brainisengaged said:
bgwilkinson, just to be clear, my husband also teaches "A" Sunday School, and is in building P every Sunday. Those girls standing around in the hallway are not HB girls, nor are they "A" Sunday School girls. They are most welcome no matter what they are wearing, but you and I both know that the moment an HB girl shows up to Sunday School wearing pants, well...I cannot even imagine what would happen. I am certain she would be ushered into a restroom, hidden from anyone's sight, a skirt would be found somewhere and she would be made to put it on. I am also positive that no lady adult Sunday School teacher would show up in pants. So the fact that you saw a lot of visiting girls / bus kids milling around wearing pants before their opening SS assembly is not proof that things are changing at FBC.
Yes I was at a grocery store and saw a very upper level deacon's wife wearing pants and grocery shopping with her husband. I know it happens. She looked very elegant and ladylike, by the way. But you know she would never dare show up to church like that.
Myself, I submit to the Baptist Burka but not because I believe the Bible teaches a woman is supposed to be garbed in an ankle length skirt at all times. I submit because my husband admits the Bible might not teach it but he can't get over his own feeling that ladies must wear skirts at all times. So I do.
Of course I knew those were some that many view with a jaundiced eye. I believe they are ladies and I will treat them with courtesy and deference regardless of the way they are clothed. I completely oppose any type of spiritual caste system. All believers have the right to believe what they will, based on the Bible and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. They have the right to dress the way they want to dress.
I come from a family that holds very conservative standards for ladies dress. My mom could not believe how short the dresses were on the ladies at FBCH in the 60s, she thought they were hussys and looked like harlots if they showed any part of their legs.
My mom had never wore anything but a floor length dress. For my daughters we allowed dresses a little shorter than floor length. Our family standards have always been higher than FBCH. I taught modesty and decorum to my daughters and propriately to my sons.
My daughters can now dress as they want, funny thing is they still dress as modestly as when they lived in my house. Now their husbands are in charge, but it is up to them not the pastor or a spiritual leader how their wives dress.
It is not my business how ladies outside my family dress. They must answer to
God and in every way have the right to decide for themselves how to dress.
I am a convinced Baptist who believes strongly in Soul Liberty.
You are quite correct, it is not an unusual occurrence to see deacons or church staff wives in other than dresses. Do I care? No. It is not my concern.
They can dress as they wish.
If I ever meet you in church I will treat you with kindness and deference even if you're not in a long floor length dress like my mom used to wear. And I won't think you're a hussy.
