Why Do Humans Wear Clothes?

By Vic Gill

Silly question? I know, it’s meant to be. But funny isn’t it, how some of the most ridiculously ludicrous questions in life are the most important ones. Not to mention the ones which usually get ignored as well. Most people write this question off simply because they think it’s not worth wasting time over. ‘Oh that’s easy’ most would quickly exclaim. Some would shrug their shoulders and not even bother attempting to waste their breathe over it.

But stop for a moment. Just stop for a moment from whatever you’re doing and really give this question a few moments thought. Because I believe it unlocks some major truths about the origin of life. Why on earth do you wear clothes? You spend most of your life in clothes. You shop for your clothes. Your iron your clothes. You wash your clothes. You fold them and buy nice wardrobes for them. You co-ordinate your clothes. You have clothes for sleeping. You have clothes for work. Clothes, clothes and more clothes. Why do clothes play such a big part of life? Why do humans wear clothes?

Man has sent rockets to the moon, created electrical cars, cloned sheep and scaled the highest mountains. Surely, man should be able to tell us ‘why humans wear clothes’.

Here are the top few reasons given by most people for why humans wear clothes.

We wear clothes to keep us warm!

This is the most common answer I hear when I ask people this question. But think this through logically. According to Wiki the hottest countries in the world are Libya and Death Valley (USA). But these countries don’t even fall on the equator. Countries like Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia and Uganda all fall on the equator and would be pretty hot all year round. But notice how even they wear clothes, almost all year round too. Okay, they may wear fewer clothes, but the point is that they still cover up. So, temperature and climate clearly are not the reasons for why we wear clothes.

 We wear clothes because it’s a social norm!

I’ve also heard from some people that the reason people wear clothes is simply because it’s the social norm. In other words, it’s a pattern which we follow because society dictates this.

But again, this presents a problem and doesn’t really answer the question. Who determines societal norms? Who started this societal norm off? Why are all the so called revolutionaries, societal busters, liberals and free thinkers still following this ‘social norm’?

Even a rebel wears clothes is the point I am trying to make. Societal norms are relevant to each culture. Tipping a waiter is a societal norm in the USA, not in India. Sipping tea loudly is a societal norm in some Asian countries, not in Europe.

We wear clothes because of fashion!

Some have responded that fashion is a reason we wear clothes, to look good.

But again there is a major problem here. Have you seen the Oxfam or Red Cross charity adverts where a dying woman is trying to feed her starving baby? Have you noticed that even they try their best to cover up? Do you think fashion is on her mind? She is just trying to survive and cling on to life.

I really don’t think she or others like her in her situation are at all concerned about making a fashion statement.

Can philosophy, science and social theory answer the question?

For something that is so intrinsic to human life, why can’t all the clever theories of man provide an answer? Why can’t man’s theories tell me why I feel the need to wear clothes to work every day?

Absurdist, communists, determinists, epicureans, evolutionists, existentialists, hedonists, islamists, liberalists, nihilists, objectivists, positivists, romanticists, satanists, secular humanists, solipsists and yes, even utilitarianists all wear clothes. But can any explain why we wear clothes and explain it well?

The truth is philosophers and thinkers of our age are hard pressed to say the least to conjure up an answer to this question. How would they answer their children if asked this question? That we wear clothes because it gives pleasure (hedonism)? We wear clothes because it helps my fellow human (humanist)? We wear clothes because everything is meaningless (nihilism)? We wear clothes because of my monkey ancestors (evolution)?

Could the inability of these theories expose their bankruptcy?

So what is the real reason? Why do humans wear clothes?

The answer is found in the Bible alone. It’s true. You may laugh it off but you cannot deny that the Bible is the only source which gives a credible and logical answer to the question. You can even pass it off as fairy tales and myth, but the fact remains that the Bible is the only source known to man which answers the question with authority and coherence. If you can find a better answer then let me know.

Genesis is the first book in the Bible which gives an account of the origin of man and the universe. For Jews, Genesis is part of the Torah and for Christians it is part of the Old Testament. Genesis gives us a detailed account of how a Creator God made absolutely everything out of nothing (ex nihilo). He simply said “Let there be light” and there was light (Genesis 1:3).

God created Adam and Eve, the first man and woman. They were created innocent and pure in the image and likeness of God. God out of the bounty of His eternal love gave them freedom and self-will to enjoy and tend the wonderful new world he had created, but strictly forbid them to eat from one certain tree.

However, Adam and Eve rebelled and disobeyed the one command which God gave them. They ate the fruit from the tree and in the blink of an eye the realised they were naked and hid themselves in shame. Here is the answer to the question, found in Genesis 3:7:

Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings (Genesis 3:7).

These are the first ever clothes made by man and woman because of the shame of their sin and nakedness. They were ashamed and instantly within their hearts they desired to be covered. Is this not the same reason you and I wear clothes? I can assure you it is!

Not it says in the Bible it was the cool of day (Genesis 3:8) and God enquired of Adam and Eve. God realised they had ate the fruit and were aware that they were naked and were trying to hide their nakedness, sin and shame  from the God whom they had disobeyed.

After God lays out just His plans to punish them, in His continued love He provides yet again for them:

Also for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them. (Genesis 3:21)

God made the first animal sacrifice in order to cover the nakedness, shame and sin of His rebellious creatures. The goodness of God even provided clothing for sinful rebels.

So this is the reason why today, you have this innate desire to cover yourself with clothing. It is because of the shame of sin and nakedness that we cover ourselves. No matter what theory or story you try to find to explain this question, the truth is that the Bible is only source of truth.

However the story doesn’t end there. The Bible tells us in God’s love that He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ to die for all of mankind’s sin and shame. Upon the cross Jesus was crucified for your sin when He became the sacrifice. He was crucified and died and on the third day rose from the dead to give you life, salvation and a covering which clothes will never provide.

Come to Jesus.

Tags: Absurdists, Clothes, Communists, determinists, epicureanists, evolutionists, existentialists, Genesis, hedonists, islamists, Jesus Christ, liberalists, Nihilists, objectivists, positivists, romanticists, satanists, secular humanists, solipsists, utilitarianists

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