Modesty At Religious Services - Page 6

[Tradd]

Something rather ironic (and amusing, given the situation) happened recently at my church that nicely illustrates the casual but modest vs. dressed up but immodest divide.

A woman in her late 50s - a member's SO, but not a member herself, but we see her 1-2 Sundays a month - has publicly chewed out at least one woman (a member) for dressing casually (nice t-shirt and dressier jeans). This woman (the one doing the chewing out) is western European and always dresses very sharp - think of an outfit for a *very* nice dinner out - but inappropriate for an Orthodox church: tight and low cut on the top, with tight and very short skirts. What I find rather amusing about the whole situation - she's living with the parish member who is her SO, which has resulted in him being denied all access to the sacraments until he either stops living with her or marries her.

There seems to be something of the European thinking that Americans are too casual in this situation, but I'll take decent looking casual over dressed up but immodest just about any day - aside from a wedding/funeral.

[purplepaperclip]

Originally Posted by Tradd

Something rather ironic (and amusing, given the situation) happened recently at my church that nicely illustrates the casual but modest vs. dressed up but immodest divide.

A woman in her late 50s - a member's SO, but not a member herself, but we see her 1-2 Sundays a month - has publicly chewed out at least one woman (a member) for dressing casually (nice t-shirt and dressier jeans). This woman (the one doing the chewing out) is western European and always dresses very sharp - think of an outfit for a *very* nice dinner out - but inappropriate for an Orthodox church: tight and low cut on the top, with tight and very short skirts. What I find rather amusing about the whole situation - she's living with the parish member who is her SO, which has resulted in him being denied all access to the sacraments until he either stops living with her or marries her.

There seems to be something of the European thinking that Americans are too casual in this situation, but I'll take decent looking casual over dressed up but immodest just about any day - aside from a wedding/funeral.

How is the bolded amusing?

[smeisnotapirate]

Originally Posted by suebee79

How is the bolded amusing?

It's amusing because in many faiths, living with and having relations with a person you aren't married to is considered a grave sin, which makes you ineligible (sp?) for any of the sacraments. You have essentially cut yourself off from the sacraments (and the religion) by your actions, so her chewing out a perfectly good person with "dressed casually" as their only visible "sin" is VERY ironic, as she is not herself participating in the sacraments.

[Tradd]

Originally Posted by smeisnotapirate

It's amusing because in many faiths, living with and having relations with a person you aren't married to is considered a grave sin, which makes you ineligible (sp?) for any of the sacraments. You have essentially cut yourself off from the sacraments (and the religion) by your actions, so her chewing out a perfectly good person with "dressed casually" as their only visible "sin" is VERY ironic, as she is not herself participating in the sacraments.

Not only that, but the woman who did the chewing out is *not* Orthodox and as a result, not a member of the parish. She's only there maybe 1-2 Sundays a month. Her SO is a member of the parish, and the one denied access to the sacraments, due to their living together. She's not Orthodox, so can't partake of any of the sacraments (we have closed Communion) anyway (aside from being married in the Orthodox Church to her Orthodox SO, if she is Christian. I'm not sure if she's even a Christian, at least not a practicing one. Given her native country, she could be either Catholic or Protestant).