this is going to sound strange, but here goes.. my bf's boss and wife are mormons..well, the other day my bf said that the boss's wife had something sticking out from the bottom of her shorts, the way he described it to me was kind of thin spandex looking, about the length of her shorts, the first thing I thought was she was just wearing a girdle. Well, then my bf told the boss's brother about it and he told him that all Mormons wear those things under their clothes on top of their underwear. This sounds really strange to me and the guy is also known to lie ALOT so I was just wondering if anyone knows this mormon undergarment thing to be true?
2007-07-31 04:19:45 · 13 answers · asked by imshannon 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The short answer is yes members of the Church of Jesus Christ of latter day Saints (A.K.A. Mormons) wear special undergarments. They wear these as a reminder of the covenants they have made with God.
2007-07-31 04:25:28 · answer #1 · answered by Spencer D 3 · 11⤊ 0⤋
No, this is absolutely true. Mormons wear magic underpants they call "garments". They receive this underwear after they go through religious rituals in their temple when they reach early adulthood. Or, if they convert later in life, after they go through the temple the first time. These garments have magical symbols on them that have religious meanings for them. They believe these garments can offer both physical and spiritual protection. Some mormons believe the stories about how their underwear has protected Mormons from physical injuries. Other less gullible Mormons see this as more of a symbolic type of protection.
Mormons must wear their magic underwear at all times except when working out, having sex or bathing. Garments are to be worn UNDER the underwear, if additional undergarments are to be worn. Typically, women wear a bra on top of their magic jammies.
2007-08-02 16:37:31 · answer #2 · answered by Erasmus 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
First, not all Mormons wear what you're describing. We call them garments. What they are is underwear. There's usually two pieces. A top that comes to the top of your shoulders, and then covers your stomach etc. It looks like an undershirt. The bottoms are knee length (come to the tops of your knees). Second, the garment is the underwear. My bra goes on top of it...not the other way around.
When Mormons go through the temple, they make promises to the Lord and always wearing the garment is a daily reminder of these promises they made. Not all Mormons wear them. Just those that have gone through the temple. Its not that weird really. Many orthodox Jews wear clothes that have a similar purpose. Catholic priest wear clothes that have a similar purpose also.
2007-08-01 11:50:30 · answer #3 · answered by Sherpa 4 · 7⤊ 0⤋
This is a very sacred thing to us. First off, not all members wear these. I don't yet, but will by the end of this month as I will be going to the temple to take out my endowments. Second, it is not worn on top of underwear. It is our underwear, and women wear the bra on top of this instead of next to our bodies This article of clothing is a reminder of the promises we make to God to live a clean, honest, virtuous life. There is nothing "magic" about it like some will surely answer. This item of clothing is simply symbolic of those promises. It also helps us to dress modestly even when the styles are not so modest. (Loved the "daisy dukes" comment one person made!) I wouldn't be surprised if it was an LDS designer who came up with capris and city shorts.
2007-08-01 12:54:18 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 0⤋
One point I would like to make, to add to the excellent answers already given, is that if you think about it, the general idea of religious clothing is not that unusual. If you go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Religious_vesture, which shows the general category of "Religious Vesture" (clothing), there are more than a dozen sub-categories, and several postings under each subcategory. For each religion, this clothing has special spiritual and personal meaning for the one wearing it. So, while it may seem strange to have one's religious clothing be their underwear, Mormons appreciate when others are respectful and do not make jokes about them.
2007-08-02 01:24:05 · answer #5 · answered by Dave S 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
The mormons wear the garments directly to their body. It serves as a spiritual protection and reminder of the covanants the LDS adults make in the temple. If they have any other underwear, they put it on top of the garments.
2007-07-31 11:31:43 · answer #6 · answered by DJ_surfer 3 · 8⤊ 0⤋
I am LDS, and I do wear them - it's not all Mormons, just ones who have chosen to particpate in certain temple promises - which are just adults who want to live that way.
They act as a reminder of the promises we've made with God; wearing clothing to remind someone of promises with God is common, there's hats, robes, collars, even boxer shorts in other religions...we just don't have any paid clergy, so the clothing has to work with whatever employment we may follow (even a soldier can wear 'em without anything getting in the way).
2007-07-31 11:36:17 · answer #7 · answered by daisyk 6 · 10⤊ 0⤋
Yes, it's true... basicly.
As the other (valid) answers point out, they actually ARE our underwear, and symbolize sacred promises we've made with God.
No, we don't force anyone to make these promises, or participate in the ceremonies where we make these promise. No, we don't do blood or virgin sacrifices in the temples (Yeah, there's some funny stories out there!). But because they're sacred, and we don't talk about it a lot, people wonder. (It's kinda like what one does behind closed doors with one's spouse- Ya just don't go talking about stuff like that!)
Mostly they encourage modesty.... Hey, if your undies went nearly to your knee would YOU be wearing daisy-dukes? Yeah, me neither.
2007-07-31 16:04:10 · answer #8 · answered by Yoda's Duck 6 · 7⤊ 0⤋
We don't wear them over underwear, they are our underwear. It isn't strange to wonder about them. It has been that way for years with people who aren't LDS.
They are called garments, and they are worn under our clothing, next to the skin. Women can wear bras either under or over them. To me, it isn't weird, but then I grew up with both my parents wearing them, and now I wear them too. It's normal to me, and other types of underwear feel weird and wrong to me now.
To us, it is a sign of the commitments and promises we made to God in the temple. It isn't all LDS people who wear them, only those who have been through certain ceremonies in the temple. We don't talk about them much, because to us, they are sacred. Some will say they are secret, but they aren't. You can go to any beehive clothing or church distribution center and see what they look like, you just can't buy them.
2007-07-31 15:54:41 · answer #9 · answered by odd duck 6 · 6⤊ 1⤋
If an LDS has been thru the temple, and taken out their endowments, they are given special garments to wear next to their body, to remind them of their covenants they make with God and Christ.
2007-07-31 22:35:19 · answer #10 · answered by mormon_4_jesus 7 · 5⤊ 1⤋