Holy Millinery and other Musings!

I have often wondered what the reason could be for adherents of many of the world’s religions to wear such a variety of headgear? The shape, colour configuration or construction method all seem to play a significant role. Amongst the plethora of fez’s, turbans, berets, skullcaps, cowls, homburgs, hijabs, mitres and many others there is no discernable similarity amongst them. What then exactly is the objective?

Is it a visible demonstration of their piety to their particular God that by so doing enhance their standing with him/her/it? Does God have a favorite hat? All would agree that deities in general are expected to possess the omnipotence, wisdom and insight to see inside each individual’s mind and soul. Therefore, since nothing can be hidden and every thought like an open book, on this basis, the choice of headgear seems redundant. The only logical reason must be a desire to advertize or flaunt their specific faith set to each other. This exacerbates existing schisms between them, each holding the fervent belief that the millinery mandate of each religion is (-like their faith) the only one acceptable to the Almighty. 

The origins of some are equally puzzling. In the case of Orthodox Jews, what could possibly be the connection between their large brimmed black fedoras and Abraham or Moses? Their hair ringlets pose the same enigma. The conventions of the Anglican Church in which I was immersed at an early age decreed, with a novel example of sexism, that whilst women are required to wear hats in church, men must take theirs off! The notion that God would be sensitive to the relative merits and configurations of various pieces cloth headgear seems ludicrous. 

This argument can be extended to other items of attire. The range of sartorial elegance across the faith groups is also varied but -and here is an element of logic. In many cases it is not practical whilst in formal religious attire to fulfill the multifarious job commitments of today’s modern society and hence the wearing of hats provides a visual if superficial identification of each group.        

To honestly confront their Maker in a state of pure humility and supplication, surely the sole configuration would be to appear as God made us -“au natural” or completely naked, thus removing any inequalities in social status or relative affluence. However, for various reasons of culture, convention, tradition or to be subjected to sex-obsessed moralizing, this is clearly a non-starter. Some compromise would be required.

Ideally, a simple, loose but all-embracing garment similar to those worn by those visiting Mecca for the Hajj would be a step in the right direction. In addition to satisfying the moral imperatives of the non-nudists, it would also camouflage the effects on many who have over the years indulged in abundant living, hence becoming progressively less (-more likely more!) than God had made them! It could be argued that now, apart from variations in skin tone and bone structure it would introduce an sizeable element of uncertainty in identification of religious or racial background. The general acceptance of this “uniform” garment would perhaps help to reduce the exercising of much of the cross-cultural prejudices and intolerant attitudes of one national or religious group over another.