yarmulkes...

[Richard]

I've been wondering why people take hats off in church, eating, etc.

Consider my fellow jews...

The yarmulke, meaning skullcap in Yiddish, is a beanie that covers a Jewish man's head. The Hebrew term for it is Kippah. Jews cover their heads during prayer, eating and studying as a sign of respect toward God, who is above you. Religious Jews will wear it all the time. Covering the head is more of a custom than a commandment.

Orthodox women cover their heads (some with a yarmulke) as a sign of modesty, since a woman's hair is considered tempting and seductive. Lately, more and more liberal women wear yarmulkes or head coverings, yet they do so as a sign of respect toward God. When do they have to wear them?
Jews wear them when they pray, eat and study.

So when did head covering become a sign of disrespect? Maybe the new trend should be toward head cover at all times, but especially in church, while eating.

 

[wackyvorlon]

It's related to the fundamental purpose of a hat: To keep wind out of your hair, rain off your head, and other things. It's a protection from the outside. In a way, wearing one's hat while in a place of worship, is saying that you expect to find these things in the building. A similar thing is found with wearing an overcoat indoors, or opening an umbrella indoors.

 

[Art Fawcett]

WOW Richard, welcome to the Lounge.

Great question!!! I've never thought about it when put into this context and wish I had an insightful answer, but the truth is, I don't!! My gut feeling is that it became a sign of respect. Not to God, but to other humans. I also suspect that it might derive from the early Monarchs that considered themselves "Gods" but I'm really shooting from the hip here. Perhaps some of the scholars on the Lounge can help.

 

[fedoralover]

Customs develop from many different sources. Shaking hands was a custom to show that you didn't have a weapon in your hand. Could be taking off your hat came from taking off your Armour helmet, meaning that you come in peace and trust and that nobody has to fear you and vice versa.

fedoralover

 

[Von Junzt]

The Bible

I think it all goes back to 1 Corinthians 11:4: "Any man who prays or prophesies with his head covered brings shame upon his head."

 

[Victor]

That bible quote made me feel something that was said to me once. that the Christian custom of removing ones hat was originally a way to define themselves as different from the Jews. There is also a Muslim admonishment to grow your beard but shave your mustache so as to be opposite of the others (probably Christains or Jews). There are frequent religious customs that do that to define you as part of one group and not another.
Many orthodox Jews who wear fedoras also wear a small yarmulke underneath so that when they remove their hat indoors their head is still covered as per religeous custom.

 

[scotrace]

Maybe a new category?

This is a topic that I find very interesting, though I don't know how widespread this interest might be.
To know what is proper in terms of dress and manners - eitiquette, has always interested me. Where do customs come from? Why do we do this or that? I don't know how many of the visitors here pay attention to such things.
Re-reading Emily Post from 1942 this morning (after reading Richard's interesting original post), I find only the rules for hat wearing/lifting we've all seen, without explanation or reason behind the orgins. For ladies, there is only the caveat that in some churches, a head covering is required. For men, men are instructed to remove a hat in church always, without mentioning the obvious exception of the yarmulke.
Perhaps if there is interest, the Forum creators could add an area to discuss "Rules of Engagement."

Maybe even those who appreciate the "golden era" are beyond this stuff.

 

[jamespowers]

It's a matter of respect and the demonstration thereof. In past Western (and Eastern, to an extent) history, men donned hats for most of the time. Removing a hat when indoors, when acknowledging a lady, and especially when in church (excepting liturgical vestments that include headgear) was the respectful way of humbling one's self. For women, it is the taking on of a hat/headcovering when in a church that is the respectful way of humbling one's self. Equal but opposite.
It all comes from the knighthood. You couldn't well eat with your helmet on so you removed it to eat. You also tipped your visor (opened the front of the helmet) to those you wanted to show respect to or reveal your identity for certain. It is also a way to show that you are not afraid of being recognized and thus will do no harm to the people around you. There are several other reasons I cannot remember now but that is the gist of the reason why we remove our hats in certain cases.
As for Corinthians, here is a lot of it:
A Corinthians 11 / 4-17

4 Every man who has something on his head while praying or prophesying disgraces his head.
5 But every woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying disgraces her head, for she is one and the same as the woman whose head is shaved.
6 For if a woman does not cover her head, let her also have her hair cut off; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, let her cover her head.
7 For a man ought not to have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man.
8 For man does not originate from woman, but woman from man;
9 for indeed man was not created for the woman's sake, but woman for the man's sake.
10 Therefore the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.
11 However, in the Lord, neither is woman independent of man, nor is man independent of woman.
12 For as the woman originates from the man, so also the man has his birth through the woman; and all things originate from God.
13 Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?
14 Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him,
15 but if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her? For her hair is given to her for a covering.
16 But if one is inclined to be contentious, we have no other practice, nor have the churches of God.
17 But in giving this instruction, I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better but for the worse.