“Stop worrying about … what you will wear.”

(Matthew 6:25, ISV)

Jesus repeated the same command again and said: “Do not be concerned or say … ‘What will we wear’?” (Matthew 6:31, ABPE) The statement is clear and unambiguous: Christians should not “be concerned” or “worrying” about what they will wear.

Do Jehovah’s Witnesses comply with this command? Not at all! The Research Guide for Jehovah’s Witnesses contains a whole section about ‘Dress and Grooming.’ (2014 edition, page 72) They say that it would be “important … to pay attention to our dress.” (The Watchtower, August 1, 2002, page 17) Even interested persons are to be reminded “of the importance of giving attention to proper dress.” (Our Kingdom Ministry, March 1998, page 7) “Most brothers and sisters therefore consider very carefully what clothing they will wear.” (Our Kingdom Ministry, August 1974, page 8) They are even encouraged to “observe the attire of those who … give public talks.” – Benefit From Theocratic Ministry School Education, page 133.

Is this not a clear contradiction of Jesus’ command? Far from ‘not being concerned,’ Jehovah’s Witnesses have created countless regulations regarding clothing. They rack their brains to decide whether “T-shirts advertising your favorite movie or sports star or some other hero” are allowed, and eventually conclude that wearing such would be “idolatry.” (Awake!, February 8, 1999, page 19) Youth are forced to “give proper attention to what we wear and how we wear it.” (Awake!, February 8, 1987, page 18) The books Your Youth – Getting the Best out of It and Questions Young People Ask – Answers That Work even feature whole chapters on how to dress!

Anyone wearing the wrong kind of clothes is excluded from Christian privileges. No one is allowed to give a public talk without a tie and a jacket in most countries; some congregations even require a white shirt and a plain suit. Christian women have been refused admittance to the stage because their skirt was too short or they were wearing a pantsuit. Is this not very far from ‘not being concerned what we will wear?’ No doubt, Jehovah’s Witnesses are under no circumstances true Christians, but rather they are “the deceiver and the antichrist.” – 2 John 7.

“Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha …

… which means, when translated, ‘Dorcas.’” (Acts 9:36)

After Tabitha died, the bereaved sent for Peter. What happened when he arrived at the mourners? Did they tell him what a good person Tabitha had been or how they miss her company? No, no one wasted any word her her personality. Rather they kept “showing him the coats and other clothes Dorcas had made for them.” (Acts 9:39, NLT) Accordingly the Watchtower says: “Why … was Dorcas loved so much? – Well, the Bible says that she … gave fine gifts. She apparently made nice clothes for widows.” – August 1, 2011, page 14.

So the Christians in Joppa missed Tabitha only because now no one would make “coats and other clothes” for them anymore. Peter felt sympathy for them and resurrected Tabitha; “then he called in the believers and widows, and presented her to them alive,” so that she could make more “nice clothes” for them. – Acts 9:41, MSG.

“Keep warm and well fed!”

(James 2:15, 16)

Under inspiration, the apostle James wrote to Christian women in Corinth: “If a brother is naked … yet one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm’ … but you do not give them what they need for their body, of what benefit is it?” (James 2:15, 16, Fn.) So it occurred that Christian women visited brothers and found them naked and freezing. In such a case they were obliged to “give them what they need for their body.” What did that mean?

Wise King Solomon explained what a freezing brother needs. He said: “If two lie down together, they will stay warm, but how can just one keep warm?” (Ecclesiastes 4:11) His statement shows that merely giving clothes or firewood to a freezing brother would not be enough. “Just one” simply cannot “keep warm.” Rather, Christian woman should follow Abishag’s example. She ‘lay beside David so that the king did keep warm.’ (1 Kings 1:2, NIV) Not for nothing did the apostle Paul mention in the same context that “Rahab the prostitute … [was] declared righteous by works.” – James 2:25.