Reasons for the Failure of the Amish and Conservative Mennonite Dress Experiment – Chapter 8

Chapter 8 of the book:

The Failure of the Great Amish and Conservative Mennonite Dress Experiment

Why Christian Conservatism Isn’t the Answer and What to Do

Reason #1: God Said Church Rules Requiring Modest, Conservative Dress Do Not Work to Prevent Immorality

The modesty doctrine of the conservative dress experiment has been a major failure in preventing sexual abuse and immorality. From the evidence we have seen, there is a good possibility that most girls, and possibly boys as well, who grow up in a non-Christian home and who dress “immodestly” according to conservative standards, actually have a similar or maybe even a smaller chance of being sexually abused than an Amish or conservative Mennonite girl or boy. This is what God has told us in the Bible. As conservatives we ignored what God said and pursued our own “wisdom” (foolishness) with modesty dress regulations.

Are you looking for something more than just the same old concepts, interpretations, explanations, and perspectives you have heard regurgitated over and over again? This website will give you some new insights and things to think about. You may not agree with everything you read, but Biblical Research Reports will stimulate your thinking. Our goal is to help you to formulate in your own mind what is Jesus’ truth as you look at the research we share on the various subjects facing the Church.

In Colossians 2 God warns us not to let anyone deceive us in voluntary humility (such as plain or conservative dress). God said that rules requiring what is called modest, conservative dress would not work to prevent immorality. When a person submits to the rules and doctrines of a church which have teachings with requirements that are not spelled out that way in Scripture, they are no longer following Christ in that area of their lives. Instead, they are following people, and those rules and teachings of men will not produce the desired results.

Colossians 2:18-23 “Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshiping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God. Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will-worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh.”

From Strong’s Bible Dictionary, definitions for the Greek words translated:

Will-worship – “voluntary piety, sanctimony”

Humility – “humiliation of mind, that is, modesty: – humbleness of mind, humility (of mind), lowliness (of mind).”

Neglecting of the body – “unsparingness, that is, austerity (ascetism)”

The definition of “austerity” – “Severity of manners or life; rigor; strictness; harsh discipline. It is particularly applied to the mortifications of a monastic life, which are called austerities.” Webster’s 1828 Dictionary

The strict dress code of Amish and conservative Mennonites fits the description in this passage of what God commands us to avoid. God tells us plainly that the conservative focus on plain dress, with its voluntary piety, humility, modesty and austerity, does not work. Requiring women to dress extra “modestly” does not prevent lust, sexual immorality, incest and sexual abuse. It has a show of wisdom, and that is why hundreds of thousands of intelligent Amish and Mennonites have followed it. But being a command of men and not of God, it is a failure.

Amish clothes hanging on a clothesline to dry. The excuse is sometimes made that the sexual abuse occurred in the church because the abuser was not a Christian. However, if modesty and simple, plain dress worked, it should especially work if the sexual predator was not a Christian, to keep the sexual molester from lusting after a child. But, we have seen lots of evidence and we will be looking at even more that modest dress does not prevent or reduce the rate of sexual abuse.

Amish and conservative Mennonite churches have put an emphasis on making women less attractive to men – they call it modesty and simple, plain dress. They have made the women the ones responsible to prevent men from committing lust and adultery. The cape dress, longer sleeves and dresses, and out of date clothing, hair styles, and head covering styles have made their women less attractive. The focus on legislating modesty has a show of wisdom in preventing immorality, but God says that it does nothing to prevent immorality – “not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh.” As the failure of the conservative dress experiment is unfolding, we see that what God says is true. Not only does plain dress fail to prevent lust and sexual abuse, at the end of this book we will see that it can also contribute to it in a surprising way.

The Dress Experiment, with its focus on how one dresses and what one looks like, is the same mistake for which Jesus condemned the Pharisees in Matthew 23:27-28 “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.” The Pharisees put a focus on their outward appearance and how they dressed. It became a cover-up for the sin and wickedness in their heart. The same is happening with Amish and Mennonite men and women who are involved in lust, immorality, sexual abuse and pornography. They outwardly appear righteous and pious, but they have hidden sins in their lives.

This mistake of adding manmade church/organization rules, guidelines, regulations, or “principles” to prevent sexual sins from happening is one that other conservative Christian groups have been making as well, and they are having the same problems with sexual abuse occurring too. The manmade rules are presented as being Biblical by using proof texts to back up the rule. It has deceived many people into submitting themselves under the rules.

The mistake of making manmade modesty rules or other manmade rules to try to prevent sexual sins is one that we need to avoid in the coming revival. In these conservative groups, they have placed a focus on internet controls to prevent looking at pornography, wearing dresses only, courtship that is parentally controlled, etc. The focus is on using manmade rules and controls to prevent sin instead of the power of God working in a person’s heart to free them from lust and the desire to sin. Their courtship and internet controls are just another application of the mistakes that the Amish and Mennonite Dress Experiment has made.

The conservative practice of putting an emphasis on modesty to prevent sexual immorality does not work for the Amish, the Mennonites, the conservative homeschool movement or any other conservative group. On the Spiritual Sounding Board website, Julie Anne makes this comment about a conservative Baptist church that she had been part of:

“But you know what . . . . . I think the hyper-modesty stuff may have backfired.   I discussed earlier how our youth seemed to get in trouble with issues involving sex in unofficial youth groups or outside activities.  I’ve never seen a higher percentage of sexual immorality in young adults in any other church I’ve attended.  It is my belief that the hyper-modesty led to hyper-obsession with sex (including pornography).

“I’ve kept up with a number of the kids who were teens when we were there and some have shared with me.  Now they are young adults.  One person who was baptized while we were there is a male stripper/dancer.  I know of a female who does nude modeling.  Some of our young adults are now living with their boyfriends or girlfriends.  Some are having casual sex with no real commitment.  Some have issues with pornography.  These are bold choices of sexual immorality that are being exhibited compared to the expected lifestyle of a young adult Christian.”

http://spiritualsoundingboard.com/2012/05/25/hyper-modesty-in-the-church-part-2/

You may be told that sexual abuse among Amish or conservative Mennonites is not because of the failure of the Dress Experiment but because the perpetrators are not true Christians. Think through that a minute. If modesty worked to prevent sexual abuse, wouldn’t modesty work to protect a girl regardless if the potential sexual predator was a Christian or not? If modesty only prevents sexual abuse when the would-be perpetrator is a true Christian, it does not offer much protection. How can modesty be any sort of protection if it does not protect the woman or girl from unsaved men?

An Amish lady in her conservative plain Amish dress walking along a road. If the austerity and modesty of conservative dress really worked, Amish girls dressed like this should not have any problem with being sexually abused. But Amish girls are being sexually abused at the same rate or even worse than the rest of society which often dresses in much more sexually revealing clothing. God tells us that this conservative type of dress does nothing to prevent sexual abuse. Photo credit: fairchildgiftcompany.com

Reason #2: Conservatives Have Tempted God by requiring women to wear dresses

Another reason that conservatism has major failures is that conservatives have tempted God. The early church discerned from God that Gentile Christians did not need to keep the Old Testament Law after they became a Christian. One of the things that God showed them was that a person is saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and not through keeping the Old Testament Law. To require people to keep the Old Testament Law was tempting God and putting a yoke upon the neck of Christians that did not work.

“And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?” (Acts 15:8-10)

Amish, Mennonites, and other conservative Christian churches have ignored this passage and have tempted God by pulling a law out of the Old Testament Law, applying their own interpretation to it, and requiring women to follow that Old Testament command. The conservative application of that Law is that women have to wear dresses and cannot wear pants. “The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God.” (Deuteronomy 22:5) It is not sin for a woman to wear a dress. But as Christians, we are no longer under the Old Testament Law. When churches pull a command out of the Old Testament Law and require the women church members to follow it by wearing dresses, they are tempting God.

What does it mean to tempt God? When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness by Satan, this is what happened: “And he (Satan) brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence: For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee: And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. And Jesus answering said unto him, ‘It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.’” (Luke 4:9-12)

When a person does something in disobedience to God (in this case, Jesus obeying Satan), and then expects God to act, they are tempting God, or putting God in a position where God is supposed to act to save His reputation. God is Lord of all. God does not submit to enforcing the regulations or standards of a church to protect His own reputation.

Amish and Mennonites tempt God by expecting God to protect the women and girls from sexual assault because they are following the prescribed manmade dress and headcovering regulations that the church requires. When Amish and Mennonites church leaders require their church members to keep part of the Old Testament Law, they are in disobedience to God. They tempt God by implying that God will back them up and discipline any woman in their church who wears pants or who does not wear the specified dress styles and fabric colors and patterns that the church has specified.

All the other man made standards, rules, regulations that have been enforced by Amish and Mennonites are also part of their tempting God. We will go into more detail later on why this is so serious. But for now we will state that the failure of the conservative dress requirements is certain because God cannot bless those who are tempting Him and requiring members of their church to keep part of the Old Testament Law. “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” (Galatians 5:4)

Reason #3: Requiring Girls and Women to Wear Dresses Puts People Under a Curse

Another consequence of picking out commands from the Old Testament and requiring members to follow them is that it puts people under a curse. It is not wrong for a woman to wear a dress or skirt. The problem arises when the church uses an Old Testament Law (Deuteronomy 22:5) and requires women to only wear a dress or skirt.

“So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, the just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, the man that doeth them shall live in them.” (Galatians 3:9-12)

It is important to note that it says, “Of the works of the law.”

Reason #4: The Rampant Sexual Abuse Is Part of God’s Judgment on Conservative Churches for requiring conservative dress

Another reason for the failure of the conservative dress experiment is that the high rates of sexual abuse are part of God’s judgment on Amish and Mennonite churches and other conservative churches for making church authority, rules and regulations equal to or superior to Christ and His commands. The Amish and Mennonite Dress Experiment does not glorify God as God alone, and it does not glorify Jesus as the only one that church members are to follow. Rather, in addition to Jesus’ commands, conservative churches have added the regulations of the church, both written and implied, that must also be followed and obeyed. It has an appearance of wisdom, but it is foolishness. “Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?” (Colossians 2:20-22) When a church makes an application rule that God has not given, they are superseding Christ’s commands and in essence are implying he didn’t give us good enough instructions to follow and that what He commanded is not enough to keep us from sin.

The logic behind enforcing conservative man-made church rules goes something like this: A church member has made a commitment to the church and to God to follow the regulations and standards of the church. If a person does not follow the regulations and standards and refuses to change, they are in disobedience to the church and are wrong for breaking their commitment to the church and to God.

In doing so, the church makes disobeying their rules synonymous with disobeying God. If God permitted churches to make their own rules that were as binding as disobedience to Christ’s commands, churches could make anything that they wanted to call sin to be sin. Manmade commands, rules, or standards create manmade “sins” that God has not called sin. A church making up their own rules of right and wrong does not recognize Jesus as Lord of all with the final authority.

Signs like this one sound can sound great, but it can be a lie. If disobedience to church authority, rules, regulations, and standards are viewed as sin and carry the same punishment as disobeying God, the church, or preacher, is then “lord”, not Jesus. They are not glorifying God as God alone and Jesus is not the only one they are following.

When churches add manmade rules and regulations to God’s commands, they are in effect indicating that God didn’t do a good enough job in giving the commands that He gave to us as Christians. It is a form of unbelief. They do not honor God as God alone or that He has all wisdom. Christ is not glorified as having given us all we need to victoriously live the Christian life. It is important to realize that we “are complete in Him.” (Colossians 2:10) Christ is sufficient through His Holy Spirit to give us the power we need to keep His commands.

God tells us that sexual abuse and other sexual sins are part of the consequences of not glorifying God as God. “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools… Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:” (Romans 1:21, 22, 24)

I have heard the argument numerous times, “You have to have rules”. As Christians we do have rules that we need to follow – the commands God gives us in the New Testament. But by adding church rules, they made church authority and its rules and regulations equal with God’s laws in the New Testament.

God tells us that He has given them up to uncleanness “to dishonour their own bodies between themselves” – which is exactly what sexual abuse is. (v.24) This is a very important concept to grasp.

Sexual abuse is a problem that will not go away until the Amish and Mennonite Dress Experiment is abandoned and repented of. “Dealing” with the problem of sexual abuse is only addressing a symptom and not the real problem.

This may sound as though sexual abuse is a punishment on the victims. But in the light of eternity, we see that it is actually a punishment to the abusers. Jesus warned that the punishment for offending a child was so great that the abuser would be better off being drowned so that he would not commit that sin. Jesus views child abuse very seriously!

Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit are sufficient to keep us from sin. God has given us all the commands in Scripture that we need. They are sufficient. Christians do not need more rules.

As Christians, we need to be very careful that we do not make rules, written or unwritten, that in effect supersede Christ’s commands. If you are a member of a church that has added rules to Christ’s commands and you have committed to following those manmade rules, you need to repent of following men, and make Jesus the One who is truly Lord of your life.

Reason #5: The Conservative Dress Experiment Standards Permit Sexual Predators to Dress as Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing

Another reason for the failure of the Amish and Conservative Mennonite Dress Experiment is that it makes it easy for sexual predators to literally dress as wolves in sheep’s clothing. Wolves are predators and are an analogy of predators in the church such as sexual predators. Amish and conservative Mennonites churches have specific clothing styles that say that those that wear it are “sheep” and identify them as members of that particular church group.  A person wearing the “sheep’s” clothing is then assumed to be saved and safe to be around because they are following the church and have been approved by the preachers. It allows a sexual predator (wolf) to walk unsuspectingly among children in the church. This is a serious situation that Jesus warned us about in the Sermon on the Mount: “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?” (Matthew 7:15-16)

Distinctive dress makes it easy for sexual predators to sexually abuse those in their church group. Their outward appearance gives them the appearance of godliness to others in the church. Their dress allows them more freedom to “creep into houses” and captivate boys and girls without others suspecting what is going on. “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts.” 2 Timothy 3:1-6

This passage describes some of the characteristics of conservative men, boys, women, and girls who are sexually abusing others. They have a form of godliness in their dress, but they are lovers of their own selves without natural affection. Those that sexually abuse girls and boys are thinking of themselves and fulfilling their lusts. They do not truly love the ones that they are sexually abusing and are using the child as the object of their lusts.

2 Peter 2:12-18 “But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet. These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. 18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.”

“Natural brute beasts” is an apt description of a number of the men in the cases described in this book. They acted little different than a bully male animal going after multiple females. But God also warns us that they will not appear to most people as brute beasts. Instead, in verse 18, God tells us that they will appear likeable, popular, they will say the right things and appear to be very spiritual and not at all like the person that they really are.  This passage also accurately describes a sexual predator in the church – they have deceived themselves and others and are posing as true believers. They are “wolves” (sexual predators) in conservative clothing.

Two cats breeding. There are some similarities between the way male sexual predators sexually abuse their female victims and the way cats breed. The male sexual predator acts like an animal (God calls them “natural brute beasts” in 2 Peter 2:12) and is mainly interested in his own personal gratification with the body of the female. In the same way, there is not much true love shown when two cats breed. The male cat bites the female on the back of the neck and keeps her from running away during the “performance”. The female cat yowls and may try to get away but she is overpowered by the male.

Amish and conservative Mennonites have prided themselves in wearing plain and distinctive clothing. But little have they realized the great danger that plain, distinctive religious dress puts their precious little children into by making them vulnerable to being sexually abused by a hypocrite who is deceiving others by their plain dress. A person wearing plain, distinctive dress to appear religious is a not just an Amish and Mennonite problem but it is a problem that has existed for thousands of years. In the Old Testament, in talking about false prophets, it states in Zechariah 13:4: “neither shall they wear a rough [plain, distinctive] garment to deceive.”

Reason #6: When the fear of God is taught by the manmade rules of the church, God causes those groups to have failures.

Amish and conservative Mennonite churches have taught their people to fear God’s discipline if they do not keep the church’s manmade dress rules and other regulations that they have committed to follow. It is obvious from what happened in the Old Testament, in the Book of Isaiah, that God is very displeased with that type of fear of Him being taught.

“Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid. Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?” (Isaiah 29:13-15)

God said that He would bring an amazing consequence and failure on those people because they taught the fear toward God by the commands and rules of their “church”. This is exactly what we are seeing happening in conservative groups. The failures and consequences in the Amish and Mennonite churches have been incredible. Humanly speaking, who would have guessed that a focus on regulating modesty and dress would result in an increased incidence of sexual abuse of minors?

God goes on to say that there is punishment for those who hide sins committed in secret such as sexual abuse. God sees in the dark, and God knows.

Reason #7: Amish and Conservative Mennonites have added to God’s Word with regulations of conservative dress

The details of the regulations of the Dress Experiment have been added to God’s Word by specifying details that God does not require. “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.” (Proverbs 30:5-6)

Just as God says, the Mennonite Church has added to His words, and their justifications have proven to be lies.

Dwight Gingrich shares several examples of adding to God’s Word. In the first example, the preacher actually confessed that he didn’t really have a scriptural basis for his sermon:

“’I don’t have much Scripture for this sermon.’ The speaker was a visiting minister and his topic was Beachy’s (Amish Mennonite), culture, and tradition. As I recall, his main question for the evening was this: should Beachy-Amish churches retain their cultural traditions as a way to help pass on the faith to the next generation?

“The confession came perhaps 5 minutes into sermon. Unfortunately, it was true. The speaker briefly cited only about three Scripture passages that were vaguely related to his topic. (One, if I recall correctly, was Deuteronomy 6:6-9.)

“But the confession, however true, didn’t result in any change of behavior. The speaker continued for another 30 or 45 minutes, filling the time mostly with his own rationalizations about the usefulness of retaining traditions as they were. For example, traditions help a congregation run more smoothly and efficiently, so that everyone knows exactly what is supposed to happen. I, being new to Beachys and fresh from a multicultural congregation in New York City, found my mind quickly supplying counter-rationalizations for each of the speaker’s points. For example, unexplained and entrenched traditions might make things run smoothly for those who have always been part of the group, but they can be quite confusing for newcomers. In the absence of relevant Scripture, the sermon became for me a contest of human reasoning.”

Gingerich goes on to share another example:

“This time Scripture was clearly present. In fact, the sermon was designed to be an expositional sermon. The text was Matthew 15, and I think it was read in full near the beginning of the sermon. So far, very good.

“And there were a lot of other good things in the sermon, too. Yet half way through I started to become uncomfortable, and by the end this is what I felt: Much of the sermon (a quarter? a third?) had not been based on the text at all. In fact, a major concern of the speaker was to say what he thought the text did not say: Despite Jesus’ warnings against the traditions of the elders, not all tradition was bad. In fact, tradition can be very good and important, and we should not be too quick to discard our traditions.

“…by the end of the sermon I did not feel that we had been made to feel the heavy weight of Jesus’ strong warning. I did not feel we had been asked to take a hard look at our religious traditions to see if any of them are keeping us from obeying the word of God. The speaker had not let Scripture speak clearly into our lives…

“If I had a better memory I could tell more stories. But these are enough for me to make an observation: conservative Anabaptists don’t always listen to Scripture very well when they think about religious traditions and culture.” (Emphasis added)

http://dwightgingrich.com/tradition-in-nt-1-bad-examples

Reason #8: Church Rules Turn People Away From the Truth

Another reason for the failure of the conservative dress experiment is that the commands and dress standards/regulations of a church, added to Christ’s commands, turn people from the truth. Adding church dress regulations and other rules to Christ’s commands does not help people to follow Christ more perfectly as the Amish and conservative Mennonite churches teach. God tells us that the opposite happens; adding church rules to God’s commands causes people to turn from the truth. Titus 1:13-14 “…Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.”

The command not to follow commands of men is a command that Amish and conservative Mennonites have ignored in their handpicking of commands in the Bible to follow and their making of man-made commands, standards, rules, and regulations.

The Pharisees illustrated the error of adding man’s commands to God’s commands and the way it turned people away from God. Jesus said: “Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, this people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” (Matthew 15:7-9, also Mark 7:6,7) The Pharisees had disobeyed God’s command to not add anything to His commands. “Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.” (Deuteronomy 4:2)

When the church adds rules and standards to Christ’s commands, such as the conservative dress regulations of the Amish and Mennonite Dress Experiment, they turn people away from the truth. This helps explain why some, who should be Godly Christian men and women following the Bible, become sexual predators. They have turned from the truth and have deceived themselves and others.

Church rules requiring church members to follow manmade commands, such as driving horse and buggies, turn people from the truth of God’s Word (Titus 1:13,14).

Reason #9: The Conservative Focus Puts a Focus on the Past and Imitating People in the Past

Another reason for the failure of the conservative dress experiment is its conservative focus.  It puts a focus on looking to the past as being better than today, and that the church needs to imitate the way people dressed and believed in the past. God tells us, “Say not thou, what is the cause that the former days were better than these? For thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.” (Ecclesiastes 7:10) The basic unwritten rule of Amish and Mennonite conservatism is “Do not change”. It elevates the past as being better and more spiritual than today. One can get the impression that conservatives believe that true spiritual maturity has already been obtained by those in the past and the main hope for the church today is to try to imitate those in the past, but with a lower success rate because wickedness today is winning over Godliness. One illustration of looking to those in the past is the current focus by many Mennonites (both liberal and conservative) on being “Anabaptist”, which means “rebaptizers”. The Anabaptists broke away from the Catholic Church in the mid 1500’s A.D. We are not to look back at those who lived in the 1500’s and imitate what they did or believed or adopt their name. Jesus tells us: “No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62)

The Amish and conservative Mennonite Dress Experiment is focused on the past and holding to the dress styles of the past. It detracts people from following Christ. They have their hand on the plow and are looking back.

This Amish man is holding to the past and imitating people in the past with his lifestyle, style of clothing and his horse drawn farm equipment. The main emphasis of a conservative mindset is “Don’t change”. The mentality of holding on to the way it has always been done and not changing does not work in keeping people from sinning. Jesus tells us: “No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62), and “forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before” (Philippians 3:13-14)

As followers of Christ, we are not to imitate Christians in the past. Instead, we are to follow Christ. We need to stand on the shoulders of those in the past and reach to heights of greater spiritual understanding, growth, and service than what they achieved. In Philippians 3:13-14 we are told: “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

Reason #10: Conservative Dress and Other Regulations Trains People to Follow People More than Christ

Amish and conservative Mennonites are convinced that their Great Dress Experiment has been a success. They point to all the people that have left the Amish or conservative Mennonite church and have thrown “the baby out with the bath water”.  According to them, these people throw out the dress regulations of the conservative church and they dress and act like the world. Instead of validating the Great Dress Experiment, however, this shows its failure.

The reason that people throw out everything, including the commands that Christ has given in the New Testament, is that those people were not taught to follow Christ alone. Instead, they were taught to follow the conservative church with its commands and regulations of men, which were based to some degree on Christ’s commands. When these people leave the conservative church, they merely stop following one group of people and start following another group of people. They have been trained to follow people, and they continue to do so.

Christ’s commands are not as important to them because the church did not teach Christ’s commands as being as important as their own commands and regulations. Because the dress experiment trains people to follow people more than Christ, it has resulted in failure.

Reason #11: Conservative Dress Regulations Causes People to Walk in the Flesh, Which Results in Sin and Spiritual Death

The conservative dress experiment focuses on trying to achieve spiritual results by using human methods. In other words, it focuses on walking in the flesh under the guise of walking in the Spirit. Trying to follow Christ using man’s methods will result in failure.

From our conservative mindset, we have seen many who have thrown off Christ’s commands and said they are under grace to live as they like. We have seen them live in the flesh and their fleshly lusts and not walk in the Spirit.

However, conservatives can also walk in the flesh in a totally different way. Following man-made rules is walking in the flesh and is not walking in the Spirit. Man-made rules attempt to help someone live righteously without the power of the Holy Spirit. They do not lead people to walk in the Spirit, because the rules do not come from the Spirit. Like the rules of the Pharisees, they appear to be Biblically based and designed to help us obey God, but on closer examination, they are nothing more than man-made rules of “touch not, taste not, handle not”, which are “not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.” (Colossians 2:21, 23)

The following verses also tell us that when a person attempts to live the Christian life by some other method than living in the Spirit, they will fall to the lusts of their flesh. This explains why so many conservatively dressed people have fallen into the sin of sexually satisfying themselves by sexually abusing others.

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:1-2)

“walk not after the flesh” – this includes church rules whose purpose is to help people by human effort to be Godly.

“For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.” (Romans 8:13)

 “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16)

“The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.” (2 Peter 2:9-10)

Amish scooters. Some Amish groups do not permit their people to ride bicycles, but they can have scooters. However, when church leaders try to achieve spiritual results by using human methods, such as requiring their people to use scooters and not riding bicycles, it will result in failure. Instead of following manmade rules of the church, God tells us that we need to walk in the Spirit so that we do not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. It is the Holy Spirit, not church rules, Who gives us the power to not yield to the lusts and temptation of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16) Photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:AdMeskens

Reason #12 Jesus Condemned Distinctive Conservative Religious Clothing and Warned Us to Beware of those Who Wear It

Jesus instructed us not to do religious acts or to wear distinctive religious clothing as an indicator that we are Godly and that we are Christians. The Sermon on the Mount is the first place where Jesus addressed doing things to be seen of men as Godly. The things that Jesus addressed there were, praying so that others knew we were praying and think of us as a Godly person, giving to charity in such a way that we received praise for what we had given, and fasting to show others how spiritual we are.

Later, Jesus rebuked the Scribes and Pharisees for making what they wore distinctively religious so that they would be accepted and respected as Godly and righteous. He said: “But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments. (Matthew 23:5)

Jesus went on to warn us about those who dress in distinctive religious clothing. He said: “Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: Which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.” (Mark 12:38-40, Luke 20:46-47)

To hear conservative Mennonite pastors preach on dress, one would get the impression that those who wear “immodest” or worldly clothing will receive the greater damnation. That is the opposite of what Jesus said. Those who dress in distinctive religious clothing to be seen as following God and being more Godly will receive the greater damnation!

Jesus is the judge that will judge us on Judgment Day, not a conservative Mennonite preacher. Jesus is the one Who says what things He is looking at in a person’s life and how He will judge. He said that those who dress to appear to be spiritual, and who do things to be seen by others as being spiritual will be punished more than most, especially if they are not truly following Christ. I suspect the scribes did not dress in long robes to give a statement to the world (the Romans) but to others of their Jewish religious community. Many Mennonites and Amish do the same thing. They dress in distinctive clothing to appear to others of their group that they are following the church and are following God. Each group has its own specific details of how their regulation garb must be. They then dress accordingly to be seen by the church leaders and others in their group as righteous and following the rules of their church.

Many Mennonites would argue that they are not dressing to be seen by men, but to please God. However, this ignores the peer pressure within the church to conform to the dress standards of that church, and to “dress right to fit in”. In some cases, some of these standards are not even written and agreed to as official church guidelines, but are simply unwritten rules that are enforced by peer pressure. The fact that people conform to these unwritten “standards” indicates that they are dressing to be seen by men.

The specific dress styles of a group become their identifying Amish or Mennonite emblem. We were at a farm auction one winter. It was snowing and the wind was blowing. One Mennonite man had a jacket with a hood, and he had the hood on his head to keep the snow from going down his neck. He was not permitted by the church to just wear a hood which would have made him look like anyone else from the world, so perched on top of the hood was his Mennonite emblem – his Mennonite hat similar to the one pictured below.

Mennonite Emblem – The Mennonite hat of the man on the left is an emblem that identifies him with a particular brand of Mennonitism. Other identifying items are the suspenders, solid color, button down shirt with short sleeves instead of long sleeves, and no beard. The man’s hat and shirt on the right does not identify him with any religious group.

As a result of the plain suit, cape dress, and head covering being handmade and custom designed with unique details by the different groups of Mennonites, they are used in Mennonite circles as a visible indicator of who is in their particular Mennonite group and who is not. Therefore, many tend to treat those who dress like their group differently than those whose dress indicates that they are from a different Mennonite group. And they tend to treat those who do not wear a plain suit or cape dress even more differently.

Are we not all brothers and sisters in Christ? Are we to show partiality? “I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.” (1 Timothy 5:21)

“For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?” (James 2:2-4)

Distinctive church dress regulations quickly result in disobedience to God’s command not to show partiality in the church.

The same warning that Jesus gave about the scribes applies to the woman’s head covering. It should not be a distinctive style that immediately identifies a woman with a particular religious group. Women are commanded by God to cover their heads when praying or prophesying (1 Corinthians 11:5-6), but He has not commanded them to wear it all the time. For more on the subject of the headcovering, see my Biblical Research Report: Myths About the Headcovering: (www.biblicalresearchreports.com/headcoveringmyths.php)

There are a number of styles of head coverings and hats that are accepted as normal for a woman in society today to wear and that are in no way distinctive of a religious group. Those “normal” types of headcoverings would be better to wear than a distinctive covering. There are other styles of headcoverings that could also be designed to look attractive, like they are part of a woman’s outfit, rather than a religious symbol.

In Jesus’ warning in the verses above, “long robes” stood out to me. Having grown up in the Mennonite division of Christianity, long dresses were required as well as long pants. The more strict Mennonite groups also require long sleeves, long socks, and long strings on the covering. There is a temptation to go beyond what God commands and make articles of clothing long to be seen of others as being a good Christian. Jesus says that the exact opposite happens – “these shall receive greater damnation”

Two Amish women dressed in distinctive religious garb – large bonnets, long dresses, black stockings, black shoes, and long black shawls. Jesus condemned wearing long distinctive religious dress and warned us about it. Jesus said that those who dress distinctively to been seen as Godly Christians by others in their religious group will receive the greater damnation. “Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes… the same shall receive greater damnation.” (Luke 20:46,47; Mark 12:38-40)

The regulation for long clothing is illustrated in this excerpt from the “Decrees for to Keep” document of the Pilgrim Ministry Mennonite conference. Notice how the women’s dress regulations start out as saying “we request” as if it is a suggestion, and then it uses regulatory language “shall be” of what the dress requirements must be.  

“Our application for modest apparel for the sisters is the basic cape dress. Jesus taught that a man is not to look upon a woman to lust after her. While the man bears the responsibility for his thought life, the woman bears the responsibility to properly clothe herself. We therefore request that our sisters’ dresses are not tight-fitting and reach to at least midway between the knee and the ankle. The sleeves shall extend below the elbow. Materials shall not be transparent, and shall be of subdued modest colors and patterns avoiding the shiny, shimmering fabrics which draw attention to the wearer. God clothed our first parents with long garments of skins. With the knowledge of evil came a need for clothing the body. We therefore ask our sisters to clothe the lower part of the leg. The hosiery should be black and shall be worn in all areas of public life.” (p.28) “The shoes for our sisters shall not follow the unhealthful and sensual designs of the world, such as heels over 1¾” high, low cut and exposed heels and toes. Sandals shall not be worn in public life. Footwear worn for casual wear shall also meet the color standard of black.” p.31

http://pilgrimministry.s3.amazonaws.com/Pilgrim-Decrees-2015.pdf

Note a false statement in what they state. God never said that He made long garments of skins for Adam and Eve. It is only stated in Genesis that God made coats of skins for them to wear. We have no idea what they looked like, how long they were, and how much of the body they covered. When people add to what God said, they end up with wrong conclusions.

In 1950, the well known Mennonite evangelist George Brunk II made a prediction in a sermon titled “Non-conformity in Attire”. George Brunk II was one of the main Mennonite leaders of the Great Amish and Conservative Mennonite Dress Experiment.  He said: “If the Mennonite Church in America loses its distinctive dress, it will become the most worldly and ungodly of denominations.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjQr8r6Lkdw

In 2016, Paul Emerson, editor of the Sword and Trumpet, walking in the footsteps of his predecessor, George Brunk II, made a similar statement to what Brunk had made. Emerson stated: “In direct proportion to the loss of practical nonconformity, the whole testimony of Anabaptism will be lost.” http://www.swordandtrumpet.org/18-what-is-an-anabaptist-part-6

Most Amish and conservative Mennonites would say that both Brunk’s prediction and Emerson’s statement are true, that as the liberal element of the Mennonite church lost its distinctive dress they became worldly. Because they are looking at the outward appearance and judging, they would say that dress that is not distinctive is worldly and wrong. However, George Brunk’s prediction in 1950 was wrong because the most conservative and the most distinctively dressed Amish and Mennonite groups today tend to be even more wicked and ungodly in the area of sexual abuse than society as a whole. There is also a high percentage of distinctively dressed Mennonites who are addicted to pornography – the Mennopornite Syndrome.

Brunk’s and Emerson’s quotes are interesting because they state that the  real thing that keeps conservatives Godly is their distinctive dress. Nowhere in the Bible does God state that distinctive dress will keep a church from becoming ungodly. Nowhere, in fact, does God specifically command us to dress distinctively at all. George Brunk and Paul Emerson’s position on distinctive dress is a false teaching that has put tens of thousands of people under bondage.

George Brunk’s prediction is also wrong because dressing in distinctive religious dress is wrong in and of itself, and many of those practicing it will receive a greater punishment than the worldliness that he was warning about.

The distinctive dress has been of no value in preventing sexual abuse and child molestation in the Amish and conservative Mennonite churches. As Jesus warned us, “Beware!”

Jesus further warned about distinctive dress when He gave us this warning:

“…Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.” (Luke 12:1b-3)

Jesus warned us to beware of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and said that it was contagious and would affect us. We see the same hypocrisy of the Pharisees in the regulation garb of the Amish and conservative Mennonites. While not every Amish or conservative Mennonite is a hypocrite, as a group they do have a focus on the outward appearance and on looking religious and pious. But hidden behind those clothes can be much sin and wickedness. For most members, as long as a person continues to wear the regulation garb, the church accepts them as faithful and in right standing in the church. God has exposed that hypocrisy as these sex abuse cases come to light, the Mennopornite Syndrome is made known, and their dress experiment is exposed as a failure.

The rules of man (in the conservative church) are an attempt to make up for the lack of spirituality among some of their members. Instead of teaching the people to follow the Shepherd, Christ, with all their heart, the conservative church puts up fences (rules and church regulations, written, verbal, or implied). Fences are not the same as following the Shepherd. In Biblical times, sheep were not kept in fences except for the fold at night. The sheep learned to follow the shepherd. We also need to learn to follow Jesus our Shepherd and not be kept in man-made, church-built “fences” and bondage. We need to follow Christ’s commands that we are given in the New Testament, not rules and doctrines of men.

In Biblical times, Sheep were not kept in Fences except for the sheepfold at night. The sheep learned to follow the shepherd. Instead of teaching people to follow the Shepherd (Christ) with all their heart, the conservative church puts up fences (rules, and church regulations – written, verbal, or implied). Fences are not the same a following the Shepherd

Amish and Mennonite groups have many splinter groups that can be uniquely identified by their distinctive variation of Amish or Mennonite dress. Their unique dress regulation becomes an identifying factor of division because the outward appearance quickly identifies a person to another Amish or Mennonite as either part of their group or more “liberal” or more “conservative”. God warns us in Romans 16:17-18 about those that cause divisions and it applies to those who require dress styles that are used as an identifying factor of division: “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.”

The arguments for distinctive conservative dress can sound good and convincing and have deceived the hearts of many people. I was deceived by it too. But God tells us we are not to have any part of its divisive nature. Distinctive dress, because it is uniquely different from what those outside of their group wears, by its very nature causes divisions among Christians. God tells us to mark those who cause divisions in His Church and not be a member of one of those groups because they are not serving Jesus.

Jesus tells us: “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” (John 7:24) And God told Samuel “Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

Jesus gave us the example of not dressing distinctively by not dressing differently from those around Him. Jesus seems to have dressed similar to the Romans. This is evidenced by the fact that when He was crucified, the Roman soldiers wanted his clothes and divided them among themselves.

Distinctive Amish and Mennonite dress has resulted in many people glorying in appearance and not in heart. Focusing on how one dresses is a subtle deception that many conservatives have fallen into. “For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart.” 2 Corinthians 5:12

As we have seen in this chapter, there are many reasons why the rate of sexual abuse is so high among conservative Christians groups. And there are probably more reasons for why. But the bottom line is that when we add to God’s Word, there are consequences, and sometimes horrible consequences that we would never have expected would happen.

Conservative, distinctive Amish dress and vehicles the next 18 miles. The attention of tourists is drawn to the Amish, not to Jesus Christ. As Christians we need to live in such a way that non-Christians are attracted to Jesus. A religious group has made a mistake when their lifestyle becomes a novelty or tourist attraction,  Photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Dschwen

The next Chapter – The Bondage of Conservatism