As it concerns the subject of modesty, not suggesting anyone here has to do this at their own fellowships---but I know of others that feel that wearing burkas/coverings is an excellent means of promoting modesty in mixed settings. And though I used to be against it, I must say that I think its rather beautiful to see in action in many places. Eastern culture is very beautiful in that regards.....and some of that was discussed elsewhere,
as seen here. Though many assume that wearing veils---be it partial or full (entire body coverings)---is something that shouldn't be done, I think there's something to it that many may miss. Saw one family this mornining when
driving to a meeting and the women had a full body covering like what often occurs in Muslim families....and I respected the fact that it seemed they were being conscious in their actions behind it.
Some even do so for fashion..and in media, the way that many of the women with veils have been portrayed have been very beautiful. One of favorite movies of all time, called
"Hildago", is on how an American Indian cowboy and his
mustang are placed against the world's greatest Arabian horses and
Bedouin riders, some of whom are determined to prevent a foreigner - and especially an "impure" horse - from finishing the race. In Arabia where the race occurs, one of the main characters who helps the cowboy out is the sheikh's daughter, Jazira. One thing thing refreshing about the portrayal of Arabs in this movie is Jazeera's strong rebellious character, as she stands up for what she believes is right and argues with her father when she has to..and yet she takes seriously her appearance/the way she carries herself around others. I was always floored seeing how she dressed and how stunning she was.
For more, a clip from the full movie one can see online:
Of course, it is a hot-button issue---as many feel that the veils are oppressive....and for some good videos on such:
Sadly, many feel that veils and headcoverings are somehow "oppressive" ...but in many of the churches I've seen/been to, including Jewish circles I've seen,
head coverings are very beautiful to behold......and for many, the issue of wearing a veil is more than appropriate since it is an issue of modesty and preventing others from not respecting the glory that a woman possesses. Also, any may not be aware of how Paul also discussed in I Corinthians 11..specifically,
1 Corinthians 11:1-3 and 1 Corinthians 11:14-16 /
1 Corinthians 11 . The explicit purpose of the Christian woman's headcovering, as stated by Paul, is that it is a sign of man's authority over woman. ..
For a good review on the issue, one can go online/look up the following articles:
As one of the articles said best:
The benefits of covering are several. A Muslim female forces folks to deal with her on a individual-to-individual degree. She is acknowledged for her skills, intellect and character only, not as fat, beautiful or a red-head. She maintains dignity at a time when ladies are consistently getting treated in a sexually degrading manner- she is not sexually harassed or date raped. A Muslim lady retains the respect and reverence that Western girls gave up when they began to mistakenly associate lack of modesty with equality and freedom. Muslim females also retain a healthful system image- young Muslim girls dont undergo from anorexia or bulimia, devote a great number of hrs on manipulative elegance magazines or a great number of dollars feeding a piranha-like elegance marketplace in an hard work to acquire the acceptance of a society that values youth and intercourse and unattainable perfection.
Concerning veils for those who are believers, it is interesting to see others who feel that all a
ll Hebrew women wore veils. In passages like Isaiah 47:1-3 where God pronounces judgment, He likens a wicked nation to a woman and speaks of removing the veil as an act of judgment and humiliation. Such language would make no sense unless the women in Isaiahs audience wore head coverings routinely.
Genesis 24:64-66 /
Genesis 24 seems to speak to this, concerning Rebekah and how Issac found here when it came to her veil that she wore....and Genesis 29 seems to be another passage that seems to speak on the issue when it comes to
Veiling Customs. Jacobs failure to know the difference between Rachel and Leah on his wedding night (Gen. 29:21-30) has sometimes been ascribed either to his never having seen her face before or to a custom of veiling brides. Of course, the text shows that it was precisely for Rachels good looks that Jacob loved her (29:17). Nevertheless, it is possible that his failure to recognize Leah was the result of a veil, which she wore throughout the wedding night..
Genesis 38:13-15 mentions veils as well, though that seems to be in the sense of how prostitutes dressed...
SONG also mentions veils in terms of a relationship developing and the woman being concealed from her lover until there is progression, from courtship to the wedding night:
Song of Solomon 1:7
Tell me, you whom I love, where you graze your flock and where you rest your sheep at midday. Why should I be like a
veiled woman beside the flocks of your friends?
Song of Solomon 1:6-8
Song of Solomon 4:1
He How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful! Your eyes behind your
veil are
doves. Your hair is like a flock of goats descending from the hills of Gilead.
Song of Solomon 4:3
Your lips are like a scarlet ribbon; your mouth is lovely. Your temples behind your
veil are like the halves of a pomegranate.
Song of Solomon 6:7
Your temples behind your
veil are like the halves of a pomegranate.
And in Eastern culture, it seems veils is something that's very much a big deal.
Of course.....there are others who are believers in Messiah and feel that wearing of veils/coverings is nott necessarily in regards to somethiong one has to wear in the sense of external clothing. As another said best from the ministry of
Ichthys in their article entitled
Are women required to wear hats or veils in church?:
In my view, the 1st Corinthians 11 passage (the one responsible for "hats in church") has been widely misunderstood. Women are not required by the Bible to wear hats (or veils). It should be remembered that in this epistle, Paul is addressing many abuses on the part of the Corinthian church ("being baptized for the dead" for example: 15:29; cf. also abuses at the Lord's supper: 11:17-34; abuse of gifts: 12-14; marriage abuses: chapter 7; as well as correcting them on the topics of divisiveness, failure to judge immorality, going to law before unbelievers, etc.). This passage in chapter eleven is addressing another such abuse, namely, the following of the Greek custom of disheveling the hair and marring the appearance when in mourning (something often done in pagan rites of ritual mourning as well - clearly an abomination: cf. Ezek.8:14-15). I have treated this passage in some detail in part 3 of the Satanic rebellion series, and here is the translation I give there:
Any man praying or prophesying with [hair] hanging down from his head dishonors his Head (i.e., Christ: cf. v.3). And any woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered (i.e., hair torn and unkempt as a sign of mourning) dishonors her head (i.e., husband: cf. v.3). For then she is one and the same with her who has been shaved [as a sign of disgrace]. So if a woman is not keeping her hair in good order [through styling, pinning, braiding, etc.], let her be shorn. And if it is a shameful thing for a woman to be shorn or shaved [and it is], then let her wear her hair properly arranged. For a man ought not to wear adorned hair [an effeminate mark of submission] since he is the image and glory of God. A woman, on the other hand, is the glory of her husband. For man did not come from woman, but woman from man. Moreover, man was not created because of woman, but woman because of man. For this reason, a woman ought to have a sign of [respect for] authority on her head (i.e., properly arranged hair) because of the angels. However, in the Lord, woman does not [have priority] over man, nor does man [have priority] over woman. For just as women are begotten by men, so men are birthed by women. But everything comes from God.
1st Corinthians 11:5-12
In the verses which follow (1Cor.11:13-16), the issue is entirely one hair, making it clear that hair, not hats or veils, is what Paul has been talking about all along (cf. v.15 "for long hair has been given to her for a covering"). So deliberately and obviously mussed, or torn, or disheveled hair is, in effect, a sign of rebellion against proper authority and a mark of disrespect on a woman's part as Paul shows us above. No wearing of hats (or veils) is necessary to avoid the stricture given here, nor any elaborate hair-styling (for the other extreme see: 1Tim.2:9-10; 1Pet.3:3-5), rather only the avoidance of inappropriate displays by means of the hair. It is also important to note that in this last verse above Paul also hastens to make clear that we are all equal in the Lord, even though we have specific roles to play in this life
It'd be interesting to see dancing in services go down with others being covered in such fashions, though I'd love to see it at some point.