For Appearance Sake

Rodin

This is the season when KM articles come out about how to dress and act at assemblies. This weeks Service Meeting discusses appropriate dress for sisters (not too low and not too high). The text for today is taken from 1 Samuel 16:7 "Not the way man sees is the way God sees." Watchtower comments that the prophet Samuel was commanded to go to the house of Jesse in order to anoint one of his son's to be the future king of Israel. Samuel was attracted to Jesse's firstborn (primogenitor) but his judging by appearance was wrong. The comment continues, "How easy it is for humans to err in their assessment of others! We may be taken in by individuals who are outwardly appealing... may be stern and unbending in our evaluation of sincere individuals whose personality traits annoy us."

Why is the Watchtower obsessed with appearance? Is it a form of social control? Things which they have no control are deemed "invisible" and things which detract from their neat/clean image they say never happened (invisibility). What are your minimusewque thoughts on the subject?

Englishman

Not too high, eh?

Hah!

When I was a callow youth ogling anything from La Lollo to Hayley Mills, there were very clear defining lines as to how short was too short as far as skirts were concerned.

The sister who was worried about her dress style was encouraged to kneel on the floor with the rest of her body bolt upright. If her skirt completely covered her kness, the back of her legs and her feet at the same time, then the skirt was judged as being neither too short or too tight.

Voila!

Englishman.

New Castles

Yes actually, telling people what to wear when combined with other things is a form of mind control.

check this out:

Regulation of individual's physical reality

a. Where, how and with whom the member lives and associates with
b. What clothes, colors, hairstyles the person wearsc. What food the person eats, drinks, adopts, and rejects
d. How much sleep the person is able to have
e. Financial dependence
f. Little or no time spent on leisure, entertainment, vacations
Heres the link incase you want to read more on the subject.
http://www.freedomofmind.com/resourcecenter/articles/BITE.htm

franklin J

dress codes are very much a part of Western Culture ( American and European).

I am expected to wear a business suit when dealing with clients.

I have to wear a jacket and tie at certain clubs I belong to or at certain restaurants. My wife must dress accordingly.

A visit to any of the great Cathedrals of Europe will show you that you must have certain attire ( men and women) in order to enter.

Certain clothing signifies rank in the socio economic ladder.

JWs do not have the market cornered on this issue.

Shutterbug

am expected to wear a business suit when dealing with clients

You can't believe how happy I am to be retired. .