Standards vs Reality

[MaxPC]

I think that in the areas we have lived in for the past almost 17 years, it is pretty well a consensus that white is a more subdued and conservative color than black. I know that would shock some of the "plain" people in the east, but black is one of the more outstanding colors for a vehicle.

I'm intrigued by this. How is this kind of standard decided upon? Climate? Culture? A little of each?

I remember in the days before air conditioning in cars that people in warmer climates preferred white or light blues to reflect summer heat.

[temporal1]

I think that "up" and "down" are just being used to indicate more conservative/less conservative. More conservative does not necessarily mean more spiritual. Neither does less conservative necessarily mean more spiritual (despite what people who are getting "liberated" would have us believe).

But if there is any value to Anabaptist conservatism, and I think there is, then the trend of people moving from more to less conservative settings is troubling.

As is the trend of written standards not being followed by a congregation, but expected of potential new members.

this makes me think i'm following the different points in discussion here.

I think that in the areas we have lived in for the past almost 17 years, it is pretty well a consensus that white is a more subdued and conservative color than black. I know that would shock some of the "plain" people in the east, but black is one of the more outstanding colors for a vehicle.

I'm intrigued by this. How is this kind of standard decided upon? Climate? Culture? A little of each?

I remember in the days before air conditioning in cars that people in warmer climates preferred white or light blues to reflect summer heat.

i'm tempted to guess!
about car colors, my guess has been, "in the beginning," all cars were black. there was no choice. later, colors gradually became available, at extra cost, and were considered (by all) to be special+extravagant. (now i may learn if this is correct?!)

i agree with lester, tho, about how things are today.
today, black is often considered "the" statement of luxury, esp in limos, caddies, lincolns, etc.
black is also considered as "bad," or powerful-intimidating, by various groups. none of these present views are about being conservative, frugal, or modest (for many, these values are not on the radar.)

on a practical basis, black/dark colors, are hard to keep clean!
in the south, black must be stifling. i notice, some groups use white buggies. not sure how they decide.

.. now to learn.

[Hats Off]

about car colors, my guess has been, "in the beginning," all cars were black. there was no choice. later, colors gradually became available, at extra cost, and were considered (by all) to be special+extravagant. (now i may learn if this is correct?!)

i agree with lester, tho, about how things are today.
today, black is often considered "the" statement of luxury, esp in limos, caddies, lincolns, etc.
black is also considered as "bad," or powerful-intimidating, by various groups. none of these present views are about being conservative, frugal, or modest (for many, these values are not on the radar.)

on a practical basis, black/dark colors, are hard to keep clean!
in the south, black must be stifling. i notice, some groups use white buggies. not sure how they decide.

.. now to learn.

Henry Ford said you can have your choice of colours, as long as it is black. Some conservative groups in the east still say that. Black Dodge hemi pickups with 4 doors and big chrome wheels are in style and have nothing to do with being conservative and are not what was in mind when black was specified. And yes they can look intimidating.

At the local Dodge dealership about half of the new Dodge vans in stock are black. This really works well for the conservative people needing to drive black vans - those will hit the market in three or four years ensuring a good supply of used black minivans.

[Josh]

Originally buggies for taking to church were black, so it was logical cars would be too. In the 1950s worldly people got really into fancy paint jobs, shiny chrome bumpers, huge tail fins, and so on.

Plain people felt such things aren't proper for the believer, so they just stuck with plain black cars.

In my own church, our objective is to avoid owning a vehicle that is "highly esteemed".

[MaxPC]

about car colors, my guess has been, "in the beginning," all cars were black. there was no choice. later, colors gradually became available, at extra cost, and were considered (by all) to be special+extravagant. (now i may learn if this is correct?!)

i agree with lester, tho, about how things are today.
today, black is often considered "the" statement of luxury, esp in limos, caddies, lincolns, etc.
black is also considered as "bad," or powerful-intimidating, by various groups. none of these present views are about being conservative, frugal, or modest (for many, these values are not on the radar.)

on a practical basis, black/dark colors, are hard to keep clean!
in the south, black must be stifling. i notice, some groups use white buggies. not sure how they decide.

.. now to learn.

Henry Ford said you can have your choice of colours, as long as it is black. Some conservative groups in the east still say that. Black Dodge hemi pickups with 4 doors and big chrome wheels are in style and have nothing to do with being conservative and are not what was in mind when black was specified. And yes they can look intimidating.

At the local Dodge dealership about half of the new Dodge vans in stock are black. This really works well for the conservative people needing to drive black vans - those will hit the market in three or four years ensuring a good supply of used black minivans.

Ah yes; I seem to recall that bit of info now. I must have tucked it away in a remote corner of the brain to make room for more "stuff".

Still, I can't imagine living in Texas, Arizona or other southern tier state with a black vehicle. Cruel and unusual punishment.

Perhaps the Dodge dealership is planning ahead with those minivans? In Texas we saw 7-seater Chevy Suburbans everywhere. It was the vehicle for carrying large families.

[Josh]

I heard Washington Co. Menn. Conf. has stuck to black hats and black cars at their mission outpost in Africa.

[lesterb]

I heard Washington Co. Menn. Conf. has stuck to black hats and black cars at their mission outpost in Africa.

So they'll come across as the local rich people.

[lesterb]

The way I remember, the Mennonite Church in PA only allowed their members to buy touring cars, the kind with curtains for windows, etc. Car companies stopped making them and PA dealers scoured the country for them, and kept their lots filled because Mennonites were good customers. Then one day, the church decided to allow newer vehicles and everyone went out to buy sedans. And the poor dealers sat with their lots full of touring cars that no one wanted.

[lesterb]

I think that in the areas we have lived in for the past almost 17 years, it is pretty well a consensus that white is a more subdued and conservative color than black. I know that would shock some of the "plain" people in the east, but black is one of the more outstanding colors for a vehicle.

I'm intrigued by this. How is this kind of standard decided upon? Climate? Culture? A little of each?

I remember in the days before air conditioning in cars that people in warmer climates preferred white or light blues to reflect summer heat.

I heard a story that some people heard that the color black was the absence of all color. So the reasoning went that black had to be the most natural color. Some went so far as to say that if a car was black it really didn't exist, or something like that. Mind you, I am going by memory, and I don't remember my source or exact details.

I'm not sure how it came about that black became the color of choice for the plainer churches in some places.

[Biblical Anabaptist]

I heard Washington Co. Menn. Conf. has stuck to black hats and black cars at their mission outpost in Africa.

True. It is my understanding that in that culture a black hat is associated with some gang. One native member had a problem with folks stealing his hat.