LTT - E020 ⭐ - Discussing the Dress Code for the Friends and Workers with Special Guests!

[@sn0wgirl777]

The worst was trying to climb over the dining benches without exposing yourself.

[@prairiesky1144]

I came across this recently, "Help me, O Lord, that my eyes may be merciful, so that I may never suspect or judge from appearances, but look for what is beautiful in my neighbor's soul...."

[@HMJ2023]

Thank you for covering this subject ~~ Over the years, I began to realize that the dress code wasn’t biblical. I first asked workers about it & they were dishonest in their answers. Once telling me there isn’t a dress code. Another time an older female worker told me she’d never worn pants so she didn’t feel qualified to answer my questions. And I got the same, old, tired (non-biblical) line that I just needed to fit in. I prayed about the dress code for years, asking God to confirm that it was His will that women only wear dresses, long hair, no makeup, no jewelry, etc. I feel like the DB scandal has answered many questions for me. One thing has become clear, the workers are not unquestioningly led by by God nor is God speaking through them. I am so thankful for your help in searching the scriptures and getting to know God without the Workers & Friends’ filter.

[@jenelleeckel5799]

“If you can’t do it in a dress, you shouldn’t be doing it.” Then I shouldn’t be carrying my babies up stairs in a long skirt using both hands to keep them safe, and unable to hold up my skirt bc I had no free hands, and tripped with every freakin’ step. That’s when I quit wearing long, flowing skirts in my house. Sister wkrs showed up early once while I was still in my cleaning clothes/pants, and the look of shock on their faces, lol. So ridiculous!

[@daykasays2922]

I've got pics of a group of young women jumping on the trampoline in their long denim skirts. 😳🙄 Modesty?

[@seraphim_sounds]

It’s so messed up. It just sexualizes women & shames them into covering up at all times, & thinking that sexual assault & molestation is their fault. Thanks for covering this. I sure hope America doesn’t start demanding women dress modestly, etc. it’s so sick to me, controlling women in any manner.

[@nelliemcclain8921]

I remember asking about outdoor chores and pants. It was ok to wear pants WITH a skirt over the top???..thanks for this episode. Your wives are really good at the podcasting!!

[@MerissaAlink]

Must have been a comment from a man who couldn't possibly understand how cumbersome or what a tripping hazard that would be when trying to deal with livestock and chores! :)

[@kdenny-i6m]

My mother couldn’t get married in a white dress (1950’s). A white wedding dress was too worldly. When I had gotten married in the 1990’s, long wedding dresses were just becoming acceptable. Prior to that short was encouraged. A cousin purchased a long dress and had to cut it to just below the knees.

[@daykasays2922]

I wonder how long it took the woman with the alabaster box to take all the bobby pins out. Hang on Jesus, just a few more pins. Lol

[@davidalink]

😝

[@KimberlyShanley]

Basically, it’s all so ridiculous. For example, in traditional Viet Nam, the women wear pants and a tunic. It’s considered immodest to show your legs. I am just so thankful to be free! Free in Jesus!

[@seraphim_sounds]

If we stay that way in the USA. America is slowly becoming a Christian nationalist nation, on the fast track to women being forced to dress “modestly”, as they claim the Bible states.

[@carla2012app]

I was so joyous when I was delivered from this cult. None of my spiritual life depended on whether or not I wore a dress or pants. Didn't depend on whether or not I wore earrings, or lipstick. My salvation had nothing to do with these things. Free in Jesus--hallelujah! I wear what is appropriate for the activity I am doing. I was so grateful, and so humbled to learn that Jesus lived a sin free life in my stead, and died for every sin I ever did commit and would commit because I am a human being who is flawed----but loved unconditionally by a Loving God! I feel I can now live the life of purpose that he created me for. I am a musician----God made me with those talents, and I have developed the skills. I played fiddle as a 12 yr old (still do), but I had a worker tell me "playing your fiddle is going to take you to hell." I was questioning getting baptized, as I had professed around 11 or so. He was counseling me that he would not be able to baptize me if I continued playing this folk music. For a time, I laid my fiddle down and didn't play. Meanwhile, I continued my piano lessons, learning classically, played hymns and anything else that I wanted to. There didn't seem to be an issue with that. Just playing my jigs and reels on the fiddle was somehow going to take me to "hell." So much judgement in the "way." Little real love, care or concern. When I was a few weeks from my 15th birthday, my older sis and I were hit by a drunk driver who couldn't even stay on the road between the white lines. He was driving on the shoulder barely missing phone polls when he struck us. We were walking to gospel meeting with our mom, who thankfully, was several paces behind us, and had time to react by jumping behind a phone pole. We were not. My sis died, & I was critically injured. While many of the friends sent me cards, and little notes to encourage me over the 45 days I spent in the hospital in traction, and the next 6 weeks as I was home in a body cast, I think I can count 2 times the workers came to check on me, or talk with my bereaved mom. The 2 times they visited me, they really didn't talk much or even ask questions. There was no help at all for a 15 yr old to understand how to process all that had happened to her, changing her life for the future, nor how to deal with any of it. Over the years, I had to learn that myself. But, all that had happened in my life helped me to seek out the truth late in my 20's. My remaining sister and I heard about "The Secret Sect" through a newspaper article, and after a convention where we were getting the scales off our eyes, we together went to the bookstore mentioned in the paper and bought the book. She read it first, and then I and my husband did. She and I had also bought another Bible so we could read the Word through a new lens and not the one the workers used to indoctrinate. We started listening to Christian radio, and found out about a Christian Women's group that would meet for fellowship and lunch and enjoy a wonderful speaker who also helped us see everything in a different light. Where we just were thinking "The Way needs to have a reformation," we began to understand it was just systemically toxic, and we could not help by staying in it. We began to formulate our plan to leave----along with our husbands and kids. While we were still going to Sunday morning meeting, our prayers changed and our testimony changed. Later, we found out the workers were on to us, and defaming us among the friends and when we left, we were gossiped about, stories flew, and the workers told the elder of our meeting that if we should show up, the bread and wine should be moved immediately, and have us leave. We didn't return to find out if this action would be followed. After 40 yrs. I just found this out! It is so lovely to fellowship with believers anywhere and everywhere. We have been going to a mainline church for all these 40 yrs. now, and happy. My husband's mother went to this church and her prayer group had been praying for us for many years! I am so glad their prayers were answered. It was lovely to me, after never knowing the fellowship of another church, as I was born and raised in the Way, to find a group of Believers who not only had been praying for us, but welcomed us into the Church Family with open arms. I capitalized that, because the family of God is big, yet there is always room for another at the table!!!

[@christacarver8427]

I always felt it was a bit odd that men took so much pride in having wives and daughters that obeyed the dress code. And compliance is very drastically different than conviction but this church missed it altogether.

[@anthonyh2231]

Yeah! I can't wait to see this, nice surprise being at Marty's house! Louise

[@daykasays2922]

What was the deal of having long hair, that we were required to wear it tight to the head, to look like it was short?

[@kathypulse4509]

Thanks again for a great episode! So nice to see your wives join. Anxious for the next episode.

[@PeggyMason-m4q]

“Braiding” (embroidering-ish) was also referred to in history as intertwining gold and silver strands into the hair….royalty and status….

[@annhinz6326]

An interesting tidbit, on the shroud of Turin, it shows where some of the beard was pulled out.

[@GrannyRachel]

READ THE ENTIRE VERSE. First of all that is old testament law. Since Christ died for our sins, we are no longer under old testament laws. 2nd, read the entire verse. The 2nd half of the verse says you should not mix fabrics. So you can't wear wool and cotton and nylon and silk together.