perplexed...

[Mija]

Some of the pentecostal's dress standards include women mustn't wear pants. I don't see how this is Biblical. Can someone please try to explain?

 

[dentonz]

Some of the pentecostal's dress standards include women musn't wear pants. I don't see how this is Biblical. Can someone please try to explain?

The churches that believe this get it from 1 Tim 2:9
That women should adorn themselves in modest apparel. You won't find any verses that say anything about women not wearing pants.

 

[oliveplants]

Historically, in western culture, women wore dresses and men wore pants. THus the signs on bathroom doors, the phrase "wears the pants in the family," etc.

So when we see

Deut 22:5. The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God.

(which isn't so much about following the LAW as it is about honoring the character of God), we conclude women ought to wear dresses.

Also, the NT verses about modesty... Are pants really as modest as dresses? Of course, dresses can be very immodest also, and I think I'd rather see a decent pair of trousers than a mini-skirt, BUT... Have you ever stood behind a woman in pants when she bends over? You can see every detail of her genitalia. When a woman in a dress bends over, you see the general shape of her bottom, but that's it. Also the split draws the eye to the crotch, and as most pants now are lowriders, there is a big emphasis on the hips.

What gets me are the churches that expect women to wear long loose dresses, but the men wear TIGHT cowboy jeans. I don't understand how modesty is only for women.

My 2 cents worth.

(By the way, why wouldn't you? dresses are more comfortable, more forgiving of figure flaws, and you get treated better when wearing them - religion aside.)

 

[rapturefish]

The way I see it, if a person's identity is with Christ first and foremost, then there should be no issues with a woman dressing as a woman and carrying out the role of a woman. Likewise, the men should have no issues with being a man and taking the role of a man as it was in the first place.

The carrying out of these roles changes with each era, but the males always were the head of the family, and the women always managed the household. Women always dressed in a way that showed they were female, and men always dressed in a way that showed they were male.

Women are exhorted to dress in a way that emphasizes their character, not their looks. Women have a responsibility to dress in a way that doesn't put men in a weak position; men have a responsibility in this too by choosing not to focus on those aspects of a woman. A good character should be elevated above physical appearance in culture.

When men and women are secure in their identity in Christ, then they will not place so much emphasis on appearance but focus on being made in the likeness of Christ. They will also not have an issue with their roles as men and women, and be happy to be male and female and not confuse the issue.

When the issue of clothes becomes legalistic and misses the point behind such dress codes, then it is a problem. When issues of clothes becomes too lax then it also become a problem because like it or not, our clothes can have an effect on others that is not desirable or helpful or loving if we dress immodestly. If we are secure in Christ then it is not a problem for us to dress more modestly, and we haev our priorities right in loving others in the way we dress and honour our bodies and our God.

Not sure that answer was entirely relevant, but hey, I hope it's worth reading

 

[shaslove]

i think that the the comments above are really right on. this thought came from the idea that women are submissive to men, and should look proper and feminine all the time. when i was in bible college, the emphasis was on the girls...wheather our shirts were too tight, that sort of thing. i think it is a double standard because guys are more visually turned on. but it really should be a two-way thing, with everyone dressing modestly.

 

[fwGod]

well. should we provide robes for those who come to church.. to cover their "inappropriate" - too tight clothing?

but.. aside for my dress wearing icon .. i say that dresses are not the answer for alot of women. or maybe just women who are of the same mind as me.

on cold days pants are more practical. dresses cant do much to stop cold breezes from traveling right up the legs. and if you happen to be working with children in the church.. dresses are also impractical.
same thing with high heel shoes. they are extremely impractical for doing anything.. including walking or even standing. they're uncomfortable for those people who have back or feet problems.

i say. teach the people to think modestly. and be practical. wear comfortable pants and comfortable shoes.

p.s. now saving blessings to get those comfy cloths for my character

j