Modesty

[Unix]

I agree about that! But I don't find showing a maximum amount of skin to be attractive:

I am saying that "modesty" is not defined by whether some guy finds it possible to lust after you or not. It's your responsibility not to be a flesh-showing attention magnet, it's ours to keep our eyes and minds relatively under control.

 

[Unix]

I agree about that, EazyMack!

Men are attracted to the female figure, whether skin is showing or not. Being attractive is not a sin. You don't need to wear baggy men's clothing, or several yards of material to completely hide the body & its shape.
[...]
By the way, finding a woman attractive, and lusting after a woman, are two different things.

It's all about the heart.

 

[Unix]

That's OK, graciesings! I would love to see more women like You, but there are few dressing like that over here as practically everyone has jeans, and a few have skirts. I would love a modest girl.

 

[LekryceMack]

The way I look at it is this; as the scripture says, "do not make your brother or sister stumble" Meaning ladies, dont be to hard on yourself. Dont feel like you are obligated to dress like a Muslim Mah (haha) just dont dress like temptation machines that will make brothers stumble BUT at the same time lust is a choice. You may have on tight pants and a sweater and if the guys still lust at you and "stumble" dont feel like it is your fault because he has extra fantasies about you even though your Body is hardly exposed. Its all about balance. This goes to the other Brothers and myself as well. I'm not going to walk around shirtless because i know my body and i know the human nature of females. So im not going to act like i dont know what i am doing. BUT if i have on a muscle shirt to express myself but a female still lusts well, she made her choice.

 

[Frenchy75]

Wow i wish every girl would think like kthrnalice. Thing is temptation is everywhere. But would be nice if more christian girl would dress diferent. Not to get any guys attention with their eyes. right now its a big problem with all those aexy girl wearing those yoga pants in public. Your bringing bad spirits over you. Man as lots of imagination, just the thought of guys outhere thinking to have sex with your body should be enuff for girl to think about dressing more modesty. Just my opinion

 

[Johnnz]

It's not really about externals such as clothing. Some societies are naked all the time. What we wear and how we view any other person will depend on inner values.

A female can wear something very revealing. But we also judge a person (status) by their clothing and that can have some very wrong values behind any such evaluation. What is in the heart is the key.

John
NZ

 

[JojotheBeloved]

But saying that should we be careful, as examples of our faith, not to dress like a prostitute?

Dressing like a prostitute is a bit extreme and the analogy is overused. Our perceptions of everything are filtered through our culture. Frankly, I hate this issue, because most often it is brought up as a shame directed at women. It's one-sided, subjective, and sometimes hurtful. I have no problems with the verses in the Bible which refer to modesty in dress and in heart, but what I don't appreciate is the way some people use them to shame and control other people. I think it is equally wrong to hold modesty as the highest standard of value as it is to value oneself based on their sexually explicit dress. Both objectify the woman involved. Both create a double-standard. Both create a profile by which other people judge the person, rather than actually getting to know her. I think that all people should be free to make up their own minds about how they dress. Know that the way you dress does advertise to the world a portrayal of who you are, but accept that and be proud of it. Wear whatever you wear with confidence and the rest shouldn't matter as much. Don't go out of your way to "cause your brother to stumble" but don't worry so much that you aren't yourself either. As I see it, Christ doesn't call people to be different. All the Bible stories I can remember star an ordinary common person who was called by God to witness the extraordinary by simply following Him. Being different for its own sake is meaningless. Being called may indeed cause you to be different, but that's not the focus or purpose. Also, sexuality, although overused and often perverted in the media, is not wrong or bad overall. Sexuality has less to do with outer dress and more to do with attitude and being created a sexual being by God.

Well there's my soap-box. I'll step down now. lol

 

[Johnnz]

Dressing like a prostitute is a bit extreme and the analogy is overused. Our perceptions of everything are filtered through our culture. Frankly, I hate this issue, because most often it is brought up as a shame directed at women. It's one-sided, subjective, and sometimes hurtful. I have no problems with the verses in the Bible which refer to modesty in dress and in heart, but what I don't appreciate is the way some people use them to shame and control other people. I think it is equally wrong to hold modesty as the highest standard of value as it is to value oneself based on their sexually explicit dress. Both objectify the woman involved. Both create a double-standard. Both create a profile by which other people judge the person, rather than actually getting to know her. I think that all people should be free to make up their own minds about how they dress. Know that the way you dress does advertise to the world a portrayal of who you are, but accept that and be proud of it. Wear whatever you wear with confidence and the rest shouldn't matter as much. Don't go out of your way to "cause your brother to stumble" but don't worry so much that you aren't yourself either. As I see it, Christ doesn't call people to be different. All the Bible stories I can remember star an ordinary common person who was called by God to witness the extraordinary by simply following Him. Being different for its own sake is meaningless. Being called may indeed cause you to be different, but that's not the focus or purpose. Also, sexuality, although overused and often perverted in the media, is not wrong or bad overall. Sexuality has less to do with outer dress and more to do with attitude and being created a sexual being by God.

Well there's my soap-box. I'll step down now. lol

A very sensible, healthy viewpoint which accords with the biblical emphasis of having a wholesome and robust, not a legalistic or fragile basis for our morality.

John
NZ

 

[JojotheBeloved]

Thank you, John NZ.

 

[TraciDee]

Wow i wish every girl would think like kthrnalice. Thing is temptation is everywhere. But would be nice if more christian girl would dress diferent. Not to get any guys attention with their eyes. right now its a big problem with all those aexy girl wearing those yoga pants in public. Your bringing bad spirits over you. Man as lots of imagination, just the thought of guys outhere thinking to have sex with your body should be enuff for girl to think about dressing more modesty. Just my opinion

Honestly, this irritates me. First, it seems like you're saying if a girl is not quite as good looking, it's okay for her to wear yoga pants because she's not tempting anyways. Second, I wear yoga pants when I work out because I can get them at a good length, they aren't too hot to wear in TX, and when I'm doing running, weights, spinning, or stretches I don't have to worry about them riding up or gaping. Third, I do not care what I look like when I work out. You don't need to worry about it either.

I do think there's definitely a behavior/clothing combination that might be hard for a man to handle. But at the end of the day, we are going to live our life and feel comfortable (within reason) and men need to take ownership for their personal struggles and face them.

I don't like that it's fair to base modesty standards on body types either. I've always been annoyed how my friends who have more boyish figures can run around in a bikini without judgment but if I wear something fitted (not even tight, just where you can see that a figure exists) it's a foul.

Phew, semi-hostile rant over. I just don't appreciate being shamed for a body type I had nothing to do with deciding.

 

[TraciDee]

Dressing like a prostitute is a bit extreme and the analogy is overused. Our perceptions of everything are filtered through our culture. Frankly, I hate this issue, because most often it is brought up as a shame directed at women. It's one-sided, subjective, and sometimes hurtful. I have no problems with the verses in the Bible which refer to modesty in dress and in heart, but what I don't appreciate is the way some people use them to shame and control other people. I think it is equally wrong to hold modesty as the highest standard of value as it is to value oneself based on their sexually explicit dress. Both objectify the woman involved. Both create a double-standard. Both create a profile by which other people judge the person, rather than actually getting to know her. I think that all people should be free to make up their own minds about how they dress. Know that the way you dress does advertise to the world a portrayal of who you are, but accept that and be proud of it. Wear whatever you wear with confidence and the rest shouldn't matter as much. Don't go out of your way to "cause your brother to stumble" but don't worry so much that you aren't yourself either. As I see it, Christ doesn't call people to be different. All the Bible stories I can remember star an ordinary common person who was called by God to witness the extraordinary by simply following Him. Being different for its own sake is meaningless. Being called may indeed cause you to be different, but that's not the focus or purpose. Also, sexuality, although overused and often perverted in the media, is not wrong or bad overall. Sexuality has less to do with outer dress and more to do with attitude and being created a sexual being by God.

Well there's my soap-box. I'll step down now. lol

I only read this after I had posted my own soapbox- you summed the issue up beautifully. Thank you!