Growth Clothes too tight. too revealing.for church

[cftx1]

Dressing like that doesnt cause men or women to have lustful thoughts ,it does entice them to be lead away by sinful desires that already exist within them. Unfortunately those sinful temptations usually do not leave entirely when we get saved.We are much better equipt to fight them though. In todays world that can be battle after battle after battle. But shouldnt have to be within the safety of the church.Modest dress does not invite sexual advances or encourage sexual fantasy.
I think women are raped more frequently in cultures where women are not legal equals with men.Cultures where laws do not protect women or are not enforced. As I understand it rape is less about sex and more about power and control.It is despicable, and should not be tolerated in any society

 

[jay55]

This raises a question in me. If indeed the lack of clothing on a woman (or the skin tight clothing) is what causes lust in men and brings on all these problems, then why is it that the areas of the world with the highest percentage of women raped are the areas where the women are covered the most, such as where they have to wear burkas all the time. And why do the lowest percentages of rape occur in areas where women are the most clothing free, such as areas where even nude beach going is common?

I think it might have something to do with the fact that in those countries where women are made to cover up there is more of a tolerance of men abusing women. However, here in the west where it is open season to wear whatever you want and to flaunt whatever makes you happy there is less tolerance for the abuse of women.

 

[Sandy Zalecki]

The idea here is are we tempting a brother or sister into sin. Maybe you don't think the wearing skin tight jeans or dresses that show cleavage is doing anything wrong, but if it tempts your brother into sinning, it is wrong. In some cultures women don't cover their breasts at all. It is just what they grow up with and it is Ok for them. In other cultures woman are completely covered up and that seems really stupid to me because men can wear whatever they want and no one cares. There are a lot of cultural differences that we must think about when we talk about dress. I personally think that in America we can dress very nicely without revealing everything so others aren't tempted into sin.

 

[Obadiah]

The idea here is are we tempting a brother or sister into sin. Maybe you don't think the wearing skin tight jeans or dresses that show cleavage is doing anything wrong, but if it tempts your brother into sinning, it is wrong. In some cultures women don't cover their breasts at all. It is just what they grow up with and it is Ok for them. In other cultures woman are completely covered up and that seems really stupid to me because men can wear whatever they want and no one cares. There are a lot of cultural differences that we must think about when we talk about dress. I personally think that in America we can dress very nicely without revealing everything so others aren't tempted into sin.

Yeah, I think what you're saying then is that appropriate clothing style is really a matter of what culture a person is used to and having the proper motivation in wearing a particular type of clothing in a particular setting. That seems to make a lot of sense to me.

 

[Deborah13]

Why is it that over the years I have read and heard men say that they are more attracted to women who leave something to the imagination?

 

[jasonc]

Why is it that over the years I have read and heard men say that they are more attracted to women who leave something to the imagination?

because the woman who show it all tend to be easy and well some men don't like that.

 

[Claudya]

So since I lust for attractive men I see in church or elsewhere even if they are fully clothed, I suppose it doesn't matter if I wear high heels and a short and tight skirt or jeans and sneakers, because men with lust issues will lust for me or any other female anyway. Thus I can just as well wear the stuff I feel most comfortable in. ,

 

[Obadiah]

So since I lust for attractive men I see in church or elsewhere even if they are fully clothed, I suppose it doesn't matter if I wear high heels and a short and tight skirt or jeans and sneakers, because men with lust issues will lust for me or any other female anyway. Thus I can just as well wear the stuff I feel most comfortable in. ,

It's all about what's in your heart. Are you dressing to show off and call attention to yourself, or are you dressing to honor and worship God when you go to church? There is nothing at all wrong with either dressing to look nice or dressing to be comfortable. Either way is just fine. If someone else has a problem with lust, they need to take responsibility and deal with their problem instead of blaming those around them. As long as you are using your common sense and not purposely trying to make them "stumble", you are fine.

One thing to consider, for both men and women, if you are sitting in church putting more attention on what other people are dressed in than you are putting on worshiping God, you're not doing it right. Life is full of temptations. If you can't deal with what someone is wearing in church (which is probably relatively conservative in most churches) how are you going to deal with your lust problem when you are out in the general public? Instead of blaming others because of what they wear, we need to examine our own hearts and ask God where we are falling short and how can we improve.

 

[Gary]

If someone can't control their hormones because of what someone else is wearing, it's not the wearer's fault. People need to take some personal responsibility. If you're sitting in church and the sight of someone is causing your imagination to go to dark places, you need to get up and leave.

1 Corinthians 10
13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.


Sometimes that way of escape is simply getting up and walking away.


There's not one person on this planet that can cause me to fall into sin. If I give in to temptation, it's because I chose to, not because someone made me.

James 1
14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.



I understand as Christians, we need to look out for one another, but we also have to look out for ourselves. On the day we stand before God, we will be doing so as individuals. The time for excuses will have passed and we will be giving an account of our walk in this world.

If you're struggling with issues of sexual temptation, you need to work that out between yourself and God. You can't expect everyone to dress to suit your limitations. It's nobody's fault but your own if you fall into sin because someone decided to wear a certain article of clothing.

Personal responsibility...........................take it.
.

 

[jasonc]

If someone can't control their hormones because of what someone else is wearing, it's not the wearer's fault. People need to take some personal responsibility. If you're sitting in church and the sight of someone is causing your imagination to go to dark places, you need to get up and leave.

1 Corinthians 10
13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.


Sometimes that way of escape is simply getting up and walking away.


There's not one person on this planet that can cause me to fall into sin. If I give in to temptation, it's because I chose to, not because someone made me.

James 1
14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.



I understand as Christians, we need to look out for one another, but we also have to look out for ourselves. On the day we stand before God, we will be doing so as individuals. The time for excuses will have passed and we will be giving an account of our walk in this world.

If you're struggling with issues of sexual temptation, you need to work that out between yourself and God. You can't expect everyone to dress to suit your limitations. It's nobody's fault but your own if you fall into sin because someone decided to wear a certain article of clothing.

Personal responsibility...........................take it.
.

If I did then I shouldn't go to church.i understand the statement but it is a problem at times. hmm if I wouldn't look like a stalker I would if I could post pics of the teens and what the youth wear to the beach to make the case.

 

[Gary]

If I did then I shouldn't go to church.i understand the statement but it is a problem at times. hmm if I wouldn't look like a stalker I would if I could post pics of the teens and what the youth wear to the beach to make the case.

What's the point in going to church if all you're doing is having sexual fantasies about members of the congregation?

 

[jasonc]

What's the point in going to church if all you're doing is having sexual fantasies about members of the congregation?

I have seen cleavage, that is what I meant. teens showing it. my pastor did correct that problem. but it does happen. sadly. to say that Christians are immune from that. I ask what if wearing a two piece bikini causes men to stumble remember that in the 20s they were one piece. in the 60's maryln Monroe a model was sex idol and yet compared to todays skimpy bikinis she was well covered.

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[jasonc]

my fil loved her and has a ton of pictures of her at his home. that is off his era. she is well covered, compared to todays ladies, or even the 80s Madonna she isn't much of temptation. that is the concern.

 

[jasonc]

theres more exposed skin of course that she has shown in the two pieces but those are nothing like todays. I wont post those.

 

[cftx1]

Romans 14:13-23
1 Corinthians 8:13
Discussion....how do the principles of these two scriptures apply in this situation? One persons liberty "causing" a christian brother or sister to stumble and possibly fall due to their own weakness.

I too agree that individuals should do their best to combat what sin still tempts them.

As far dress goes ....CHURCH SHOULD BE A WHOLESOME UPLIFTING PLACE WHERE ONE DOES NOT HAVE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT BEING OVERTLY TEMPTED. Church is for worship but it is also for fellowship.
As far as outside of church goes..well what do we do ...shed our identity in Christ? Do we say I am God's ambassador on Sunday and the rest of the week I am Vogue's or Cosmo's or worse?

The truth is ..this is a sacred cow. The other truth is...this issue of LUST enticed by how people dress DOES EXIST. It is not theoretical. NOW that that has INDEED been established...The questions remains : Why would a christian, knowing that this issue DOES INDEED EXIST,want to deliberately entice their weaker brother /sister? Personal liberty? Is that why? And if that's it ...how is this showing love and concern for the body of Christ?

 

[Obadiah]

...Why would a christian, knowing that this issue DOES INDEED EXIST,want to deliberately entice their weaker brother /sister?...

Right. As I said in an earlier post, it's a matter of what's in the heart of the person that drives their decision of what to wear. Dressing to deliberately entice their weaker brother or sister is clearly wrong. However the times that I, as a guy, have seen a woman in church dressed in a way that caused me to have sexual lust I have always judged my own heart rather than judging hers, and I've always found the sin and weakness to be in my own heart.

 

[cftx1]

Interesting.. Of course the sin is in the heart of the beholder. How was the beholder enticed? Are you assuming that the beholdee is naive as to what is considered (by most) to be form fitting or revealing or enticing? AND IF that is the case ...should there be a few more frequent sermons on modesty?

 

[Obadiah]

Interesting.. Of course the sin is in the heart of the beholder. How was the beholder enticed? Are you assuming that the beholdee is naive as to what is considered (by most) to be form fitting or revealing or enticing?

Style is just style. If the style of clothing is at all reasonable and normal for the area and the event then I can not blame others for my sin and my weakness if I allow myself to sin. I sin because I want to sin, not because someone else made me do it. When I stand before God, if I have to answer for it, I doubt God will accept "She made me do it" as a valid excuse. The woman who puts on her clothes can not be held responsible for my feelings if she is not deliberately dressing in a way to make me lust after her. (Knowing that there is some possibility that it could happen does not constitute "deliberate".) There is a huge difference between deliberate actions and unintended consequences. Judging from the way some guys can't seem to control themselves at all, how can she possibly dress in a way that she is sure no one will be affected? It's impossible. I can't judge what is in her heart that is motivating her. Only she and God know that. I have to take responsibility for my own reactions. As someone pointed out earlier, scripture tells me that God will not allow me to be tempted to sin in any way that He will not also provide a way of escape. I alone am responsible for my reaction to the way someone else dresses.

Once again, when we go to church we should be concentrating on worshiping God, not ogling the women. If I am too weak to do that (and yes, sometimes I have been) then I need to work on my problem of weakness, not worry about blaming everyone else.

More sermons on modesty? I don't know. I guess it depends on the particular church, how many sermons on this they already have, and whether or not it's a problem in that particular congregation.

 

[agua.]

It's not only our intention that matters. If we do something that we consider is of good intention/faith, and it causes someone else to stumble, we need to be aware and considerate of their "weakness".imo This can be difficult and highly subjective though.

 

[cftx1]

Obbadiah, my brother, you are of course correct. James 1:14 , Luke 17:1 , food for thought. :::::http://www.albatrus.org/english/living/modesty/modesty_biblical investigation.htm
Thanks EVERYONE for your graciousness. I consider you all friends.