- Zorua:
- I'm a hardcore Christian and I love the community a lot, but I hate how woman-hating it can be sometimes. Like when we went to church camp or a trip the leaders would always tell the girls not to wear revealing clothing. Like, I'm sorry? My body will make the boys fall away from God? I'm sinful? My legs and boobs are oozing with Satan???
They should be teaching men to respect women and focus on God.
I think it's less about how boys will react and more about respecting your body. Furthermore, why do you need to wear what is considered revealing clothing? Like, what's the motivation behind it? As a Christian woman, you're goal should be making a guy see Christ in you. But if your cleavage is out and your skirt or shorts is/are so tight we can see the dimple in your right butt cheek....is that guy seeing Christ or is he seeing your body?
Yes, men are responsible for their own thoughts and should be able to see women as people and not objects. However, that does not mean that women are not responsible for helping out the cause. To be honest, what I'm wearing right now would probably be considered revealing. But I have the sense of mind not to wear something like this to church or on a church related trip. I wouldn't purposefully draw a guy's eyes to my boobs (or any other part of my body).
Do not let your adorning be external--the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear--but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious 1 Peter 3:3-4
The gentle and quiet thing isn't referring to being seen and not heard. But more to having the peace of God and a deep sense of the rest God gives.
Again, a Christian guy should look at you and see Christ, but if he looks at you and tells you that your body is distracting him, one...take it as a compliment. Two, have enough respect for him and humility before God to change clothes. Less is not more. Less means you're showing off things that should be kept for your husband's eyes. (Or at least your significant other.) Do you think any guy you date or marry is going to be gleeful over the fact that other men get to see what's supposed to be special for and to him?
And look at the flip side: if guys walk around shirtless or in their boxers all the time, are you're first thoughts about how much he loves Christ?
...I have a lot of feelings on this topic. I do agree that women should be able to dress in what makes them comfortable (and if that is a mini-skirt, tank top, and 6 inch heels...well...go for it). But I also firmly believe that we as women are not released from the responsibility of being aware of other's weaknesses.
Romans 14:13-23 applies here. To love your neighbor as yourself involves respecting them. If they are thrown off by something you do....don't do it (or at least don't do it around them) because you respect them and their wishes/needs/desires/wants/etc.
To wear what you want when you want, blatantly disregarding a genuine concern expressed by someone else about your clothing (and this applies to attitudes and hobbies too, not just clothes) is to look that person in the eye and say, "I don't care if this presents a problem in your walk with God. It's what I want." Like, what if they guy is getting over a porn addiction? And you're out there in a bikini or revealing clothing? He fell in the snare that is sin and instead of helping him out of the pit, you're shoving him back in.
I know that illustration doesn't apply to all situations, but the principle is there. Instead of being used by God to show a guy all those fantastic things about yourself that point to the love of Christ, you're essentially being used by Satan to pull some potentially unsuspecting soul into sin. Buck up and be responsible so you can be blameless before God in this situation. If you remove the revealing clothing and the guy still looks at you like a piece of meat, that's on him. But you're working to be more like Christ, not more like the world.
...For real, shutting up this time.