very surprised at the reaction at church.

[Lallans]

Just a thought: is it possible the apparently anti-kilt clergyman is instead anti-skin and objects to the section of bare leg shown in a properly fitted kilt? If so, that would be in line with some other prohibitions I've heard about, not only in Christian but also in Buddhist services. Would a pair of really long hose solve this problem?

OK probably not. But it is a thought.

[wildrover]

That came up a while back, here...photo was posted...looked like a dude in a schoolgirl outfit, by the time the hem was lowered & socks raised.

I never understood the skin thing. It's not like everyone is going to faint dead away in a hormone-saturated stupor at the sight of our knees.

[Alan H]

grizz, it sounds like you've got some good kids. Honestly, this whole issue is not really about kilts, is it? It's about your kids growing up and becoming adults.

Look at it this way. Your 16-year old is growing up. He's asking questions. He's not going to always accept without question everything that every "authority figure" tells him any more. It's pretty clear that he's doing so in a reasonable and respectful manner. This is hardly what I'd call "rebelling". It's not like he's running amok at school or cutting out of classes or even full days of school, doing drugs, getting drunk at wild parties every weekend, and having a mess of unprotected sex.

I mean, the world is full of kids doing EXACTLY those things...and yours are not. So people need to get this "rebellious' thing in perspective.

I bet you have this figured out, I'm not sure your bishop has.

Mate, think about it. If your son did NOT, sometimes, question authority...question assumptions...start to think on his own, I bet you'd worry about him a lot more. If people, and especially young people don't do those things, then the world is not going to change and grow. Every generation....and every person in their generation needs to ask themselves some important questions, needs to come to answers that work for them. If they can do so within a framework of something they can believe in, like a church, then that's fantastic. But even for church....growth, change, the future, all depends on our kids asking questions, challenging us and themselves and not always toe'ing the line to the status quo without making us give them some darned good reasons WHY that status quo is, how it is.

You guys are going to be fine. The Kilt-in-church issue is the tiniest of little bumps along both his and your very long life roads. Teenage years can be kind of rough in a lot of ways. If THIS....."pothole in the road"...is one of the worst things that happen, well.....you and he are lucky guys.

[The Vicar]

My first funeral in the town of Hanna Alberta (pop 3,000) was for a woman from Edinburgh. I checked with my Bishop, as the family requested my clergy tartan kilt to be worn for the service, and was given a full blessing to proceed! The Eulogy was done by a family friend, who also wore his kilt! The Pipes were played and a Scottish prayer was prayed....all in an Ev. Lutheran church in Canada!

What is sad about this situation is that the Bishop involved had a wonderful opportunity to bring a young man into the church and make him feel welcome, instead, he cast the young man's family heritage into the gutter. Where was the grace on this Bishop's part? This is a huge blunder.

There is no scripture that states that you cannot wear a kilt in the church. Nor have I ever witnessed a filthy kilt worn in the church!

The other tragedy here is some of the posts that have been made against "The Church". People need to understand this was one person's opinion; not an entire denominations! Think before you choose to slag off an entire group of people for any reason. After all, this site was never intended for that purpose!

The Bishop involved has clearly made a fool of himself and I pray the young man can forgive the ignorance of this leader and move forward. Any kilted person would be welcome with open arms here.

[okiwen]

I would not wear my UtiliKilt but most certainly would wear my others. I grew up in a ward (congregation) with many many Samoans. We all would wear a black Lava lava with the white shirt and tie. No problems all around.

I think there is a misunderstanding. LDS members don't normally trade out congregations and churches as a protest or as mood strikes, but we work with in the church to solve problems. The Bishop needs an education, but respectfully. We are an all volunteer church and no one makes a dime, but all is done out of the goodness of their heart.

Now, that being said, he would not take my son aside ever again without me present.

Good luck and good job with the kids.

[beerbecue]

Perhaps in a kilt you can't wear the secret underwear.....

[Marshal Moroni]

Beerbeque,

Rant on:
Speaking as an LDS Kilted member of this forum, I find your comments uncalled for and rude. It is rude to make light of things that others consider sacred, especially when you don't know what you are talking about.
End of rant.

For others please excuse my input, but this thread has gone places that are not helpful.

Regards,

Marshal Moroni

[CDNSushi]

Speaking as an LDS Kilted member of this forum, I find your comments uncalled for and rude. It is rude to make light of things that others consider sacred, especially when you don't know what you are talking about.

Speaking as a non-LDS kilted member of this forum, I agree with Marshal.

From the forum rules:

Rule #2
– Posts by ‘Trolls’, posts known as ‘Feeding the Troll', any ‘Flaming’, direct attack against another member, or inciting a Vendetta, are serious disruptions of pleasant discussion and cannot be tolerated.

Rule #3
– Pornography, nudity, sexually explicit material of any kind, or embedded links to such material, have no place on this forum. Profanity in the form of abusive, vulgar or irreverent language is also not acceptable.

Rule #4
- Intolerance for our fellow human beings, of any kind, is inexcusable behavior in today’s world.

(highlights=mine).

[McClef]

Yes indeed an uncalled for statement.

And it is clear that LDS kilted members do not experience the problems alleged as the garments are compatible with knee length attire. Besides which the young man won't have yet undergone the Temple endowment and is thus unlikely yet to be wearing them.

I wish people would read more and learn so they would have a better understanding and knowledge

This discussion is NOT about the pros and cons of a particular religion but about the actions of a certain individual in a position of authority with regard to where a kilt should or should not be worn. In that respect it is similar to other situations where folk experience problems when they wish to wear a kilt.

So please keep comments respectful and within the rules and spirit of this forum.

[Riverkilt]

One thing about my little town of 6,000 out here in the boonies is we have one of the longest "church rows" in the country. When they were building the dam the government built most of the churches in a long row along the main drag, one beside the other, in most every denomination fielded, including the LDS Church. We also have a very strong presence of citizens with Traditional Navajo spiritual beliefs, followers of the Native American Church, folks who follow the traditional Four Directions, and New Age folks.

We all get along spiritually by tolerating each other's spiritual beliefs and ways - even if we think our friend may be crazy or going to Hell in a hand basket for not believing as we do. There is no synagog, but the Episcopal Church opens its doors and lets the local Jewish folks use the facility for their holiday celebrations. When the Episcopal church was remodeled, the Catholic church opened their doors for the Episcopal folks to hold their ceremonies there. It is common for a local Navajo to describe their spiritual beliefs as "Traditional and LDS."

I like to think some of that local tradition of tolerance slops over into acceptance of this old kilted geezer about town. Intolerance from a kiltie seems so out of place.