"Magic Mormon Underwear"

[LostSheep]

How do I respond to friends at school asking "Is it true that you mormons wear magic underwear that you think is offensive to talk about?" I know they do it for a reaction, but I don't have a good response to that. It comes up more often than you'd think, and I don't really want to talk about it. I usually try to change the subject, but it hardly ever works... they pry and pry sometimes... Any advice?

[Aesa]

Just correct their misconception and tell them what they're really about, and your belief behind them.

Or if they you feel uncomfortable with that, why not direct them to an article about it on LDS.org or something?

Or, a polite "Why don't you find out for yourself?"

[LostSheep]

Because they don't actually care. They just want to make fun of it.

[Aesa]

Well then in that case tell them that you're not interested in discussing it with them unless they're serious about it?

Perhaps you just need a little conviction?

[sensibility]

You're under no obligation to explain garments to someone who's only trying to annoy you. Just laugh, say, "Did you seriously just ask about my underwear? Do you often start conversations like that?" and refuse to entertain them further. Because honestly, it is rather out of line to ask someone about their underwear.

[LostSheep]

Good Point

[Aesa]

Never thought of it that way sensibility.

[talisyn]

Tell them you discuss underwear only after the 5th date.

[Aesa]

I really dislike the term magic in this context, because it's so open to interpretation.

It makes me picture someone walking around in these giant purple underwear that repels all that is bad. It just over-emphasises what they're all about, or at least, what I understand they're all about.

[Moksha]

Some people scoff at LDS underware and yet think Lucky Charms are magically delicious. What gives?

On a more serious note, I wonder if these garments, that are supposed to be a reminder of sacred oaths, have been joked about because of the numerous supernatural claims that have been attributed to them.

Edited May 14, 2009 by Moksha

[Dravin]

Just say No. We don't consider them magic and it isn't offensive to talk about them (well, not in general way). You don't even have to include the explanation they clearly aren't interested but you answer their question in a correct way.

Or, and this is always a personal favorite of mine, give them the, "Did that really come out of your mouth?" look it takes a little practice but it has its uses.

[Jamie123]

Why not threaten to unleash the awesome power of your underpants on them if they don't shut up?

(People who like to be the jokers don't always like it when the joke's turned on them.)

[Aesa]

Sad thing is, Jamie, that they'd probably fall hook-line-and-sinker for the joke. And that could be even worse.

[Faded]

How do I respond to friends at school asking "Is it true that you mormons wear magic underwear that you think is offensive to talk about?" I know they do it for a reaction, but I don't have a good response to that. It comes up more often than you'd think, and I don't really want to talk about it. I usually try to change the subject, but it hardly ever works... they pry and pry sometimes... Any advice?

Yeah they do like to belittle the Garment of the Holy Priesthood. Here's some useful bits.

The Garment of the Holy Priesthood is two things. The first one can easily be shared. Everything that your Garments cover should in turn be covered by your outer clothing, essentially keeping you from dressing in a way that would offend God. That is where I would begin.

Building upon that, it is a reminder that you are God's and what God expect of you. You do not need to go into details, because that tells them everything they need to know. The two principals work hand in hand. It is a more complete reminder than something like a cross worn around the neck because it effectively enforces morality and appropriate dress.

Hope that helps.

[Hemidakota]

How do I respond to friends at school asking "Is it true that you mormons wear magic underwear that you think is offensive to talk about?" I know they do it for a reaction, but I don't have a good response to that. It comes up more often than you'd think, and I don't really want to talk about it. I usually try to change the subject, but it hardly ever works... they pry and pry sometimes... Any advice?

I thought it was special animal skins? http://i.azjmp.com/0SbSY

[cyoung]

When people have honestly asked me I tell them it's much like a priests vestments, Rabbi's Yarmulka, or a prayer shawl. Just a reminder of covenants.

Now as far as dealing with people that whose goal is to make you look foolish, just walk away. Consider the source.

[beefche]

If I didn't think it would get you in trouble, I'd recommend you responding, "You wanna see my underwear?" Then moon them.

You could say that only by speaking of "them"--you can't say the name because the magic is so strong that just saying the name will cause red bumps and green hair to sprout--you could curse them that they will forever stutter when asking a girl out and that the girls will always have a bad hair day. So, if they still want to talk about it, then they have to do the anti-curse dance which includes screaming "I'm a dork! Forgive me!" and waving their arms repeatedly in other people's faces.

Honestly, I would make it into an even bigger, riduculous joke just to show them how dumb the question is. But, that's my personality.

[Hemidakota]

Hang on until I whip out the video tape for that moon moment to happen:

[Gwen]

Yeah they do like to belittle the Garment of the Holy Priesthood. Here's some useful bits.

The Garment of the Holy Priesthood is two things. The first one can easily be shared. Everything that your Garments cover should in turn be covered by your outer clothing, essentially keeping you from dressing in a way that would offend God. That is where I would begin.

Building upon that, it is a reminder that you are God's and what God expect of you. You do not need to go into details, because that tells them everything they need to know. The two principals work hand in hand. It is a more complete reminder than something like a cross worn around the neck because it effectively enforces morality and appropriate dress.

Hope that helps.

i very much agree with faded here. though i would not refer to it as the garment of the holy priesthood. simply because the more "weird" the name the more they will "confirm" what they thought before they mocked you. personally i would probably respond something like this.....

"i'm sorry, i think i know what you are referring to but i'm not sure. i've never heard anyone in my church talk about "magic underwear" or wearing it. in fact the only time i've ever heard that term is from ppl who make it a habbit of mocking others. i'm going to assume those ppl are the ones you are getting your information from. i try to make it my habit not to get my facts about someone or something from ppl that treat others that way. i'd suggest you do the same. rarely are such sources accurate."

if they are genuine in their desire to understand then i would say something similar to faded. there is a two fold purpose. one is a physical reminder of covenants i've made with god. like a nun's habit, or a priests collar, a jewish yamaka, etc. it's not an uncomon practice for someone to have a physical symbol of a covanant with god. i just keep mine covered. the other is to assist in one of the covenants that i've made which is to always dress modestly.

[Hemidakota]

In Allan K. Burgess book called, "Teens, Temple Marriage, and Eternity", there is a short narrative article on the importance of the Temple Garment.

It is important to understand the importance and sacred nature of the temple garment. The full purpose of the garment is revealed in the temple and should not be discussed outside the temple. We can, however, share some information that will help us appreciate and respect the temple garment.

Elder Boyd K. Packer said: "The garment, covering the body, is a visual and tactile reminder of these [temple] covenants. For many Church members the garment has formed a barrier of protection when the wearer has been faced with temptation. Among other things it symbolizes our deep respect for the laws of God—among them the moral standard." (The Holy Temple [salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1980], p. 79.)

The promise that the garment can remind us of our covenants and help protect us from temptation is very important and very real. This was demonstrated well by an active Church member named Marie. She was in her twenties, had been married in the temple, and had two children. Marie had been feeling depressed and unappreciated for several weeks.

A man where Marie worked part-time had noticed her vulnerability, and he began to show her a lot of attention. As she looked back on it later, she realized that he wanted only a physical relationship, but, at the time, she really thought that he cared for her. He listened to her problems and gave her the attention that she felt she needed. She shared a few secret lunches with him at fancy restaurants (just to discuss her problems), and they started to share a few kisses at the office.

Then one Friday morning when she was at home alone he called her on the phone. He told her how much he loved her and wanted to be with her. By the time she had hung up the phone, she had actually agreed to meet him at a motel in one hour. She packed a small bag and quickly showered. As she began to dress and went to put on her garments, her heart was flooded with pain and guilt. Those garments reminded her of all that was really special and dear to her. For the first time in several weeks she thought about her temple wedding, her husband and children, and the promises she had made to the Lord. As she sat down on the edge of the bed she began to shake and cry with relief. She was so grateful that she had come to her senses before she had gone any further.

Marie called the man and told him that she wouldn't be meeting him at the motel or any other place. She apologized to him for the things she had done with him in the past and told him that she loved her husband and children.

That night, Marie and her husband had a long talk, and they both began to do things to strengthen their marriage. Just as it was for Marie, the garment can be a great reminder and a great strength to us.

An important thing we can do to prepare ourselves to wear the temple garment is to apply the ideals of modesty all through our lives. By establishing the temple garment as our standard of dress from the time we are young we will not have to alter our wardrobe or adjust our style of dress when we enter the temple. Some people have been left with a closet full of clothes that they can no longer wear. Even before we enter the temple, the garment can be a great guide to us in determining what is modest and appropriate to wear.

Once we enter the temple, the garment will determine our dress standards for the rest of our lives. We should not pin or alter our garments so that we can wear something that does not cover the garment. Joseph F. Smith said that Church members should consider their temple garments the "most sacred of all things in the world, next to their own virtue, next to their own purity of life." (Editorial, Improvement Era, Aug. 1906, p. 813.)

Even though all of us will find ourselves in public dressing rooms at one time or another, we should never feel ashamed or embarrassed about our garments. George D. Durrant shared the following story, which has helped me explain to others why I wear temple garments.

"I recall once speaking about the temple garment. I related an experience I had while I was in the army in Korea, where dressing facilities were not very private. In those circumstances I tried to be discreet, but at times some of my friends noticed that I wore temple garments. They would smile and say, 'What are those?' I would merely explain, 'They are part of my religion and someday I'll tell you more about them.' One night in the barracks one of my friends said, 'You've said you would tell us about your underwear. What is the story?' It was a small barracks and housed about fourteen men whom I had come to love over the months we were together. None of them was a member of the Church. I said, 'This seems like a good time to tell all of you my feelings about life and my religion.' Everyone in the barracks waited quietly. 'You know how much letters from my wife and pictures of our little boy mean to me. I miss them more than I can say. That has something to do with why I wear these sacred garments.

" 'When I met my wife prior to our marriage, I fell deeply in love with her. She agreed to become my wife.' I paused from the narrative and asked, 'Have any of you men ever seen a temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints?' Most of them said that they had seen a temple in one place or another. Each declared that he felt that those buildings were beautiful. I said, 'Yes, they are beautiful from the outside and they are even more beautiful inside.'

"I continued, 'To go into a temple is quite an experience because, you see, it is the house of the Lord. Only members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can enter. My sweetheart and I went to the Salt Lake Temple some years ago. It was there that we were married. There are certain things that happen inside a temple. These things aren't secret things, but they are sacred. They are things about which we are not to speak outside of the temple. But I can say this much—while I was in the temple I promised our Heavenly Father that I would keep his commandments in every way. He, in return, promised me in that holy house that if I would keep his commandments my family, my wife, my children, and I would never—even after death—be separated, but we would be a family forever.

"Because I went to the temple I was thereafter privileged to wear these garments. They are sacred and holy and they are a constant reminder to me of the promises the Lord made to me.

"So you see, my friends, as long as I wear these garments I have a constant reminder of things of an eternal nature. They help me to remember always that if I keep the covenants that I made in the Lord's holy house I will be with my family forever. While here in Korea I miss my wife and little boy more than words can tell. I never want to be separated from them again. . . . I know what I have told you is true and I want you to know it is true. And that's the answer to your question about why I wear this underwear. . . .

"Later, when new men came to live in our barracks some would ask about the underwear. I didn't have to answer again, for in response to such a question one or the other of my own friends who had been there on that night would say, 'If you knew why he wore the underwear, you wouldn't smile. Those are sacred. They're part of his religion.' " (Ensign, Jan. 1977, pp. 57-58.)

[Faded]

if they are genuine in their desire to understand then i would say something similar to faded. there is a two fold purpose. one is a physical reminder of covenants i've made with god. like a nun's habit, or a priests collar, a jewish yamaka, etc. it's not an uncomon practice for someone to have a physical symbol of a covanant with god. i just keep mine covered. the other is to assist in one of the covenants that i've made which is to always dress modestly.

I think that even those who are being obnoxious are doing to try to make you feel ashamed or embarassed. So you don't give them that. I think a good example of showing some pride in our religious practices is found in "Fiddler on the Roof."

Here in Anatevka we have traditions for everything. How to sleep. How to eat. How to wear clothes. For instance, we always keep our heads covered, and always wear a little prayer shawl under our clothes. This shows our devotion to God. You may ask, 'How did this tradition get started? I'll tell you. I don't know. But it's a tradition. And because of our traditions, every one of us knows who he is, and what God expects him to do.

If people want to know why Latter Day Saints wear temple garments, the answer is the same. It is a reminder telling, "Every one of us who he is and what God expects him to do." We can do one better than Tevye. We know how the practice got started and we understand the meaning behind the garments. There is more information that we can offer to those who are sincerely curious. But I think it that's a good enough for those who are mocking it:

It is a reminder, telling every one of us who we are and what God expects of us.

Edited May 14, 2009 by Faded

[MarginOfError]

I wrote this post about a year ago on this subject. Since I’m a little too lazy to retype it all, I’ll just link to it.

http://www.lds.net/forums/learn-about-mormon-church/12809-where-how-garments-made-4.html#post230765

[rameumptom]

Explain that 1) they are not magic. 2) just as some Jews, Catholic priests and nuns, and some Protestant pastors wear special outer garments to set them apart from the world, we wear our holy garment under our clothing, so as to be a personal and private reflection of our faith. It reminds us to be holy and devoted to God.

[the Ogre]

How do I respond to friends at school asking "Is it true that you mormons wear magic underwear that you think is offensive to talk about?" I know they do it for a reaction, but I don't have a good response to that. It comes up more often than you'd think, and I don't really want to talk about it. I usually try to change the subject, but it hardly ever works... they pry and pry sometimes... Any advice?

Let them know that if you buy four sets direct from the distribution center in Orem, where I shop, you also get a free Harry Potter Wand that actually works.

[Maxel]

Let them know that if you buy four sets direct from the distribution center in Orem, where I shop, you also get a free Harry Potter Wand that actually works.

Lumos!