Free Essay: The Interaction Between Religion and Clothing

The interaction between religion and clothing is fascinating. What comes to your mind when you think of your faith and its dress code if you are affiliated with any? Clothing is an aspect that has been dramatically attached several to religions across the world, and it is a practice that has been carried out from one generation to the next. Sacred clothing carries different means to diverse faiths across the globe today. Some are worn as part of rules and regulations set by the founders under the doctrines followed by a given religion. To many religious people, clothing is used as a symbol of religious identity. However, to a majority of people, the control of personal appearance goes beyond sacred clothing. In looking at sacred clothing among the Christian priest known as Cassock, there is a broader practice among the Catholics, Presbyterians, orthodox Anglicans, and Lutherans among others. It is a cloth that is worn during religious services as a show of authority and leadership of the followers. Imams wear sacred clothing known as the Kanzu with their heads covered while the Jews Rabbis wear white robes with big harts which include their heads. All the attires worn by the clergymen carry different meanings and they do them all in honor of their doctrines. The paper will, therefore, analyze the sacred clothing of established religions today by looking at their origins and the meaning that they carry. It will also explore the experience of Trans-people regarding dress.

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The catholic priests wear the Cassock which originated from the French meaning a long coat. The coat comes in several styles, and the Roman Catholic one has buttons but is considered ornamental. There are several other clothes meant explicitly for the priest, and they are collectively known as vestments. They are however worn in different colors which carry different meanings. For instance, when a priest wears clothing that has red on it signifies the blood of Jesus that was shed on the cross or the several martyrs who were killed because of the Christian faith. The white robes worn by the priests carry a deep meaning which is a reflection of leadership, love and shepherd hood in leading of leading people to God. Besides, the vestments are a representation of giving oneself for the work of God. It is a symbolic gesture of showing obedience and their dedicated relationship for a supreme being. The vestments are also a symbol of stripping themselves of their worldly desires and full clothing in the robes of God’s service. It is an indication of giving up on their lives and following God. The priest put on different robs to represent diverse occasions such as baptism, funerals, and and Marriage ordination. The image below is an example of one of the vestments, which is a Cassock.

There is also the epitrachelion which is a long cloth worn around the neck, and this particular garment represents supremacy, grace, and authority and the cross on it represents Christ's cross which he carried when he was about to be crucified. It a cloth that must be worn by any priest when commemorating services. They also tie cloth belts known as the Zoni, which represent God's strength as they serve the Christians. The orthodox priests also wear cuffs on their wrists to show the bond they have with Christ even a symbol of God's saving hands to the wearer. The catholic priest is very strict regarding wearing their robes because it is a symbolic identity of their dedication to serving God's people.

Additionally, the Imams in the Muslim religion also wear Kanzu and harts. Still, it is a thing that is practiced by all Muslim men and therefore not specifically the clergy alone. The cloth is also referred to as a Thobe in some places, and it a long robe that is made like a shirt but reaches the ankle. There is also the Ghutra which is a square or rectangle scarf worn on the head along with a rope band. The Bisht is also a coat-like cloth majorly worn by those in religious authorities, and it signifies leadership and administration. It is a time-worn by those in government authorities too. The Muslim sacred clothes mean respect and honor of Allah. The women, however, are required to cover themselves entirely in recognition of their husbands and also Allah. It is a sacred thing for women not to expose their bodies, and instead, they are required by the Quran to keep them hidden unless when they are with their spouse and not in public. Te sacred clothes are strictly worn according to the laws stipulated by the Quran. It is, however, unfair because the strict dress code applies more to women than men despite women not being allowed to be in any religious leadership positions. The Muslims are however adopting the Western traditions of dressing and are gradually moving away from the old traditions that were practiced

According to Leslie Feinberg, transgender women went through much discrimination compared to men. The people who identified themselves as transgender were stigmatized and treated as outcasts in the community; some women were even castrated. In some parts of the world, priestess was found in large numbers, and they presided over religious activities. They were known as the gallant, and they served the Godmother. They offered their religious services during the Stone Age period, but as time went by, their services were gradually replaced by men. One fascinating thing, however, is the fact that they were castrated and therefore considered men why would they be replaced later. As years advanced the leadership positions, including religious duties, were ripped off women, and they were all dominated by men. The ancient times, however, allowed women to lead societies implying that they were matrilineal and matrilocal. Feinberg states “The family structure of these societies was matrilineal and matrilocal - meaning women headed the family groupings and the collective homes. Blood descent and inheritance were traced through women”(Feinberg 64). One thing that is not known, however, is whether such a society accommodated people with two sexes right from birth. Transgender people were not accorded any place. In modern society, there is acceptance of trans thinking because of the great upholding of human rights. Trans people are allowed to form associations and even defend their own. Just like sacred clothing was embraced trans thinking should also be viewed as usual because the people are not shot of anything compared to the rest of the genders. Just like the sacredness of clothing is practiced and accepted across the globe, then trans people should be allowed to have their doctrines and practice them as well. They should not be gagged but allowed to express themselves and also dress the way they want regardless of the sexes they were assigned at birth.

References

Feinberg, L. (1996). Transgender Warriors: making history from Joan of Arc to Dennis Rodman. Beacon Press.

Hoffman, A., & Cole, P. (2016). Sacred Trash: the lost and found world of the Cairo Geniza. Jewish Encounters.

Keymanesh, A., Khoshfar, M., & Naeini, N. A. (2016). Factors of the Islamic Lifestyle in the Word of Imam Ali (as). International Journal of Humanities and Cultural Studies (IJHCS) ISSN 2356-5926, 528-548.

Tvedtnes, J. A. Priestly clothing in Bible times. Temples of the Ancient World, 649-704.