Does God have a dress code?

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Submitted by Peter on Tue, Oct 07, 2008

Does God have a dress code?

There was a series of videos like the one below, but I liked this one best, of that series. It's the one that I think is neutral. It's an attempt by geeks at a traditional Christian church to make a statement along the lines of: come dressed as you are; you have a life and you don't have to dress up to come to our church. The comments, however, were anything but neutral.

The comments were about fifty-fifty. Fifty per cent of the comments favored the statement made by the video. Fifty per cent of the comments did not approve of the sentiment. A few didn't like it because it used the Mac vs PC format Apple Computer used in its popular ad campaign. Most of the negative comments were from folks who thought that it is disrespectful not to dress up for church.

I happened upon this video on Godtube.1

The ones who disapproved of the video represent the typical voice of the human ego trying to personify God and make decisions for Him2. There is no dress code for God's children.

Course people are the same way about some things. Mostly about its teachers. Who is teaching the Course and who is worthy to be called a teacher of the Course? I don't understand all this from Course people. I particularly don't understand the Marianne Williamson bashing I've read and heard lately.

A Course In Miracles says this about its teachers:

A teacher of God is anyone who chooses to be one. His qualifications consist solely in this: somehow, somewhere he has made a deliberate choice in which he did not see his interests as apart from someone else’s. Once he has done that, his road is established and his direction is sure. A light has entered the darkness. It may be a single light, but that is enough. He has entered an agreement with God even if he does not yet believe in Him. He has become a bringer of salvation. He has become a teacher of God.
–A Course In Miracles

and

There is a course for every teacher of God. The form of the course varies greatly. So do the particular teaching aids involved. But the content of the course never changes. Its central theme is always, “God’s Son is guiltless, and in his innocence is his salvation.” It can be taught by actions or thoughts, in words or soundlessly, in any language or in no language, in any place or time or manner. It does not matter who the teacher was before he heard the Call. He has become a savior by his answering. He has seen someone else as himself. He has therefore found his own salvation and the salvation of the world. In his rebirth is the world reborn.
–A Course In Miracles

So what if Marianne mixes politics and world peace and personal empowerment and into that mixes some of A Course In Miracles? Even if none of that has anything to do with A Course In Miracles. There are people interested in these topics. Where and when and how any one is introduced to A Course In Miracles cannot be judged. We do not know where or when or how a miracle may travel, who it may affect and what may become of it.

A miracle is never lost. It may touch many people you have not even met, and produce undreamed of changes in situations of which you are not even aware.
–A Course In Miracles

I cannot even say that I am a great fan of Marianne Williamson's style, but I am liking her more and more. I am sure she is doing her part. I am doing my part.

Let me tell you how I know Marianne, a little piece of my involvement with A Course In Miracles. Back in the 1980's, I was asked to lead a study group on A Course In Miracles. I did that, but only for seven weeks. Afterwards, I decided that I would offer a quarterly Introduction to A Course In Miracles class and invite whoever showed up to a second meeting at my home to view the video that had become available at that time. At one of these introductory sessions there was a woman who asked if there would be a weekly group meeting. I said that any one here could form a group if they wished, but that I was not offering to organize one. The woman announced that she would hold a weekly meeting at her home. I attended the group meetings and the little group of people became friends.

At some point, the woman began receiving tapes of Marianne Williamson's talks. I guess it was a friend who sent the tapes from California. The woman was enamored with Marianne's talks and made copies of every tape she got and gave them out to the group. I listened to the tapes. I had mixed feelings about them. On one hand, it's true, they were not strictly about the Course. I continued to listen to the tapes however because they contained some gems and were occasionally funny.

This was the late 1980's and I had spent the late 1970's and early 1980's thoroughly saturated in New Age seminars, workshops, and training programs. To me, my teachers were the original teachers of this material and, to me, Marianne represented what I would think of as the New Age becoming part of the pop culture. In fact, it is likely that Marianne attended some classes with one of my teachers of in southern California. But, really, what matter is it how anyone learns of these ideas? Marianne says her work is "inclusive"3. I think she tries, in her own way, as I do, to bridge a gap between various religions, cultures, and beliefs.

It seems that, today, there are two camps who declare one teacher as the teacher for them. It's either the Ken camp or the Marianne camp. There are others, but the rest are, for the most part, in one of these. I attended a Course group meeting recently and heard, "Marianne doesn't teach The Course." I responded with, "but there's something for everyone. I'm sure some people find their way through Marianne's talks or books." I said that I'd read somewhere that Marianne claims to be only a "B student" of A Course In Miracles4. They were happy to hear that. Then I said that I wouldn't mind sharing a stage with Marianne and the response was, "huh, why?" I said maybe a panel discussion, and they were satisfied (that Judas wasn't in their midst, I guess).

We don't know what miracles lie ahead. In the world, in other people's lives, or in our own lives. Be open. Let us forgive what we do not understand. Be ready for the light. God has no dress code. All are welcome in His Light.

Miracles are part of an interlocking chain of forgiveness which, when completed, is the Atonement. Atonement works all the time and in all the dimensions of time.
–A Course In Miracles

1. at the time I viewed the page, which I was unable to locate later, otherwise I'd have posted the link
2. wasn't it Paul who decided that women had to cover their heads in church? Why?
3. interview with Scott London, 1999
4. The Complete Story of A Course In Miracles by D. Patrick Miller