There have been so many articles, blog posts, facebook posts, and comments about the topic of modesty. Very passionate people spewing out their own opinions, some based on the Word, some based purely on opinion, and some based on Feminist ideals. I’m going to join the ranks, as I find myself also a very passionate person with strong opinions. :)
Here it is:
The modesty/lust issue is a big deal and women and men need to realize it.
I don't think you can continually tell women to cover up the next
thing that becomes attractive to men. Because, men will always find something
else to lust after. For example, during the Regency era ankles became
attractive, and were covered up, while the necklines of dresses were still
relatively low.
It becomes a never-ending cycle where women end up covered from
head to foot. But, this does not fix the
problem. Women in cultures where
clothing has head to foot coverage, such as the burka, have some of the highest
rape rates. Why? Because the problem is not modesty, the problem is rooted in
the heart of (hu)man(s). Sin. So, yes, It is the man's job to make sure his
heart is right. And, yes, it is the job
of the woman to also see that her heart is right.
Women still hold some responsibility. We as women need to be aware
that our immodesty does affect men, whether it be the god-fearing man who looks
away, the collage age boy who openly gawks, or the creepy 70 year old
man.
Maybe, instead of worrying about out brothers in Christ (which we
should) we should think about the creepy 70 year old man. Do we really
want an image of our bodies going through his mind? We need to think about
those who aren't even struggling with our immodesty. They aren't struggling
because they are thoroughly enjoying every bit of your body that you give
them!
And, as Christian women, shouldn’t we love everyone so much so that we desire their soul for God? We should
care just as much, or more, about our modesty around unbelievers. As my wise brother once asked me “do you
really want to be the cause of sin that sends a man to hell?” It’s kind of a
harsh question, but it does make a point. The unbeliever, more than the
Christian man who is correcting himself, will be lead to sin.
We talk about marginalizing women, infringing on our rights, or
giving us bad body image and low self esteem. But, I think it's worse to
realize we are allowing ourselves to be sexual objects in the minds of men who don't care about modesty. Our bodies
have worth. That's the point. We are protecting ourselves, liberating
ourselves from being objects -tools- for men. There is far more power for women
in modesty then there is in flaunting our 'freedom'.
Where is the line? That's where it gets tricky.
I don't think there can be an exact list of what is or what isn’t
modest. I don't think there should be. Modesty varies from country to country
and culture to culture. But, I think some good things to think about when
selecting an article of clothing is:
1. What does society think about this piece of clothing? i.e. Most
fashion experts gag that leggings are worn as pants. Even they know that it is not acceptable.
or, in India, their most traditional piece of clothing, the Sari,
reveals the belly, but covers the legs. This is considered modest in
India, immodest in other cultures.
2. How is this piece of clothing advertised? i.e. Is the garment
advertised on women with seductive body positions, facial expressions
etc.
3. What is the purpose of the garment? i.e. running tights
are for running. If you chose to wear them, wear them for running.
4. What is your motivation for wearing it?
5. What does your husband/father say? Really, you cannot go wrong with respecting
their opinion, and submitting to it. It
is Biblical and right.
...There you have it. :) I hope you enjoyed my opinion.
In Christ
~Michelle
