Mixed Swimming - Acceptable or Not?

As usual when someone tries to promote a standard the opposition take it to an extreme...

Now I know I used mixed swimming in the original thread but that is because it is the prominent issue. Of course you have to teach the reasons behind such standards and carry them over into other areas of life. Now if we were to go simmwing and they wore t-shirts and stuff that is another matter.

When it comes to modesty I believe it applies to men and women. Sorry to those ladies who felt attacked.

So, the reasoning I find so far is that only weak Christians have a problem with lust. (Right, must include every teenage guy and at least most grown men, most teen girls...)

Or, "Hey, we're in the world and sin is all around us so why try to avoid it."

Or blatent inconcistency - "No I do not allow miniskirts but a swimsuit is okay."

From my perspective it is one way the world has crept into the church. I don't know how you could study it, but I am sure immodest mixed swimming has led to immodesty in every area in church history. I know of churches here that would frown on you not wearing a hat but you can wear a miniskirt.

Come on, if it is okay to show the skin all they way up to the thigh then why bother with skirts at all at any time? If it is okay for guys to wear just shorts and nothing else, then why not dress that way anytime?

Scarlett, don't feel dirty. All the thread is about is about modesty - for men and women.

Lustful and inappropriate attraction to the opposite sex is part of the fall. Adam and Eve were naked, until they knew they were naked. So perhaps dressing in a modest way is just a burden some have to bear.

Lastly, it seems the height of ignorance (Not meant as in stupid but as in ignoring the facts) to say that it is okay to dress even in a one-piece swimsuit and it not effect guys.

 

I enjoy swimming, my wife loves swimming and for safety reasons wants our daughter to learn how to swim.

But perhaps your statement gets closer to the point. If we avoid temptation and uphold a standard in this area, perhaps people are afraid of the impact it has on the rest of their life.

But then you go on to say

So, sin is every where so why try to avoid it? You made my point.

Do we have to go to the grocery store? Yes. Do we have to go to the mall to buy essentials and evangelise etc? Yes. Do we have to go swimming? No. Could we swim less by only swimming at certain places and arranged functions? Why not?

Of course we should not bundle them up in cotton wool and live on communes. But if they are exposed to sin in the malls and grocery store or public school why take them somewhere that magnifies the issue?

So, function negates standards? Again, perhaps the effect on the whole of our lives restrains us from applying a principle in any part of our lives.

No, I would not say that. But I do disagree with you.

I just cannot see how that because we are swimming we can cast aside the principles of modesty. That somehow because we are swimming we expect our dress standards to not be a stumbling block to others (men and women).

 

But the Scriptures say to avoid the very appearence of evil.

Yes, the Holy teaches us and helps us over come sin and temptation, but why put temptation in our path? Why permit teenage guys and girls with raging hormones to be exposed to one another in such a way as to make them fall?

The difference is that some places we need to go to, others we can avoid and it will not effect our lives.

Again, prevention is better than cure. Better to not allow temptation in our path rather than let it be flaunted before our eyes.

So if a girl wears skimpy clothes to attract guys, or guys dress to attract girls, then it is wrong. But if a girl or guy wears skimpy clothes for function then somehow it is not a temptation to others?

Since when does our heart's intentions effect how others look at us?

[quoteDo you have a problem being immodist at the Dr. office. Are we to set aside the standards when being examined by the Dr.? Extreme but you know the point I am making. The reason is important. [/quote]

As much as possible I believe in male doctors examining males and women examining women. It is not always possible or practical. But this is where the rules of ethics come in. Is it more important to save a life or appear modest? (Through in the facts of homosexuals and this gets tricky... )

Immodesty is immodesty regardless of intentions or function.

 

PLEASE don't compare me to Sanderson... I may have some strict rules in my life, but I don't beat up TVS.

 

Hey, look, another extreme!

I can go to many hundreds of thousands of sites on the web and rarely, if ever, be confronted with what I would find within in 10 seconds at a pool or beach.

Try again.

 

Deejay, though we disagree, I have appreciated discussing with you. You put forth points and reasons behind them. I can appreciate that.

Dale-C, thanks for your comment on the first page.
Others can only wade in with name calling... speaking of which...

Okay, so I make a decision and I am being a Pharisee, but you do it and it is being led by the Spirit...

Now put away your spite and name calling and please realise I began this thread in a friendly manner. I called no names and made no accusations. I simply asked for reasonings.

I bet if I started this thread by saying all Christians who think mixed swimming is okay are liberals I would have been slammed. But you can all call me legalistic and a pharisee and that is okay?

Where did you get the idea of it just being a list of does and don'ts? That implies I just say "Do it because I say so." But that is not the case. I do it and share what I believe because I have reasons.

And to expound on my statement regarding drs. Looking back I did not get to finish it. If possible then men examing men etc is best... however, if that is not possible then fine. If only male or only female doctors are around then we just have to live with it.

Call me a Pharisee, but not Sanderson. At least I come back to my posts!

 

You could have a point, but that seems like another extreme.

 

I do not get it. Really, I don't.

You say a miniskirt is immodest. I say a miniskirt is immodest.
I say a swimsuit, less than a miniskirt is immodest. You say I am legalistic and a pharisee.

 

SBC, If this is in reference to homosexuals, then this is how I see it.

When guys and girls swim together dressed immodestly you can 100% that some, perhaps all at some point, will struggle with sin.

With just guys or just girls you run into the possibility of homosexuals, but I think the chances are small enough to be over looked.

Now, what kind of a Pharisee would say that?

Ciela, thanks for your post.