I recall a few years ago traveling to SLC to visit family. While there, we made an unanticipated visit to the temple. Having not expected this temple trip, I hadn’t packed any “church clothes” or “Sunday dress,” as they expect to be worn when entering. I borrowed clothes from my father and brother, but neither had shoes my size. I wore black Converse All-Stars, so I assumed this would be sufficient if I dressed “appropriately” otherwise.
After entering and renting temple clothes, I was stopped by a temple worker. He was soft-spoken and polite, but firmly suggested that if I was to be coming to the house of the Lord, I should be wearing something more appropriate than tennis shoes.
This irked me. He had not asked and therefore did not know that I was visiting from out of town, and that the impromptu nature of our temple visit hadn’t afforded me any opportunity to obtain more “appropriate” shoes, though I’d succeeded with the rest of the garb. He apparently had not also considered other possible explanations for my shoes. For instance, what if I was too poor to afford more than one pair of shoes? Should I not be coming to the temple because my poverty prevented “appropriate” attire? He made no inquiry as to why I only had tennis shoes, he only told me they were inappropriate.
How is this not utterly ironic?
When we wear “Sunday dress,” we are purportedly dressing up for the Lord, to show Him respect. Yet we have statements from scripture—which we claim originates from Him—that decry such behavior:
“And he began to be lifted up in the pride of his heart, and to wear very costly apparel, yea, and even began to establish a church after the manner of his preaching.” — Alma 1:6
“And it came to pass in the eighth year of the reign of the judges, that the people of the church began to wax proud, because of their exceeding riches, and their fine silks, and their fine-twined linen, and because of their many flocks and herds, and their gold and their silver, and all manner of precious things, which they had obtained by their industry; and in all these things were they lifted up in the pride of their eyes, for they began to wear very costly apparel.” — Alma 4:6
“And now my beloved brethren, I say unto you, can ye withstand these sayings; yea, can ye lay aside these things, and trample the Holy One under your feet; yea, can ye be puffed up in the pride of your hearts; yea, will ye still persist in the wearing of costly apparel and setting your hearts upon the vain things of the world, upon your riches?” — Alma 5:53
“Behold, O God, they cry unto thee, and yet their hearts are swallowed up in their pride. Behold, O God, they cry unto thee with their mouths, while they are puffed up, even to greatness, with the vain things of the world. Behold, O my God, their costly apparel, and their ringlets, and their bracelets, and their ornaments of gold, and all their precious things which they are ornamented with; and behold, their hearts are set upon them, and yet they cry unto thee and say—We thank thee, O God, for we are a chosen people unto thee, while others shall perish.” — Alma 31:27-28 (Alma lamenting the Zoramites’ condition)
“And now, in this two hundred and first year there began to be among them those who were lifted up in pride, such as the wearing of costly apparel, and all manner of fine pearls, and of the fine things of the world.” — 4 Nephi 1:24
“And I know that ye do walk in the pride of your hearts; and there are none save a few only who do not lift themselves up in the pride of their hearts, unto the wearing of very fine apparel, unto envying, and strifes, and malice, and persecutions, and all manner of iniquities; and your churches, yea, even every one, have become polluted because of the pride of your hearts. For behold, ye do love money, and your substance, and your fine apparel, and the adorning of your churches, more than ye love the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted.” — Mormon 8:36-37
So to respect the Lord, we choose to go precisely against what He has taught us? To act in direct alignment with what He condemns? Would it not be more respectful of God to heed what He has to say about fine apparel? To learn from the failures of those who have succumbed to its siren calls?
When we look to the scriptures to see what they say about the apparel of the righteous, we find the opposite behavior:
“And they did impart of their substance, every man according to that which he had, to the poor, and the needy, and the sick, and the afflicted; and they did not wear costly apparel, yet they were neat and comely.” — Alma 1:27
Did Isaiah not spend a good portion of a chapter lamenting the focus on fine apparel and physical appearance exhibited by the daughters of Zion (Isaiah 3:16-24)? Did Nephi not choose to repeat this very content for us (2 Nephi 13:16-24)?
Did Alma not lament and correct the false understanding that coarse or otherwise not-fine apparel should prevent one from entering a place of worship and worshipping God (Alma 32)?
If you have money to blow on fine apparel, rather than only affording modest apparel, is it possible you qualify as rich? At least within the context of being able to grind upon the face of the poor with your riches? By parading your fine apparel before them, as they wear modest apparel or even apparel described as sackcloth?
If a person mentally relates their own respect for God with the clothing they wear when going to worship Him, how exactly do they prevent themselves from looking upon those who dress to a lower quality as respecting God less? And if they apparently respect God less, how could they hope to be as righteous as those who show Him more apparel-based respect? Is this not a seedling of pride?
If the scriptures do not teach a dress code for worship or living the gospel, it is inappropriate to fabricate one and claim it is essential or important. If a certain dress code is actually condemned in scripture, how is it not sinful to preach, practice and enforce it?
