swifty@fluke.UUCP (steve swift) (10/01/84)
"What a revelation it was, to discover so many ordinary people in a
place together, more conscious of God than of one another: not to show off
their hats or their clothes, but to pray, or at least to fulfill a religious
obligation, not a human one. For even those who might have been there for no
better motive than that they were obliged to be, were at least free from any of
the self-conscious and human constraint which is never absent from a Protestant
church where people are definitely gathered together as people, as neighbors,
and always have at least half an eye for one another, if not all of both eyes."
Thomas Merton, from "The Seven Storey Mountain"
We,as a community, are in the church building to worship God. If the externals
of clothing and surroundings disturb us, then I suggest we examine our
relationship with God. I, for one, welcome the chance to share with others, no
matter how they are dressed.
--
Steven Swift (206) 356-5278
John Fluke Mfg. Co.
P.O. Box C9090 Everett WA 98206
{uw-beaver,decvax!microsof,ucbvax!lbl-csam,allegra,ssc-vax}!fluke!swiftysdyer@bbncca.ARPA (Steve Dyer) (10/06/84)
Yes, I agree. I have always thought that those who would judge another
person's dress or appearance when they joined together in worship are
guilty of presuming of what is in that person's heart, a judgement better
left to God.
--
/Steve Dyer
{decvax,linus,ima,ihnp4}!bbncca!sdyer
sdyer@bbncca.ARPA