March 26, 2010

The Big G


Sorry for the Big Letter titles lol.

So this question is a sensitive one, and I hesitate posting it. I want to keep this polite and clean and so I will enable comments, but will filter them. So keep it clean.

Garments.

I am officially encouraged to wear them (by my Bishop and Stake President). However, when do I say, "I shouldn't be wearing them."? When do I realize I am not wearing them for the purpose they are intended. When do I say, I am wearing them only because I am suppose too. Or when do I say, I shouldn't be wearing them because I am not honoring them by how I am living?

When do I make the switch to normal underwear, because I can no longer disrespect the church I love, by treating something sacred, so lightly.

I would love to hear your thoughts.

9 comments:

  1. My opinion? Wear 'em. Why? I think it's kind of like prayer. At times when we don't feel worthy to pray, those are probably the times when we most need to. When you feel like taking 'em off and leaving them off, maybe that's the time to recommit to wearing them and to taking steps to move forward in the areas of your live that you would like to improve. To me, you are obviously doing that because you are meeting in good faith with your Stake Pres. and especially because you are being honest with him.

    So here's something to think about. You liked the feeling of his hug of unconditional love. Imagine that feeling of love and warmth being something that can come to you from something you're wearing. I have a shirt that I like to wear because one of my good friends borrowed it one day when he unexpectedly had to do some teaching and didn't want to show up in a T-shirt. Now when I wear that shirt, I think of him and our friendship and that he felt that he could ask me to borrow a personal item like a shirt.

    How does this relate to garments? Well that's what I wanted you to think about. What do you think?

    p.s. Where did you get the great photo?

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  2. I stopped when I had made the final ideological separation between me and the church. For me this was a few weeks after I stopped attending. The two weeks or so of a delay, was due to the fact that I'm not that great of a shopper.

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  3. @Ned-
    What you say makes sense.... I suppose I'm trying to find excuses to not wear them. Which, like you said, means I should, but also I don't want too.... But I will continue to do so, with the occasional days off, when I feel like it.

    @El Genio-
    It makes sense to complete the withdrawing from the church. I am not there with my standing, but it definitely makes sense.

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  4. @Ned 2-
    The picture comes from my personal collection! hahaha

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  5. I've been wondering whether I should wear my garments anymore. At first when I was reaching an awareness of my attraction I felt unworthy to wear them. On the few occassions when I acted upon these attractions, like going to gay parties or actively seeking to date another guy, I felt even further from the church and that made me not want to wear them. I still do, partly because, like El Genio, I'm not a great shopper as it is and underwear shopping is the worst, and partly because I still not sure where I want to be in regard to the church and God and whatnot. There is another part of me that feels that were I not to wear them night and day like we're told to I would go to hell (now I know that's not totally true).

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  6. i used to vacillate myself. about a year ago i had had enough. stopped & now don't want to put them back on. Bravone & i have actually been having this same conversation recently. a few weeks ago i decided i'd look into it again. went to the bishop & discussed renewing my recommend. it was renewed but i started getting wiggy about putting them back on so i backed down again. have not gone to the Stake pres interview to get the second signature & don't think i will for now. it's a process. it's step by step. i don't have good advice except this... wear them or don't. make a choice & move. staying stuck on the fence creates bad mojo! if you take them off for a bit & it doesn't feel right, put'em back on or leave'em on & deal. it's that simple. you'll know. TRUST yourself & your instincts.
    BTW - I'm a GREAT shopper & i LOVE color so, always & forever white is hard for me...i also don't trust myself to stay true. not that i'm out looking but i don't have the best track record.

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  7. Well from the point of view of the Church, the garments should be worn unless you're directed not to by a disciplinary council. Pretty much wear them day and night. So from the doctrine of the Church you should wear them, I'd say if you still believe in the church to a degree wear them. Now if its a question of if you still believe, you have to answer that.

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  8. I think its like a protection, even if you've done something wrong if you don't feel too bad I'd wear them because its telling yourself Ok I need to stop that and do whats right now.

    great pic though :)

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