate for them.
We have a dress code in the congregations. We don't mind. Seriously, no sister would stand outside and wave a banner declaring that she should have the right to wear trousers....you know why? Because we aren't like that. We are peaceful and obedient by nature and that keeps the congregations peaceful. I don't know of one single sister who could care less about not wearing trousers to the meeting or out in service.
We like it the way it is. If someone wants to come in and buck the system, and make a fuss about nothing, then that is screaming that they have a somewhat rebellious streak and they just don't belong with us. I believe that it is that simple.
It seems as if some people have got nothing better to do than find silly things to complain about. Nothing is perfect in this world at present....one day it will be. Won't it be nice then to have nothing negative to say about anyone or anything? Can't wait!
Pegg
Jehovah our God is One
no one would ask you why you chose to wear pants and i would hope no one would question your motives. We stand before Jehovah as individuals and are judged as individuals.
We are told to look at ourselves and what we are personally doing, not what others are doing.
James 2:1-4 2 My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, Heres a good seat for you, but say to the poor man, You stand there or Sit on the floor by my feet, 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
James 1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.....
....amd also to dress up in business attire.....maybe because LIFE is business? WHO made it so?
Luke 11:42 Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God ..[an appearance of righteousness]... but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.
I do not have issue about Jehovah Witnesses' religious rules. I have issue with them saying their rules are God's rules and that they know the Bible better than anyone and they practice it better than anyone.
It is unconsionable that if a wooman in casual attire enters the Kingdom Hall to learn something about Jehovah Jehovah's Witnesses "will assume" she is not one of them. The bottom line of the religion is be a witness or don't be saved. When you see a non-witness you see someone in an unsaved condition. How is that mercy and love please? (Luke 11:42)
That is somewhat true and somewhat false. It is somewhat false because Jehovah's Witness HAVE A DRESS CODE.
A dress code is also contrary to 1 Samuel 16: 7 But Jehovah said to Samuel: “Do not pay attention to his appearance and how tall he is, for I have rejected him. For the way man sees is not the way God sees, because mere man sees what appears to the eyes, but Jehovah sees into the heart.”
If a person wore casual clothes to the meeting or out in the field service the others would judge him or her. The person would be "careless", "rebellious" , "defiant", "radical", "threatening", "disorderly", and most important, not saved, according to some.
But on the other hand you believe Jehovah is The One who sees the heart. Isn't that interesting?
If a person wore casual clothes to the meeting or out in the field service the others would judge him or her. The person would be "careless", "rebellious" , "defiant", "radical", "threatening", "disorderly", and most important, not saved, according to some.
But on the other hand you believe Jehovah is The One who sees the heart. Isn't that interesting?
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I have heard Jehovah's Witnesses say a person will get the best education possible at the Kingdom Hall. But 1 Samuel 16:7 is about another person exhalting Eliab, not putting him down. You have not been taught the scripture also applies reversed. Doesn't it?
Wherenextcolumbus
Well-Known Member
I wasn't talking about jeans I'm taking about smart office trousersSince people are so used to seeing us dressed in clothing that we consider appropriate for those who worship the Sovereign of the Universe, if a baptized Witness turned up in trousers, they would probably wonder who you were? Since you look different to everyone else, they will not assume that you are a Witness. We dress so that no one will consider our message to be unimportant. Company directors and executives seldom wear informal attire to work, have you never wondered why?
You know what's funny about this whole issue H? JW's don't look for things to complain about. You have mentioned such inconsequential things as criticisms of us and yet you and perhaps some 'ex' Witnesses seem to be the only ones concerned about them.
We just go with the flow of what is acceptable to us. We don't care about what others think.
If it is considered proper attire to wear formal clothing to a function, would you show up in jeans? If you were invited to a ball at the Prime Minister's house, would you turn up in something that was considered completely inappropriate? Unless there is a valid reason for a sister to wear trousers (and sometimes there is) then we follow our own dress code. Visitors to our meetings can dress however they wish. There are no rules for them.
It is inappropriate for us to worship and serve our God in what we would consider (in a western nation) to be casual attire. We do not have a casual attitude towards our worship. In countries where it's is extremely cold, perhaps the wearing of trousers is appropriate there. In countries where it is very hot, brothers do not wear ties. That is appropriate for them.
We have a dress code in the congregations. We don't mind. Seriously, no sister would stand outside and wave a banner declaring that she should have the right to wear trousers....you know why? Because we aren't like that. We are peaceful and obedient by nature and that keeps the congregations peaceful. I don't know of one single sister who could care less about not wearing trousers to the meeting or out in service.
We like it the way it is. If someone wants to come in and buck the system, and make a fuss about nothing, then that is screaming that they have a somewhat rebellious streak and they just don't belong with us. I believe that it is that simple.
It seems as if some people have got nothing better to do than find silly things to complain about. Nothing is perfect in this world at present....one day it will be. Won't it be nice then to have nothing negative to say about anyone or anything? Can't wait!
I think what they have said is smart office trousers are acceptable but discouraged. It will not be long before a poor JW sister will find an ugly Good Will skirt to wear instead of her comfortable fancy trousers because of peer preasure, not because of any real dress code.
It is true that pants show a woman's buttocks. Some woman's buttocks are sexy. That won't do at the Kingdom Hall.
I really do not know when or why telling the truth became a bad thing.:sorry1:
And some woman's buttocks are (how to say this kindly) not sexy. That won't do either. It makes for a bad commercial.
If The God of the Jehovah's Witnesses wants to do something, the something must fit within the rules and regulations of the Jehovah's Witnesses. So Who is serving who?
You don't understand? The Jehovah's Witnesses have many rules. A good Jehovah's Witness will not act apart from the rules. If God would do something it must be within the rules. So God must obey the rules. To obey is to serve. Isn't it?
You don't understand? The Jehovah's Witnesses have many rules. A good Jehovah's Witness will not act apart from the rules. If God would do something it must be within the rules. So God must obey the rules. To obey is to serve. Isn't it?