should women wear dresses/skirts all the time

men wore britches...
pray tell me..what was the difference between male and female clothing when the passage was written?
It's not TRANSVESTISM (in nine years of college..first time i ever heard of that one ).

I am saying that there is an issue of considering the culture a person lives in as he tries to apply this verse. This is where it becomes gray... very hard to imagine how to apply this. Because of this vagueness, I dont like to go telling people with a dogmatic attitude what I believe it means. If it pertains to something thatis not done today,,ok.. fine. But you need to try and figure what the differences were long ago and then try to apply it.
Further, if you take a passage like Genesis9:6 and then you try to apply it, you have to see if it was nullified somewhere down the line. That's the angle I am taking.

 

Ryrie wrote a book on Contemporary Issues and did some explanation about such things. Good book for all to read.

I think one reason why Falwell has always been the man that Fox and other news agencies pick during a crisis concerning issues because he is up on them and knows where he stands. Yeah, sometimes we drag more than we should from the Old Testament, sometimes not enough.

 

This certainly is an area that can be debated until the cows come home and never be fully answered. It has gone on before my time and will probably continue long after my time. I have learned a great deal in this discussion, but I have not changed my position. Nevertheless, I can better understand others position on the subject.

BTY, Dr. Tim I could not find the book "The Chemistry of Seperation" aroung here. If you don't mind, could you pm me the isbn. I can get my local bookstore to order it that way if it is availiable. Thanks.

 

Women should not dress in a way, no matter WHAT they wear, that "puts the goods out", -i.e. any type of tight form fitting clothes- (except for their husbands in privacy).

Men should not "look/stare where they oughn't", period, point blank. Shoulder level I think. It takes two to tango, thats all!

For a man, that takes the Holy Spirits's power to mortify the flesh, but women can help the situation.

And I think (cause I ain't one but am married to one) that it takes the Holy Spirit's power to dress and act; for women to get their attention-need fufilled from their spiritual husband and lover Jesus Christ and their earthly fallible (sometimes moron)husbands v. "dressing for success" and I don't mean business suits.

 

I apologize. I do have this book and it's available from Revival Fires! publishers. I read over it again. I am telling all of you, get the book. It is an excellent presentation of Ind Baptist who are separatists.

Revival Fires Publishers
R.D. 1 Box 940
Claysburg, PA 16625

 

I was told by my x-pastor that if my daughter was not in a skirt I should not bring her to church. If I did I would lose my Sunday school position. I asked him why pink loose fitting capri's were out of line. He gave no scripture but explained that if I was to be a leader in that church that I would fall in line with his policies.

For that and various other reasons I attend a different church now.

 

My grandmother who died last year at the age of 97 would agree. As a kid she told me how glad she was when women could wear pants and get rid of the shoes she wore too. She was on a dairy farm. Imagine milking cows and shoveling the manure in a dress. Some of those who think women should wear dresses all the time have been slinging that green stuff too long without actually working in it.

So, what's next? Some of those preachers have got to have some fuel for their fire. They sure don't get it from scripture or knowing God and spending time in prayer with humility before Him..

I remember those days of the hat and dress revolution well. That is the reason I left the church and did not return until several years later. It was a very different church that I went to. But the old church has not changed its ways. It is still dead and non-evangelistic.

Maybe some people don't realize that rape is a seriosus problem in prisons too.

 

Modest attire should be the rule for men and women. A lady can be modest in a dress or pants if she dresses tastefully.
Ignorance can be overcome but stupid lasts forever.

 

Someone explain to me HOW the Bible says people are to be dressed in church? Who cares if you wear a skirt, dress or suit. If someone were to threaten to take away a ministry based on your daughter wearing a skirt, I would seriously consider leaving that church. Nowhere in the Bible does it tell us how we are to dress in church. As long as it is tasteful and doesn't incite lust from others, WHO CARES if you wear jeans and a T-shirt. The legalism in some churches, particularly Baptist, amazes me.

The Bible doesn't tell us to preach the Gospel to all nations, making sure they dress the way you think they should, and also baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

This is what I love about my church: come as you are. If you can't afford dressy clothes, are homeless, or plain don't own a suit, you are welcomed. That kind of nonsence is reminiscent of cults. They all have to dress alike, too.

 

I see nothing wrong with a woman wearing a nice pants suit. What I object to is the way some women and teen-age girls dress when coming to church! We have had women come to church dressed in a halter with the midriff exposed, some with the sides of the halter missing [if you know what I mean!]. I don't mean to start an argument on what is worn in church but this type of "clothing" is unacceptable.

 

Hi, I'm new here. This looks like a good place to jump in and have a little fun. [grin]

It seems to me that times have changed in the churches as much as in the world. I grew up in a church that required dresses and skirts on ladies...EVEN ON THE YOUTH GROUP SKI TRIP. They could wear pants under the skirt, but they had to have that skirt. Talking about modesty...I missed that trip, but I have to wonder if pants under dresses were a requirement rather than merely allowed.

I left that church to go to a college that was even more strict than the church. But, that church has changed since I left. They don't preach against pants, and I haven't found a church in our area that does enforce it today.

I find it interesting that this question still comes up today because I didn't think there were any churches left that required females in dresses 24/7. In fact, I see a few women in church wearing nice pants. But, I have always wondered if that 24/7 dress rule wasn't enacted and enforced many many moons ago by old preachers who were bored with their wives. This would probably occur back when the hems were raised to the knees and pants were becoming fashionable-threatening the look. The younger men respected their preachers and carried the rules to their own newly-formed churches to carry on to the next generation, not even realizing why they are keeping up the traditions. Don't think I've never noticed men in church trying to get in a quick glance when they thought no one was looking. Think about it... if dresses were not attractive, they wouldn't exist in our worldly society right now.

I'm not trying to make the 24/7 dress rule sound perverted, and I am the first to admit I could be totally wrong about this...and I probably am. I hope I didn't offend anyone. It's just something that's crossed my mind occasionally.

But, back to the main issue...if a lady wants to wear dresses all the time, go for it. Women wear them not only as a conviction, but also to please her husband and to feel pretty, herself. She doesn't have to have a reason. People DO act differently in different clothes. If the women feel pretty, they're going to act in a more female manner. It also puts out a signal to others in the world that there is something different about that lady who is wearing a dress. The subject alone may afford her an opportunity to witness to someone where she may not normally get the chance, otherwise: "Excuse me, Ma'am...we're standing knee-deep in swamp scum, and yet you still feel worthy enough to wear dresses every day. There's something different about you..." [smile]

Legalism isn't defined by a lady wearing dresses 24/7, no matter what her reason for doing so would be. It's defined by her...or anyone, for that matter.. expecting everyone else to wear them 24/7 "because I said so...that's why". [smile] But, let me add that if this is the husband's wish, his wife should abide by his wishes.

I decided dresses were not a conviction of mine when I realized that if the house was on fire, it wouldn't be a bad thing for a woman to put on her husband's pants if they were the only thing close by - to save herself from the flames licking at her heels. Convictions are not rules we are willing to live by; they are strong beliefs that we are willing to die for.

 

I must've offended someone. The top of my screen reads, "Hello, Nobodyspecial [log out!!!}"

(The exclaimation points might've been a wee bit exaggerated)

But seriously, We're put on this earth to glorify God and bring others to Him...not fight over who wears what. Not that I'm implying that's what we're doing here...I, for one, have enjoyed this conversation.

My experience has been that if you listen to some people talk long enough, you'll discover their own secret vices based on the sins they DON'T preach against. [grin] I just got here, so I don't know anyone well enough for the above statement to be personalized against any particular one person. The aforementioned statement and/or statements are made in haste and therefore any resemblance to the aforementioned statement and/or statements and/or names of any character and/or places thereof are merely coincidental and unintentional. [grin]

 

Well nobodyspecial, you are a child of the KING so you're a very special person indeed!

 

Thank you for your kind words, Dian. You're right. The Lord does make us special, doesn't He? Without Him, we're nothing.

Nice to meet you.

 

Some take different attitudes toward the issue, even if they believe the same thing. Some are extreme and you will not see a lady wear pants in their choir. Others, like me, believe that we are trying to avoid being immodest and offending God with our clothing. It's not something I think we can be dogmatic about, just being cautious. I dont wear shorts (and this is no joke) because someone told me one lady said that i was tempting them with my legs showing. It sent shivers up my spine and I do not wear shorts anymore. However, i do not condemnt those who do. Women wearing pants, I just dont think I will ever be dogmatic about such an issue. This one is gray for me.

tim

 

It's certainly not one of those black and white issues such as Jesus being the Son of God.

No one is going to have the same background, acquaintences, parents, experiences (my legs don't offend anyone that I know [chuckle]...sorry, Tim...had to throw that in there), feelings, etc...all of which contribute to making decisions like this.

OTOH, it's not a decision like choosing a marriage partner, either. We make minor decisions (praying about it first helps), perhaps get feedback from others (verbal or nonverbal), get a feel for any changes we've made, readjust and move on. But, one thing is certain...whatever decisions we make in life, we're not going to please everyone, no matter what we do. As long as we're pleasing the Lord, we shouldn't worry about what anyone else thinks. Easier said than done, though...am I right?

 

Okay here is my thought on this topic.

When we moved from California to Vermont I gave away a ton of my clothing because it was not weather appropriate. We got here and right away I got pregnant. So since I also gave away my most recent maternity clothes I went in a more cost effective direction. I wear sweats from the men department at Wal-Mart. My reason for this was because the womens sweats cost at least twice as much and they have no drawstring. If I was to go out and buy all Plus size Maternity dresses it would have cost a bundle. So I wear sweats from the mens department, does that make me any less of a christian woman? I don't think so, I was putting my family before my self by only spending $100 total on clothes for this pregnancy. All of my tops for this pregnancy came from Fashion Bug but they were all off the clearance rack and they are all pink, purple, and very girly.

I think God is looking at what was in my heart and not what I am wearing. Besides, all of the clothing that I am wearing is all very modest.

 

And the mens' sweats are thicker and cozier than the womens'! What's THAT all about? Have you noticed how cheap the womens clothes are made in comparion to mens at walmart? The weather hadn't warmed up at Easter time, but the ONLY dresses you could buy then were very thin dresses with a quarter-inch piece of frilly fabric I identified as "sleeves". (Is this a good time to ask what our views are on sleeveless shirts and dresses would be?)

I'll keep quiet, now. I have to get ready for church.

 

I, personally, don't think there's anything wrong with sleeveless shirts and dresses unless the armholes are halfway down to the waist...

I wear sleeveless tops, at home, all summer, but I don't wear them to church (without a light jacket). Just my own personal preference.

I don't see an arm as being immodest...

 

I am new here so first I am going to introduce my self a little.

I am an Independent Fundamental Baptist..I am 15 years old..I have gone to church all of my life..and I got save when I was 12 years old. I surrendered my life to Christ a little over a year ago.
My church does not preach against women wearing pants..both my pastor and youth pastor feel there is nothing wrong with pants on women, there for their wifes wear them. I decided last summer after a church camp that I wasnt going to wear pants to school anymore. This gives me an even greater oppurtunity to witness. Out of all the women of our church..there is one who will not wear pants, that believes they are immodest and against God. Her daughter, me and about 3 of our friends (including the pastors daughter) feel the same way. Our 5 preacher boys also agree with us.
My boyfriend, David, (the preachers son) is called to be a missionary. He is a great preacher and loves God. He has also struggled with sin in his life (I wont go into details). He is against women wearing pants..not only for biblical reasons..but for personal reasons.
My friends and I went shopping yesterday..we have guidlines we follow..and had no problem meeting them. long enough to cover your knees while sitting, high enough that you show nothing while bending over...and loose enough that you cant see your form. Did we look plain?.. no! Did we look Amish?..no! We simple looked modest. We dress the way we dress because we have no desire to tempt, not only our preacher boy friends, but the others in the church as well. We look feminine..but most importantly..there is never a question on whether are not we are modest.
I would love for you all to look at this sight..its backed with plenty of scripture and it may give you a little more insight on why we dress the way we do. just please read it with an open heart.
http://www.momof9splace.com/modesty.html