Throughout history, humans have repeatedly used the clothes they wear to symbolise their faith. Buddhist monks are instantly recognisable in their saffron robes, Jewish men may wear a tallit (a prayer shawl) or a yarmulke, while many Muslim women wear the hijab.
Hannah, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Brisbane and one of 10 housemates who appear on new SBS program Christians Like Us, also chooses to express her faith by wearing certain clothing.
Like many Latter-day Saints, under her clothes Hannah wears ‘temple garments’, which serve as a daily reminder of her faith. “It’s simply a white undergarment that I wear every day,” she explains to her roommate Assumpta in Christians Like Us. “It’s a very personal choice that I’ve made that reminds me to live a pure and chaste life.”
Latter-day Saints avoid alcohol, drugs and tobacco; Hannah even skips the coffee. They are expected to leave moral lives, which means no sex outside of marriage – a position that is out of step with contemporary social mores that are more liberal. “It’s not easy to refrain from sex before marriage. I get ridiculed a lot,” Hannah says of her chaste lifestyle.
So what exactly are temple garments? A published at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ website explains that “Temple garments are worn by adult members of the Church who have made sacred promises of fidelity to God’s commandments and the gospel of Jesus Christ in temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”
Hannah, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Source: SBS
The practice stems from the many references to sacred clothing found in the Bible. In the Old Testament, a passage in Numbers tells how God instructed Moses to command the Israelites to add tassels to their clothes to remind them to obey the word of God.
There is nothing magical or mystical about temple garments.
In the past, the temple undergarment has been referred to colloquially by people outside the Church as ‘magic underwear’ – a term that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints views as both inaccurate and offensive, a point made clear in the explainer video. “There is nothing magical or mystical about temple garments,” says the narrator. “Church members ask for the same degree of respect and sensitivity that would be afforded to any other faith by people of goodwill.”
Latter-day Saints and the Christian world
Founded in the US in 1830 by Joseph Smith, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has its headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah. Today, the Church has a strong presence in Australia, with more than 136,000 members, 190 meetinghouses and five temples around the country.
Latter-day Saints believe that Jesus is the Son of God but deviate from mainstream Christian beliefs on the matter of scripture. The Book of Mormon, which Latter-day Saints believe Joseph Smith translated from an ancient language inscribed in golden plates handed to him by an angel, is considered a companion to the Bible, which puts the Church at odds with other Christian denominations.
Hannah says she has felt marginalised her whole life for being a “Mormon” – not a Christian – and it’s true that some of her housemates in Christians Like Us are reluctant to accept her as Christian. It’s a rejection that rankles. “It’s a little bit hypocritical for anyone to put a label on what Christianity looks like because every Christian faith is different, and it doesn’t make sense to say I’m more Christian than you are,” she says.
Christians Like Us premieres Wednesday April 3 on SBS. Source: SBS
“It’s highly offensive to feel that I’m not considered Christian when that is something that I live for…I’ve truly felt the love and peace in my life that Jesus Christ has given me. It’s led me my whole life.”
Christians Like Us airs over two nights at 8.35pm, Wednesday April 3 and 10 on SBS.
