Why do Apostolic Pentecostals fully cover themselves with clothing?
Since the dawn of mankind, clothing was what separated civilized people from savages. It was only recently (relatively speaking) that all civilized people fully clothed themselves in public, and in clothing that was gender specific. In fact, before World War 2, “proper” women would never think of appearing publicly in slacks, which in Western culture, had always been considered men’s clothing. The necessity of women entering the industrial work force during the war figuratively opened Pandora’s box and began a societal shift that contributed eventually to the women’s liberation movement (or accelerated it, depending on your view of women’s suffrage) and the sexual revolution of the 60’s, which liberated women from their clothes and their hated traditional roles as revered wives and mothers. The downside, though, was that the men were also freed from their role as defender and protecter of the “fairer sex”, which has brought us to where we are today, a half-naked society which views its
The Pentecostals branched off the Holiness Movement, and they hold to traditions from the earlier movement. They believe "holiness" can be put upon the outside of a believer. The "covered up" look of the women involves their own special interpretaion of the meaning of "modest apparel" as found in 1 Tim. 2:9 and 1 Peter 3:3. Individual pastors vary with their "strictness" regarding the dress of women, but the woman is viewed as being the cause of male lust, therefore women must not dress in ways that attract the attentions of men.
If one will take note, it is only the women who have the "cult" look. A Pentecostal male preacher is not detected as belonging to the Movement without viewing his wife. The idea is to "subjugate" women.
The Pentecostals/Apostolics believe they must stand out as separate from the "world" in their clothes and general appearance, but a little bit of history proves otherwise. Women in the early church did not dress differently from the rest of the female Roman Empire. Christianity was illegal, Christians were persecuted by the state, and the church had to hold their worship services in private houses in secret. Women could not have advertized their new-found faith in a public display of special made "Christian" clothes! There were no Christian "chitons" and pagan "chitons."
The Pharisees made their outward appearance "holy" and "righteous." They wore special made "holy" clothes, but Jesus regarded their "self-rightous" show as hypocritical.
1 Tim. 2:9 and 1 Peter 3:3 is speaking concerning the apparel and look of the "hetaerae"–the high class prostitutes, of which there were thousands attached to Diana’s shrine at Ephesus. Because of SUMPTUARY LAWS in ancient Greece and Rome, no woman was allowed the adorning the Apostles proscribed in these texts, EXCEPT PROSTITUTES. Their look was one of ostentation, meaning way, way overdone. Women today would not want to copy their look. Their adorning was also idolatrous–drawing attention to Diana’s cult. No woman today wears clothing or jewelry in honor of a pagan goddess!
Many Pentecostals & Apostolics, out of ignorance, simply go way overboard trying to please God, and it is defined as "self" righteousness and is hypocritical. It pleases God to understand the Scriptures correctly and give women their rights. The female body is not the shameful thing they think it is.
