Rant on Modesty

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