Not your usual garments question

[Anonymous]

Thanks Pinkpatent for your prayers.

Your idea sounds good too for what you need. Let’s start a garment revolution! hehe

[Anonymous]

I absolutely love this discussion. Every discussion I have witnessed in Mormondom about G’s is so black and white. Although I grew up with family all wearing them as proscribed I never liked them. I remember an aunt bragging that since going to the temple for the first time she had never completely taken off her G’s for bathing or anything (xoxoxo too????). I was a wee lad at the time and maybe heard wrong, but that’s what I remember.

My wife, a convert, and temple worker for 25 years has an interesting attitude about them. Her guide is to wear them so they are comfortable and comforting. That means that around the house in the summer she often doesn’t sleep with them and will tarry in the nude through much of the day sans G’s. (We live in the south where it is hot and humid, and choose not to crank up the A/C in our less than air-tight house) As for myself, I love running around in the warmer months just wearing shorts, only dawning a T-shirt if I’m going in a store. But I’ll work in the yard, get gas, or jog without a shirt. The interview question is “do you wear them day and night?” to which I can answer affirmatively.

I do have one question. I remember hearing that during the Vietnam War soldiers stationed there were told they could simply cut out the markings and put them in their wallets, because the heat was so repressive. I have not been able to confirm that since. Has anyone heard anything similar to this?

[Anonymous]

First time I heard that Vietnam G story. It doesn’t seem like that would be an official Church policy … but it certainly doesn’t bother me. I don’t think they had military Gs back then (could be mistaken). I was in the Army from 1992-1996, and I had official brown military Gs. The tops looked almost exactly like the regular uniform t-shirt everyone else wore (except of course having markings sewn in). So in that case, it would not have mattered. It was a normal part of everyone’s uniform regardless of heat or humidity.

[Anonymous]

From what I’ve read mainly in the book “The mystery of godliness” by Burger (sorry no solid page references) understanding and use of the garment has changed drastically since being first introduced. As I’m sure you already know Joseph & Hyrum Smith were both not wearing their garments at the time of their martyrdom and the belief of garments providing actual physical protection, in my view at least, developed from this incident where Williard Richards, who was wearing his garments, escaped unscathed from the attackers. After this event many members circulated the idea that Richard’s garments were the saving mechanism and daily use of the temple garment began (before this time garments were mainly only used when going to the temple). Even up until the early 1900s people were allowed, with their local bishops permission, to create their own garments as long as they followed some general principles. I have even talked to some older members who remember their parents sewing their garments together. As far as I’m concerned I also don’t take a literal view of the temple (or much in the way of religion for that matter) in anyway, shape or form, and the garment is purily symbolic in nature and wearing it should help you to remember the symbolism (which honestly talking to the majority of people out their they don’t have a clue as to what the actual symbolism means). There is spiritual power through actual understanding of the symbols not some magic mystical force field that protects the wearers from stray bullets and car crashes. As far as creating your own garments, I’m certain if anyone in the mainstream LDS community found out you were doing it I’m certain they’d have a fit, but as far as I’m concerned beehive clothing shouldn’t be the only distributor and hold a monopoloy of these uncomfortable misunderstood religious symbolism

[Anonymous]

How would anyone know. If you are comfortable with it and it works for you then go for it. I have read somewhere that to meet the requirements for military underwear they have the emblems that can be ironed on the inside so they are not visible from the outside.

I am no longer an active member and my Bis asked for my TR when I told him I no longer belived in God, but I still give my son blessing when he is sick. I dare say no one is going to come into my home and tell me I can not do that. Their your underwear, do what you wish to them and live your own life.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the encouragement. I have a terrible habit of doing whatever I feel like doing, so it doesn’t really trouble me. It usually just gets me in trouble . I still haven’t gotten around to it, hehe. So I am a half-G wearer to none at the moment on most days.

I think I am a little bit odd in my reconciliation of my faith and the temple, but I actually find far *MORE* value in the symbols and metaphor going through my faith transition. I find deep connection with philosophers who have used and pondered a lot of the same symbolism for thousands of years. People become distanced thinking that JS copied a few elements from the Masons … well the Masons copied these things from some of the greatest thinkers on life and meaning in all of humanity IMO. So I see it a lot as a modern re-use and re-purposing of the greatest questions of all time, ones that have been pondered since humans started looking around and asking “why.”

The whole thing gives me a deep feeling of connection with other brother and sister ponderers throughout the ages.

[Anonymous]

Brian,

I have been reading a lot of your posts and I am learning a lot from you. Garments are very much a personal decision. I keep thinking about this when it comes to doctrine. I doubt that God would have any issue with you making your own garments church approved or not. One think I find very exciting about the journey I’m on is the idea that I have a personal relationship with God. In other words, why not try it and see how you feel. If it works for you wonderful. If not, well you have your answer.

[Anonymous]

I was going to bring up the Law and Order episode, but Hawkgrrrl beat me to it. IIRC one of the cops noticed that the symbols were drawn in with a sharpie and said mainstream Mormons don’t do that. So with that in mind, it’s probably a good idea to make yours as close to the real thing as possible so people don’t mistake you for a fundie.

[Anonymous]

Since I have yet to go to the temple I am not much help in answering your question, sorry. However I couldn’t help but want to respond to the comment

Quote:

There is spiritual power through actual understanding of the symbols not some magic mystical force field that protects the wearers from stray bullets and car crashes.

Not saying the force is mystical or anything but I personally know people who their garments literally provided them a protection from injury. Let me share an example, when I was getting ready to start 6th grade (it was the week before school was to start), the building maintenance crew was going through doing they’re last final check and lighting the furnance before school started. Well the one maintenace guy who happened to be in our ward, went back to light the furnance. When he did so an explosion errupted! It created a fire ball that burned through the halls in the school and caused GREAT damaged to the school and imparticular to this man. When the ambulance came and they got him transfered to the burn unit they started the clean up and realized that majority of his body had sustained 3rd degree burns, with the exception of where he wore his garments. He sustained some minimal burns in those areas but nothing of a serious nature.

Not saying this is always the case or that even things like this happen ALL the time, but from this experience I feel that there is definitely some physical protection that can be had purely through wearing the garments…

[Anonymous]

Thanks for sharing that account. I also have enough experiences with the miraculous that I don’t discount it at all when it happens. I just don’t extrapolate it to all – or claim to understand why it happens to some and not others.

I believe the real issue comes when someone does extrapolate an exceptional experience into a norm – with the attendant tendency to start thinking those who have exceptional experiences do so because THEY are exceptional. I prefer to say, “I don’t doubt such things occur, but I also know that I don’t understand why.”

[Anonymous]

This is an older thread, but I was watching a video with Dr. Ted Lyon, who explained that the marks were often sewn into the garments at home, back in the early 1900’s. Check out the video at roughly 15:00 in. http://www.youtube.com/v/EJKLELq8Dno&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&feature=player_embedded&fs=1

[Anonymous]

Yeowww! That was painful to listen to. Very funny.

[Anonymous]

I remember that incident. I’m glad they don’t make garments like that anymore! 😯

[Author]

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