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ORIGINAL: deermousie

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ORIGINAL: Corne
Many women in the world dress and wear make-up tastefully so how do we define worldly?

It's a heart attitude toward knowing and pleasing God. It shows up in our relationships - and how we dress. It goes from the inside to the outside.

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As a Christian woman I am to live to please the Lord. What I need to watch out for is living up to standards of other people ..... this can be a fine line with many. In my own church, there are Christian women who have no problems with how I dress or act, and there are Christian women who do have problems with how I dress or act.

As Christian women, we need to also be very careful in pointing fingers and expecting others to live up to our own opinions of what is or is not acceptable.

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ORIGINAL: teacher1982

In ANY culture, modesty means covering up that which shouldn't be shown. It's not difficult.

The Bible says Modest Apparel. Not modest skin or modest attitude.

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The woman who had on the short, tight dress and 4" heels that was praying at the altar who I went and covered up is a very devout Christian in her own mind. She is kindhearted and thinks of people, visits the sick and prays for them. But the first impression was NOT of a woman who has a heart like that. The first impression by everyone sitting in the congregation was "My Goodness! Why doesn't that woman sit down or cover up? Why in the world did she come to church dressed like that and then bend over at the altar?" I am sure that is NOT the impression that she wanted to give. No REAL Christian woman would.

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ORIGINAL: dnp200450

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ORIGINAL: deermousie

I think a lot of girls and young women innocently wear immodest clothing because it's "in" and they don't understand that guys' minds work differently than their own.

If young ladies get taught that guys are visually oriented to sexual excitement and she can help protect her brother by not wearing revealing clothing, I'm sure most would be happy to change their styles.

If a young woman with low esteem dresses "normally", in her mind, she may think she just blends in when everyone else. No men may ask her out or even notice her, she may think. She may observe that the more modest dressers receive little or no attention at all. If she dresses in revealing cloths she may notice that men actually what to be with her, ask her out and spend money on her. This of course reinforces her "dress code".

As for the Brother's, well, she really is not at all responsible if they become sexual excited. It is their choice. She is not making them stare at her. If they do in fact stare at her and get "turned on" in church; there are much deeper issues going on then her clothing. A diabetic knows better than eating the chocolate cookies at the church picnic. They can't blame the baker can they!

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ORIGINAL: herestoresmysoul

yes there is a balance as in all things. We can look feminine and nice and still dress modestly.

I also think that the church leadership are responsible for having a quiet word with any women who is dressing badly. However some of them arent prepared to do this. They seem to think that it will open a can of worms but it can be done with kindness and discretion.

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ORIGINAL: Focusing

As a Christian woman I am to live to please the Lord. What I need to watch out for is living up to standards of other people ..... this can be a fine line with many. In my own church, there are Christian women who have no problems with how I dress or act, and there are Christian women who do have problems with how I dress or act.

As Christian women, we need to also be very careful in pointing fingers and expecting others to live up to our own opinions of what is or is not acceptable.

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ORIGINAL: bolt.

What's obvious is that when the fictional you said to the fictional men, "that only ONE of those women was a street-walker." The fictional 'you' told a disgusting and demeaning lie about one of your very own sisters that shares your very own Spirit. Not to mention that you invited your brothers to actively think, speculate and speak that way about them.

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The heart, mind, and soul must line up with the Bible first and then the mouth, actions and outward appearance will naturally follow.

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ORIGINAL: SurpassingPeace

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The woman who had on the short, tight dress and 4" heels that was praying at the altar who I went and covered up is a very devout Christian in her own mind. She is kindhearted and thinks of people, visits the sick and prays for them. But the first impression was NOT of a woman who has a heart like that. The first impression by everyone sitting in the congregation was "My Goodness! Why doesn't that woman sit down or cover up? Why in the world did she come to church dressed like that and then bend over at the altar?" I am sure that is NOT the impression that she wanted to give. No REAL Christian woman would.

No, no, no no. She is a devout Christian not in her own mind. She just is. No one has the right to judge her relationship with God in such a manner. Also, not everyone in the congregation was thinking poorly about her. Most probably weren't even thinking about her. And if you know that people were because you all chatted about it later, then that was just plain old gossip. Personally when I am at worship I am worshipping God and dealing with my own heart. There is enough trouble in there I do not need to be casting a disparaging eye around to see what everyone else is doing.

This idea of writing someone off because they don't conform to a personal standard, and it is personal standard not a "Christian" standard of appearance, has a strong reek of self righteousness. Sometimes, I color my hair a deep wine red, does that make my heart less devoted to Christ? Sometimes, I wear red lipstick, so does that negate my heart for Christ? I will tell you with absolute certainty, of course it does not. A long skirt and long sleeve blouse can easily cover a selfish, hateful heart.

There are so many problems out there that the church should focus on, children being neglected and abused, women fearful for their own lives from their husbands, spreading the gospel of Christ to our unsaved neighbors, the fact that we are so busy (me, included) that many of us fail to provide the Christian hospitality that is commanded in the bible. Personally, each day I need to focus on my own walk. Each day I could pray more, be in the Word more, be more gentle, compassionate, loving, really the list of my own personal need to work on my attitude and heart list is pretty substantial. So, my focus should be someone's pink boots??!!?? I don't think so.

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ORIGINAL: RichLP

I think that new believers should get some slack. They may not yet "know" out of habit. And those of us who are longer-term believers should extend grace to them and lovingly "guide" them. It would be destructive and harmful to shun them or to openly deride them with dirty looks or cold indifference because they are dressed in ways that are inappropriate. Eventually yes they need to learn and perhaps with direct but loving counsel.

When I was in my very early 20s I served as a youth group assistant. Being only a few years older than the high school girls, I had to be doubly careful when I simply was near them during sports games, etc, as it was summer and they wore short shorts (and tight too) and tank-tops. I would hope that all young women, from high school onward, dressed carefully, because if a woman with curves dresses skimpily, it can be a source of major suffering for men in the church. Sadly sometimes we men are too embarrassed to voice these concerns because some people (including some WOMEN) don't understand and find the fault in US rather than the women (meaning, we men are too lustful and/or can't control ourselves).

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ORIGINAL: Corne

That question would be based on a lie. The answer is none of them. So maybe you can't judge a person by the amount of paint they apply on the outside, or how weird their hair is.

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many Christian women in the western church fail to meet that standard of modesty to which the bible calls them to uphold... measure those actions against the unchanging standard of God's word.