Friday, December 14, 2012

On women wearing pants in church


While this flap about LDS feminists protesting by wearing pants at church continues, I thought I would share what you might call “philosophies of men mingled with scripture.”  Or maybe it’s “philosophies of women,” since I happen to be female…

Man looketh on the outward pants but the Lord looketh on the heart.  (Michaela Stephens translation of 1 Samuel 16:7)

Pants are deceitful, and skirts are vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.  (Michaela Stephens translation of Proverbs 31:30)

This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines commandments about pants and skirts.  (Michaela Stephens translation of Matthew 15:8-9)

Ye judge after the pants; I judge no man.  (Michaela Stephens translation of John 8:15)

For if there come unto your assembly a women with a gold ring in goodly skirts, and there come in also a woman in pants;
And ye have respect to her that weareth the skirt, and say unto her, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the other, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:
Are ye not then partial in yourselves and are become judges of evil thoughts? (Michaela Stephens translation of James 2:2-4)

Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of pants, or of putting on of skirts;
But let it be the hidden women of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. (Michaela Stephens translation of 1 Peter 3:3-4)

That is all.  

Move along folks, move along, nothing to see here..

2 comments:

Becky Rose said...

brilliant!

Michaela Stephens said...

Thanks.

I suppose this post could be taken as unsympathetic to both sides of the pants debate, but it just seems blown out of all proportion.
1) You can't force priesthood to be given, since coercion is contrary to the powers of heaven.
2) If you have a specific problem with someone, you have to take it up with that person first, not with the general membership of the church. That's in the New Testament.
3) Someone wearing pants may be protesting, but they also may have other reasons for it that don't have anything to do with protest, so there is no call to make assumptions if we see it.
4) Sure, we want to maintain standards of dress in the church, but we only have control of ourselves and family members in our stewardship. We know we should teach correct principles and allow others to govern themselves.
5) If I'm getting all hot and bothered about someone wearing pants, I'm allowing my thoughts to be diverted from more important concerns, such as the worship of God.