Things Changed When Shirt Color Began to Matter

[_sock puppet]

It used to be that a person was judged on the content of their character and not on the color of their shirt...but then something changed. A conference talk was given and all of a sudden, shirt color mattered.

Something significant changed in the church with this talk...all of a sudden...obedience became a semi annual subject in general conference...but not just any obedience talk but obedience to priesthood authority talks and what was the easiest way to confirm compliance? Shirt color.

No longer did church authorities have to wait for reports of the tell-tell smell of cigarette smoke or the sound of a lawn mower running on the sabbath to judge fellow ward members...now they could do a quick glance over the congregation and know immediately who was and who wasn't obedient to priesthood authority.

But I believe that that one talk and the resulting consequences have done more damage to the church and it's male members than nearly any other policy. Like limiting the number of earrings, banning flip-flops, tatoos and judging the female members on whether or not their shoulders where covered...white shirts have bled the church of that human quality prized everywhere except within Mormonism....individuality.

The church lost something very valuable the day that talk was given and set into motion a bevy of steps that have quashed individuality and free expression...and the suppression continues to this day.

If u can imagine this...there once was a day when even church office employees had a choice of shirt color...but alias...those days are mere distant memories of the very old...whose children even question the stories of such a time when members actually had a choice

Very astute to observe this correlative, Craig.

I went to a niece's baptism on the first Saturday in May. Her 10 year old brother (my nephew) was dressed in a dark blue suit, not so much as a subtle pinstripe in it. A white shirt and dark red tie (actually, the tie had a bit of flare to it as it was tinged with black). And he was toting a triple combination and Bible in a small leather case. He was popping around the event, like a 19 year old missionary at 'his' first baptism in the field.

But for the fact that he is only 10, was wearing sneakers with his dark blue suit, and did not have a name tag on, they've missionary-ized the poor kid.

[_Blixa]

What is the date on this conference talk, Craig? Also do you have a link?

Back in my day, pre-correlation, there was none of this silliness. My brothers and all their friends had shirts of many colours.

[_Sethbag]

The triple-combination plus Bible, or the Quad, is certainly the Mormon phylactery, that's for sure. I'd be willing to bet that 99% of these quads and triples in their leather cases are toted around but not even cracked open once on any given Sunday, and collect dust the rest of the week.

It certainly is sad that the aaronic priesthood was thought to need a "uniform". The word uniform is both noun and adjective. A uniform (noun) is uniform (the same). Why does the church need all the men to be the same? It's more than that though. Uniforms evoke hierarchy. We know well that people in uniform are almost always people who are either giving orders or taking orders. It really is literally true that enforcing a uniform on the young minds of the aaronic priesthood is reinforcing the idea of obedience and fealty to the church. It's more about domination and obedience than righteousness.

[Guest]

Ahhh.. I remember it well...

http://www.LDS.org/ensign/1995/11/this- ... ance-of-me

and here's another link showing all of the references to the importance of wearing a white shirt:
http://www.LDS.org/search?query=white+s ... conference

[_Fence Sitter]

My father likes to tell of the time in the early 70's he was in the stake presidency when he picked up an apostle from the airport. Dad had been on vacation and grown a mustache. Upon seeing his mustache the apostle reprimanded him for not properly representing the Church. Dad uses it as an example of a learning experience and how we are to follow our leaders in both how they act and present themselves. I like to remind him that it was only 20 years before that the Lord was okay with his prophet wearing both a beard and a mustache.

[_SteelHead]

This is one of my biggest "cringes" when it comes to Mormon culture . The need to replace vibrant traditions and cultures with the Utah Mormon white bread homogeneity.

Makes me wonder why members of counter cultures, or non western cultures would ever join.

[_bcspace]

Shirt color doesn't matter (unless you're a deacon or teacher passing the sacrament). Among those who attend, it's who consistently won't accept callings, speak, teach, pray, or do hometeaching.

You confirmed my point...you've filtered and sifted those who attend by what they wear and automatically deemed them as the ones who won't accept callings, teach, pray or do home teaching.

Not at all. First of all, nothing I said made that connection. Second, some of the staunchest conservative TBM's I know wear non white shirts on Sunday including myself. I rotate with a mix two white and four color shirts (that match various ties). Yet another stereotypical error in correlation on your part.

[_Equality]

Back in my day, pre-correlation, there was none of this silliness. My brothers and all their friends had shirts of many colours.

Give the correlation committee enough time and I wonder if they will take the Book of Genesis and wash Joseph's coat white.

[Guest]

Speaking at a BYU-CES Fireside in 2005 , Todd Christofferson said, “It is an affront to God to come into His house, especially on His holy day, not groomed and dressed in the most careful and modest manner that our circumstances permit. REALLY??? Where a poor member from the hills of Peru must ford a river to get to church, does this really ever happen? the Lord surely will not be offended by the stain of muddy water on his white shirt. or him arriving at church dripping wet from fording a river....but it begs the question...so a muddied white shirt is perfectly fine in the eyes of the Mormon God BUT a clean colored shirt is offensive to god?

But how can God not be pained at the sight of one who, with all the clothes he needs and more and with easy access to the chapel, nevertheless appears in church in rumpled cargo pants and a T-shirt? REALLY...you would think that God had more important things to worry about than what color shirt someone wore to church. Ironically, it has been my experience as I travel around the world that members of the Church with the least means somehow find a way to arrive at Sabbath meetings neatly dressed in clean, nice clothes, the best they have, while those who have more than enough are the ones who may appear in casual, even slovenly clothing. sorry but this is wrong on so many levels

Some say dress and hair don’t matter—it’s what’s inside that counts. I believe that truly it is what’s inside a person that counts, but that’s what worries me. Casual dress at holy places and events is a message about what is inside a person..REALLY??? ...but thanks for making my point for me It may be pride or rebellion or something else, but at a minimum it says, “I don’t get it. I don’t understand the difference between the sacred and the profane.”. So now a non-white shirt is profane...OMG...REALLY??? In that condition they are easily drawn away from the Lord. They do not appreciate the value of what they have. I worry about them. Unless they can gain some understanding and capture some feeling for sacred things, they are at risk of eventually losing all that matters most. You are Saints of the great latter-day dispensation—look the part.”

This talk and this line of thinking is so F'ed up Like I said, I miss the days when a person was judged by the content of their character and not by the color of their shirt...

[_SteelHead]

The term "whited sepulchres" comes to mind.