The Disguise

I am in wonder at how people will cut someone slack, who might be an idiot, or uncaring, as long as they dress up in fancy clothes.  Louis XVI was king of France and got away with messing up for quite some time.  He dressed fancy and rode about in fancy livery.  But eventually the people figured it out and he lost his head, which apparently he was not using very much.

Church hierarchy tend to dress up and people go out to listen to them.  If the Pope dressed in tee shirt and jeans on a hot day and walked about Rome would people take him as seriously as when he is all garbed in his white outfit?  No.  If I come into church in a tee shirt and shorts with my five finger shoes, and say I am giving a talk on mystics, many people would dismiss me, before they heard a word I said.  If I came in with black clerical suit, black robe and barrette, a few more would come to listen.  Clothes sell a speaker.  The speaker may be an idiot, but clothes disguise this, for a while anyway.  But then, if someone goes to listen to a speaker because of outer garments, who really is the idiot?