Bible Modesty - Part 1

[Herb Evans]

Thank you, Helen.

Then if this is the case, then these men would be equally safe in a nudist colony as long as their atitudes were right. -- Herb Evans

 

[Rufus_1611]

Then I fail to see the point of your question.

My response was to this question:

Are you suggesting here that it is impossible to take any biblical word and have sinful thoughts with it?

People today have become so base and depraved that it would not surprise me if they got turned on by swamp rats in Botswana. It further would not surprise me if they read passages of the Bible, particularly depending upon what that person believes is the Bible, and also have depraved thoughts.

The point of my earlier question was that Herb, did not use words that should have incited anyone with lustful thoughts. Nor should a Christian have lustful thoughts when those words are used in the Holy Bible. However, it is not impossible for people to do so.

Getting back to the original issue, it is quite possible to probable for men to have lustful thoughts when they see women in pants and a t-shirt that would otherwise be improbable were that same women dressed in a long flowing skirt and a loose fitting blouse.

 

[swaimj]

Right! You are exactly the kind of man that needs protected by an article like mine. -- Herb Evans

Herb, how can you agree with me that your words were sexually graphic and yet say that they can protect me from lust? This makes no sense.

 

[donnA]

2 points:

1. No one wore pants in the OT.
2. Most of us are sinning right now...we're wearing cotton/poly shirts...that's a no-no in Leviticus.

yep,and only priests wore underware and only when dressed for entereing the tabernacle.

 

[Herb Evans]

Hmmm...could of used some of this moral outrage in the oral sex thread. The only one of those words that are not in the Bible is "crotch". Does the Bible take your mind into places that it should not go?

Rufus, I'll bet you'd be surprised at what they watch on TV and are not offended; But let a preacher of righteousness get down where the wood needs cut and wow! -- Herb Evans

 

[Herb Evans]

For the first 200+ years of the occupation of the "new world," the predominant values allowed for slavery to be practiced by a significant portion of this country.

Majority opinion does not a moral directive make.

So did the Bible allow for slavery under certain conditions. It did not allow for menstealers, however. -- Herb Evans

 

[Herb Evans]

Moral outrage comes from the Holy Spirit guiding the Christian, not legalism or a lack of common sense.

could it be that your "outrager" is broke? -- Hreb Evans

 

[swaimj]

Rufus, you seemed to me to be making a distinction between "crotch" which you say is not found in the bible and the other words Herb used as though "crotch" could cause sinful thoughts but the others could not because they are in the bible.

Getting back to the original issue, it is quite possible to probable for men to have lustful thoughts when they see women in pants and a t-shirt that would otherwise be improbable were that same women dressed in a long flowing skirt and a loose fitting blouse.

Rufus, men can have lustful thoughts is they see a woman immodestly dressed, but they can also have them from reading words that describe immodesty and impurity. Herb is being graphic in his description and may be causing some to fall into sin. This is evident from the fact that he asked forgiveness for what he was saying before he said it. Herb's graphic and provocative descriptions are just as sinful as the immodest things that he accuses women of wearing. I find this criticism of immodesty while indulging in the same immodesty to be hypocritical.

 

[Rufus_1611]

Rufus, I'll bet you'd be surprised at what they watch on TV and are not offended; But let a preacher of righteousness get down where the wood needs cut and wow! -- Herb Evans

I wouldn't be surprised as I am only 1 1/2 years removed from television and movies. I know of the carnage that it wrecks on our spiritual life and I expect you've hit on a key reason why cross-dressing is acceptable to many.

There's a wonderful pastor I listen to and he quotes this scripture a lot relative to television and movies etc:

"Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners." - 1 Corinthians 15:33​

 

[Herb Evans]

Legalism is you imposing YOUR ideas on others. All Christians have the same Holy Spirit guiding them. Those following the Spirit will dress appropriately, and do not need mini lectures from legalists or deep dark depression about how bad things are today compared to the 1950s in relation to God's purpose.

Obviously, those that danced around the golden calf needed Moses back to give them a mini-lecture. -- Herb Evans

 

[Rufus_1611]

Herb's graphic and provocative descriptions are just as sinful as the immodest things that he accuses women of wearing. I find this criticism of immodesty while indulging in the same immodesty to be hypocritical.

I appreciate your zeal and defense of modesty. What are the terms you would recommend he use that would accurately depict the parts of the anatomy, which women are advertising, while still maintaining modest verbiage?

 

[Herb Evans]

You're not about to get this guy to wear a robe all day! Not even on Sunday!

I can't believe this kind of stuff is taught from the pulpit.

I can't believe that it is not. Actually, it has ceased to be preached from most pulpits as it once was. -- Herb Evans

 

[Rufus_1611]

Obviously, those that danced around the golden calf needed Moses back to give them a mini-lecture. -- Herb Evans

They would not heed for Moses was most definitely a legalist.

 

[donnA]

If a man is having a hard time controling himself sexually, he is his own problem. He needs prayer, bible reading, and maybe even counseling if he continues to fail to control himself. It is part of our sinful nature to try and blame others for our own sins. repent, it'll do you good.

 

[Herb Evans]

Ya know, there are dresses that are immodest and pants that are modest. I wear modest clothing - women's clothing - but do not wear only dresses. I do not think that God is calling women to only dresses but to not dress like a man or visa-versa. I DO know that there is a 'thing' going on of teen boys wearing girl's clothing and I think that's gross. My teen girls and I also do not wear anything that's men's stuff - we wear women's clothing.

The Bible doesn't say "dresses" only or "skirts" only - but to dress modestly. I don't have time now, but I looked up one of the 'thigh' verses the other day and it actually meant 'calf' or 'lower leg' - hmmm - unless I wear pants, someone could see my lower leg!! Yikes!!

Ann

men, Go out and get some "modest" dresses to wear and solve the problem. -- Herb Evans

 

[James_Newman]

I appreciate your zeal and defense of modesty. What are the terms you would recommend he use that would accurately depict the parts of the anatomy, which women are advertising, while still maintaining modest verbiage?

I can't imagine 'thighs' causing a problem for someone unless they already had a vivid mental library of thighs to associate it with. They say a picture is worth a thousand words.

 

[Herb Evans]

Yes, Amy didn't you know it works in the same way as if you let boys and girls swim in the same pool someone could end up being with an illegitamate child.

Bro Tony

Oh, I am against mixed nudity also, whether your underwear is colored or not. -- Herb Evans

 

[Amy.G]

So, pants are sinful and lust provoking. What would an appropriate dress look like? Rufus said something about a long flowing skirt and loose blouse. Is that what your wife wears while she's cleaning the toilet?

 

[Rufus_1611]

If a man is having a hard time controling himself sexually, he is his own problem. He needs prayer, bible reading, and maybe even counseling if he continues to fail to control himself. It is part of our sinful nature to try and blame others for our own sins. repent, it'll do you good.

In this sexually driven culture Christian men do have problems controlling themselves. Thus, they try to remove these images from their minds and avoid these temptations. How are you helping a brother, dear sister, if you dress to advertise or support those who do?

 

[Helen]

Wow! What a thread. This is as good as all the old ones on women and modesty!

Herb and all, I'm afraid that with both diabetes and arthritis, wearing a dress with tights is simply not an option on cold mornings. I do have a Winnie-the-Pooh pair of nice loose overalls, however, which keep me quite warm, are modest, and which no man in his right mind would wear.

Let me tell you a story about something that happened in Taiwan when the Christian missionaries went there. They not only imparted Bible, but insisted on some cultural changes. One of them was that toddlers and babies wear pants/diapers. Up until that time, they had been allowed to run around naked. So the people, thinking that Christianity was also tied to culture, started making sure their little ones were dressed.

And the little ones started dying.

Not just getting sick. Dying.

Taiwan is quite humid in the late spring and summer. Fungus infections which cannot thrive in the open air were killing the children.

If your idea of feminine modesty demands dresses and not pants, then that is what you must follow yourself in your own home. If my idea of feminine modesty is not yours, don't hold me to your ideas. As long as I am feminine and modest, and as long as any Christian girl is, then back off. Behavior is a whole lot more important.