Do not judge because of appearance

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

Stolen from the web

 

”See this old shirt? I wore it to my son’s first baseball game tonight.

Not because I wanted to, but because I had just gotten off work. I’m a welder.

Clothes don’t last long before they just catch on fire constantly.

Remember, I had just gotten off work in time to make it to my sons first ever baseball game.

Everyone was staring me up and down as if I was trash. Steady looking me up and down.

Yes, my shirt had holes in it. Because this shirt has caught fire more times than I can say. Along with every other shirt I work in.

What they don’t know, is this shirt also helped me pay bills and put food on the table.

Quit judging people by what they wear. I’m not poor and I’m not worthless.

I work for a living and all I have is work and bed time cloths and I’m the only one that sponsored my kids team.

 

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

I am reminded of some who criticized Zelinskyy because he did not wear a suit and tie when he spoke before Congress.

[J-BAR #18287]

8 minutes ago, Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 said:

I am reminded of some who criticized Zelinskyy because he did not wear a suit and tie when he spoke before Congress.

…and if he had worn a suit and tie, he would have been criticized for spending aid money on himself.

[Sixgun Seamus]

As soon as I read your post, this came to mind.

 

 

An Old Cowboy Attends Church

 

One Sunday morning an old cowboy entered a church just before services were to begin.  Although the old man and his clothes were very worn and ragged, in his hand he carried a worn old hat and an equally worn out old Bible.  The church he entered was in a very upscale and exclusive part of the city.  It was the largest and the most beautiful church the old cowboy had ever seen.  It had high cathedral ceilings, ornate statues, beautiful murals and stained glass windows, plush carpet and velvet like cushioned pews.  The building must have cost many millions of dollars to build and maintain.  The men, women and children of the congregation were all dressed in the finest and most expensive suits, dresses, shoes and jewelry the old cowboy had ever witnessed.  As the poorly dressed cowboy took a seat, the others moved away from him.  No one greeted him.  No one welcomed him.  No one offered a handshake.  No one spoke to him.  They were all appalled at his appearance and did not attempt to hide the fact.  There were many glances in his direction as the others frowned and commented among themselves about his shabby attire.  A few chuckles and giggles came from some of the younger members.  The preacher gave a long sermon about hell fire and brimstone and a stern lecture on how much money the church needed to do God's work.  When the offering plate was passed, thousands of dollars came pouring forth.  As soon as the service was over, the congregation hurried out; once again no one spoke or even nodded to the stranger in the ragged clothes and boots.  As the old cowboy was leaving the church, the preacher approached him.  Instead of welcoming him, the preacher asked the cowboy to do him favor.  "Before you come back in here again, have a talk with God and ask Him what He thinks would be appropriate attire for worshipping in this church," the old preacher said.

 

The cowboy assured the preacher he would do that and left.

 

The very next Sunday morning the old cowboy showed back up for the services, wearing the same ragged jeans, shirt, boots and hat.  Once again the congregation was appalled at his appearance.  He was completely shunned and ignored again.  The preacher noticed the man still wearing his ragged clothes, and boots, and instead of beginning his sermon, stepped down from the pulpit and walked over to where the man sat alone.  "I thought I asked you to speak to God before you came back to our church," the preacher said.  "I did," replied the cowboy.  "If you spoke to God, what did He tell you the proper attire should be for worshipping in here?" asked the preacher.  "Well sir," said the cowboy, "God told me that he wouldn't have the slightest idea what was appropriate attire for worshipping in your church, He says He's never even been in here."

[Subdeacon Joe]

41 minutes ago, Sixgun Seamus said:

As soon as I read your post, this came to mind.

 

 

An Old Cowboy Attends Church

 

One Sunday morning an old cowboy entered a church just before services were to begin.  Although the old man and his clothes were very worn and ragged, in his hand he carried a worn old hat and an equally worn out old Bible.  The church he entered was in a very upscale and exclusive part of the city.  It was the largest and the most beautiful church the old cowboy had ever seen.  It had high cathedral ceilings, ornate statues, beautiful murals and stained glass windows, plush carpet and velvet like cushioned pews.  The building must have cost many millions of dollars to build and maintain.  The men, women and children of the congregation were all dressed in the finest and most expensive suits, dresses, shoes and jewelry the old cowboy had ever witnessed.  As the poorly dressed cowboy took a seat, the others moved away from him.  No one greeted him.  No one welcomed him.  No one offered a handshake.  No one spoke to him.  They were all appalled at his appearance and did not attempt to hide the fact.  There were many glances in his direction as the others frowned and commented among themselves about his shabby attire.  A few chuckles and giggles came from some of the younger members.  The preacher gave a long sermon about hell fire and brimstone and a stern lecture on how much money the church needed to do God's work.  When the offering plate was passed, thousands of dollars came pouring forth.  As soon as the service was over, the congregation hurried out; once again no one spoke or even nodded to the stranger in the ragged clothes and boots.  As the old cowboy was leaving the church, the preacher approached him.  Instead of welcoming him, the preacher asked the cowboy to do him favor.  "Before you come back in here again, have a talk with God and ask Him what He thinks would be appropriate attire for worshipping in this church," the old preacher said.

 

The cowboy assured the preacher he would do that and left.

 

The very next Sunday morning the old cowboy showed back up for the services, wearing the same ragged jeans, shirt, boots and hat.  Once again the congregation was appalled at his appearance.  He was completely shunned and ignored again.  The preacher noticed the man still wearing his ragged clothes, and boots, and instead of beginning his sermon, stepped down from the pulpit and walked over to where the man sat alone.  "I thought I asked you to speak to God before you came back to our church," the preacher said.  "I did," replied the cowboy.  "If you spoke to God, what did He tell you the proper attire should be for worshipping in here?" asked the preacher.  "Well sir," said the cowboy, "God told me that he wouldn't have the slightest idea what was appropriate attire for worshipping in your church, He says He's never even been in here."

 

That reminds me of

One Sunday Metropolitan Anthony Bloom gave a sermon as follows:

 

‘Last night a woman with a child came to this church. She was in trousers and with no headscarf. Someone scolded her. She left. I do not know who did that, but I am commanding that person to pray for her and her child to the end of his days to God for their salvation. Because of you she may never go to church again.’

 

He turned around, head down, and entered the Altar. That was the entire sermon.”One Sunday Metropolitan Anthony Bloom gave a sermon as follows:

 

‘Last night a woman with a child came to this church. She was in trousers and with no headscarf. Someone scolded her. She left. I do not know who did that, but I am commanding that person to pray for her and her child to the end of his days to God for their salvation. Because of you she may never go to church again.’

 

He turned around, head down, and entered the Altar. That was the entire sermon.”

 

[irish ike, SASS #43615]

I'm not extremely familiar with the bible. But I don't recall it saying anywhere what the proper attire is to attend and give praise. Nor does it say anything about building architectural edifices to god. The money would be better spent helping those in need.

[ShadowCatcher]

52 minutes ago, irish ike, SASS #43615 said:

I'm not extremely familiar with the bible. But I don't recall it saying anywhere what the proper attire is to attend and give praise. Nor does it say anything about building architectural edifices to god. The money would be better spent helping those in need.

Agree about the clothes.  Some of the rationale for the edifices was to inspire the downtrodden, the poor, and those without hope; to give a vision of the glory of the afterlife.  The money instead once spent would be gone and possibly never return, without solving the problem.  As an edifice it continues to function both as a house of worship and helps inspire the rich to keep giving money, which in turn is used to help the poor - i.e. it is a revenue generator.  I've been to tiny churches in the fields, with barely room for 12 adults, and to Cathedrals you could play soccer in, and found both to be sincere houses of worship.  Can't say as much about the mega-churches of the new holy rollers on TV though.

 

YMMV

 

SC

 

[Canton Chris]

That shirt looks pretty comfortable!

[Subdeacon Joe]

1 hour ago, irish ike, SASS #43615 said:

I'm not extremely familiar with the bible. But I don't recall it saying anywhere what the proper attire is to attend and give praise. Nor does it say anything about building architectural edifices to god. The money would be better spent helping those in need.

 

In the Old Testament there are details of the plans David made for the temple Solomon built.  And one of the Psalms, "Lord I have loved the beauty of Thy house, and the place where They glory dwelleth."

 

In the New Testament we have the parable about the wedding guest who was thrown out because he didn't have appropriate clothes.

[DocWard]

https://wcti12.com/news/offbeat/photo-of-kentucky-coal-miner-taking-son-to-basketball-game-after-work-goes-viral-wildcats-head-coach-john-calipari-excel-mining-michael-mcguire-wife-molie-rupp-arena-vip-tickets-blue-white

Best I could do from my phone today.

[Eyesa Horg]

That's pretty much what stopped me from going. Got tired of the looks from the nose in the air high and mighty. Unfortunately I had to work 7 days a week then and fancy dancy cloths were the last thing I was buying. Church seemed to become a place for the fortunate to show off their clothing and possessions and look down on the lesser folks. They can keep it. Been in those buildings since for weddings and funerals, otherwise, they aren't my kind of folks. Apologies if anyone is offended. 

[Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619]

The holey shirt is made up; love those internet apocrypha....

 

As far as churches are concerned, people who are believers have always gathered in buildings for worship services. True of most religions. Human beings build buildings for living, work, and getting together for any reason.

 

It's hardly a puzzle or a mystery that needs much explanation. Lots of folks want such places to  be nice places, and are willing to give their own money for the purpose.

[Trailrider #896]

Wonder how some of these people would react if a guy with long hair, beard, dressed in a long flowing robe, who spoke Aramaic walked in? 

[Subdeacon Joe]

3 minutes ago, Trailrider #896 said:

Wonder how some of these people would react if a guy with long hair, beard, dressed in a long flowing robe, who spoke Aramaic walked in? 

 

Well, except for the Aramaic

 

 

[Buckshot Bear]

A welder who wears a T shirt while

welding? 

[Alpo]

When I was a kid, Daddy wore a suit to church. Mama wore a dress with high heels. Us three boys wore slacks and sport coats and neckties and shiny leather shoes.

 

You got dressed up to go to church. You were showing respect for the church.

 

The generation before mine had a term - Sunday go to meeting clothes. You had the bib overalls and raggedy undershirts and mule crap covered work boots that you worked in all week. And then you had your good clothes that you went to church in. To show respect for the church.

 

Nobody does that anymore.

 

I quit going to church many many years ago, but I will see people as I drive by a church on Sunday. Bib overalls. Flannel shirts. Shorts, tank tops and flip-flops. That shows respect neither for the church nor for them.

[sassnetguy50]

1 hour ago, Buckshot Bear said:

A welder who wears a T shirt while

welding? 

Yes, the shop gets very hot, 100F with high humidity.   Wear long welding gloves and a helmet.  

[Buckshot Bear]

20 minutes ago, sassnetguy50 said:

Yes, the shop gets very hot, 100F with high humidity.   Wear long welding gloves and a helmet.  

 

And has a very good skin specialist. 

[John Kloehr]

1 hour ago, Alpo said:

You got dressed up to go to church. You were showing respect for the church.

Folks used to dress up to get on an airplane too, but that was before my time.

 

I do get the sentiment of Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes, but I also have never felt as close to God in any building as I do in the middle of a forest any day of the week.

 

The reason why kind of relates to the opening story. The reason also takes a bit more than a paragraph or two to convey. May be easier to just go stand in a forest to feel it.

[Rip Snorter]

The one that really bugs me is when for some occasion my Wife & I go to a really fancy restaurant.  We are in good Western Dress Clothes and most of the time are the best dressed couple in the place.  Behavior, manners and dress sort of go together, so the general run of all three detracts from what was supposed to be a specially good experience.

[Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438]

8 minutes ago, John Kloehr said:

Folks used to dress up to get on an airplane too, but that was before my time.

 

I do get the sentiment of Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes, but I also have never felt as close to God in any building as I do in the middle of a forest any day of the week.

 

The reason why kind of relates to the opening story. The reason also takes a bit more than a paragraph or two to convey. May be easier to just go stand in a forest to feel it.

  

I feel that way sitting in a tree stand before sunrise; that has become one of my preferred times to communicate with the Almighty.

 

LL

[Blackwater 53393]

2 hours ago, Buckshot Bear said:

A welder who wears a T shirt while

welding? 

Yep!!  It’s sometimes a hundred degrees in my shop on a bad day!  If I’m not welding “overhead” I’m wearing a pocket T-shirt!  My arms get dark in the summer and sometimes I do some pretty wild gyrations when a hot glede drops off in my pocket, but the shirt is usually soaked with sweat and the holes happen without ever being felt!!

[Buckshot Bear]

14 minutes ago, Blackwater 53393 said:

Yep!!  It’s sometimes a hundred degrees in my shop on a bad day!  If I’m not welding “overhead” I’m wearing a pocket T-shirt!  My arms get dark in the summer and sometimes I do some pretty wild gyrations when a hot glede drops off in my pocket, but the shirt is usually soaked with sweat and the holes happen without ever being felt!!

 

The fella' in the original post supposedly wears a T shirt full time at work welding (I call BS) but it makes for a good internet 'anecdote' .....again, if it was true I hope he has a good skin specialist who specialises in skin cancer.

[Blackwater 53393]

I can’t speak to the white robe or the Aramaic, but I can certainly relate to the long hair and beard situation.  I was just out of high school and had grown my hair and beard to well past shoulder length. I was in a band and making good money, both with the band and in my “day job”. I had VERY nice clothes, including a tailored three piece suit.  
 

I had been gigging or racing on most weekends and had not attended my usual place of worship in several months. On this particular Sunday morning, I went to church with my folks. I got several of those “WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE” looks from some of the “regulars.

 

After the service, I headed for the doors with everyone else. As I reached the exit, one of the deacons cornered me. “You know that all these people with long hair and beards are going to Hell, don’t you?” he said.

 

My mother was standing nearby and she heard my reply. I said, “Deacon, the scripture says to judge not or so you shall be judged! If I end up in Hell, I’ll order you up a beer when I get there!!”  I shook his hand and smiled and I told my mom that I would never darken the door of that place again.

 

A few years later, we’d moved to another part of the state and I decided to try a church again. I no longer had all those nice clothes because I had quit the music business and gone to strictly racing on the weekends. 
 

I wore a very new pair of bib overalls and a nice dress shirt.  I had on a brand new pair of lace up boots.  We were living out in the country.

 

Nobody said anything to me about the way I was dressed, but I heard what they said to each other.

 

That was the last time I ever attended a church service. Been to weddings and funerals in a church, but never a worship service.  I do my worship where I am and don’t need a building or a bunch of people to make it right with the Lord.

[Blackwater 53393]

13 minutes ago, Buckshot Bear said:

 

The fella' in the original post supposedly wears a T shirt full time at work welding (I call BS) but it makes for a good internet 'anecdote' .....again, if it was true I hope he has a good skin specialist who specialises in skin cancer.

You can call BS all you want to, but I have welded for sixty years, (my dad started teaching me to weld when I turned ten years old) in a T-shirt or a short sleeve uniform shirt. Never had any indication of cancer or anything more serious than a superficial blister or two except for a piece of one inch steel plate that burned through the top of my work boot and seared a spot on the top of my foot when I torched a hole in the plate.

 

Overhead welding, I use a welding jacket and a hood. Otherwise, it’s a T-shirt and jeans.

[Subdeacon Joe]

4 minutes ago, Blackwater 53393 said:

I wore a very new pair of bib overalls and a nice dress shirt.  I had on a brand new pair of lace up boots.

 

You would have fit right in in the parish we go to.  Men in everything from jeans, sneakers, and T-shirt to suits.  One young man even wears his Bonny Prince Charlie kilt.  Women in jeans and flannel shirt to peasant skirt and blouse with head scarf, to nice dresses, some with head coverings, some without.  The Eritrean women, many of them wear their traditional garb. 

 

Doesn't matter just so long as it's reasonably modest and clean.

[Rip Snorter]

2 minutes ago, Blackwater 53393 said:

You can call BS all you want to, but I have welded for sixty years, (my dad started teaching me to weld when I turned ten years old) in a T-shirt or a short sleeve uniform shirt. Never had any indication of cancer or anything more serious than a superficial blister or two except for a piece of one inch steel plate that burned through the top of my work boot and seared a spot on the top of my foot when I torched a hole in the plate.

 

Overhead welding, I use a welding jacket and a hood. Otherwise, it’s a T-shirt and jeans.

Well, if those nasty church folk were right, you're good to go! 

[The Shoer 27979]

All my t-shirts ended up like that after about 9 month, didn't  mater if they were hi end t shirts or cheap ones. Between being a carpenter and a horseshoes who did a lot of welding my shirt look like that

 

 My wife would get so mad at me because as she said she did nothing but buy me t shirts

[Painted Mohawk SASS 77785]

Yep people are a-oles' sometimes, saw a young fella in the shopping mall the other day, grease & stains all over him with his family beside him, you could clearly see he'd been to work but everyone had a good stare, I say up 'em..it was late in the day & probably just finished work, not everyone feels the need to look splendiferous .

On a side note imagine the looks I get as a  70 yo bloke with head tatts & 'Mohawk..stuff em'!!

[Subdeacon Joe]

I do find it somewhat ironic that so many people who say something like, "Well, I went to a church dressed like/had (fill in the blank). and they all stared at me so I haven't set foot in one since" go on to label all sects and all parishes nothing but dens of judgemental hypocrites. 

Yeah, we ain't perfect.  But church is like a hospital, you go there to be healed, not because you're not sick.  Some of us take all our lives to heal up.  Some of us just stumble along, trying to stand up when we fall, and trust in the mercy of God.

[The Shoer 27979]

7 minutes ago, Painted Mohawk SASS 77785 said:

Yep people are a-oles' sometimes, saw a young fella in the shopping mall the other day, grease & stains all over him with his family beside him, you could clearly see he'd been to work but everyone had a good stare, I say up 'em..it was late in the day & probably just finished work, not everyone feels the need to look splendiferous .

On a side note imagine the looks I get as a  70 yo bloke with head tatts & 'Mohawk..stuff em'!!

Mohawk I quit judging  people in dirty close that just got off work or something similar. 

Whan I was shoeing horse full time. Some of my customers would wash down there horses legs if they were muddy and never dry them off. By the time I finished shoeing or trimming it look like I passed my pants. At the point I just didn't  care what somebody look like

[The Shoer 27979]

3 minutes ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

 Some of us just stumble along, trying to stand up when we fall, and trust in the mercy of God.

That has been me my whole life Joe. Picking myself back up everything I fell or got knocked down, sometime with sometime without help

[Blackwater 53393]

1 hour ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

I do find it somewhat ironic that so many people who say something like, "Well, I went to a church dressed like/had (fill in the blank). and they all stared at me so I haven't set foot in one since" go on to label all sects and all parishes nothing but dens of judgemental hypocrites. 

Yeah, we ain't perfect.  But church is like a hospital, you go there to be healed, not because you're not sick.  Some of us take all our lives to heal up.  Some of us just stumble along, trying to stand up when we fall, and trust in the mercy of God.

 

Don’t get me wrong, SDJ! I’m not downing any faith or even organized religion in general!  I know that those people were wrong and that they don’t reflect the churches in general.

 

What I took away from my experiences is that I don’t need a building or a bunch of other people to worship in or with.  I give thanks and seek devine help every day in my own way and usually out in the Lord’s own creation!

 

I know that there are those who need the structure and the support that they get in an organized environment. I support them and their choice and faith.

 

On the other hand, I have a truly wonderful base of support and when my own faith is challenged, I have good people to turn to to help me back to where I need to be.

[Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619]

I see a lot of religious observance as directed, in the context of belief. If you are an adherent of a religion, in my own case Christianity, you do some things not because you have arrived at the conclusion that they are good ideas, or that you like them, but because the tenets of the faith call for them.

 

I certainly get that one's presence out in God's creation, such as in the mountains and upon the seas, can be a spiritual experience. I have felt this many times, and at 74 I still backpack in Summer , and XC into the mountains in Winter. But this does not take the place of worship within the community of believers, something that has gone on since the beginning.

 

I'm a bit leery of rational explanations, as well as individual conclusions. One gets asked by doubters: why do you pray? To me, the answer is simple: because we are commanded to pray. Likewise, why do you fast, why do you go to church, etc.

 

Just my point of view.

[Subdeacon Joe]

23 minutes ago, Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 said:

and XC into the mountains

 

Laughing at myself.  Knowing that you are Orthodox I had to blink at the "XC" and wonder where the rest of the Christogram was and what it had to do with going into the mountains.   Then I realized it means cross country