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Thread: Why Women Show Cleavage in Church

  1. #1
    Senior Member Pentecali's Avatar
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    Why Women Show Cleavage in Church

    http://www.crosswalk.com/blogs/chris...in-church.html

    Here's a portion of the article






    Some women—and I am talking about so-called "mature believers," not lost souls or baby Christians—come into God's sanctuary on Sunday morning wearing clothes you might rather expect to see them wearing at a dance club on Saturday night. Their blouses cling to their bodies, their necklines dip so low and stretch so wide that they reveal cleavage, and the slits up the sides of their skirts offer more than an innocent glimpse of their thighs. Again, I'm not talking about sinners seeking God or new believers who plain don't know better. I'm talking about those who claim to be "born-again, baptized, blood-bought" (even tongue-talking) members of the church!
    Paul instructed Timothy that women should "adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation" (1 Tim. 2:9), and he told the church at Corinth that "our unpresentable parts have greater modesty" (1 Cor. 12:23). Regardless of how hot it is outside or how busy we are, there's no justification for Spirit-filled women to come to church wearing clothes that cause some men to pay more attention to the things of the flesh than the things of the Spirit.
    However, other Christian women think that such a push toward modesty is rooted in shaming the female members of a congregation. Using such slogans as "modest is hottest" makes women feel as if they are the root cause of temptation, rather than teaching them how to view themselves as beautifully made in God's image. Last year, Sharon Hodde Miller suggested three ways to tackle the problem:
    How do we discuss modesty in a manner that celebrates the female body without objectifying women, and still exhorts women to purity? The first solution is to dispense with body-shaming language. Shame is great at behavior modification, even when the shaming is not overt. But shame-based language is not the rhetoric of Jesus. It is the rhetoric of his Enemy.
    Second, we must affirm the value of the female body. The value or meaning of a woman's body is not the reason for modesty. Women's bodies are not inherently distracting or tempting. On the contrary, women's bodies glorify God. Dare I say that a woman's breasts, hips, bottom, and lips all proclaim the glory of the Lord! Each womanly part honors Him. He created the female body, and it is good.
    Finally, language about modesty should focus not on hiding the female body but on understanding the body's created role. Immodesty is not the improper exposure of the body per se, but the improper orientation of the body. Men and women are urged to pursue a modesty by which our glory is minimized and God's is maximized. The body, the spirit and the mind all have a created role that is inherently God-centered. When we make ourselves central instead of God, we display the height of immodesty.

  2. #2
    Amen Brother.

    I see women on praise teams who are wearing jeans so tight that looks like they could hardly move and to top that off they are in 6 inch heels. Just this week I saw some in leggings and buffount type blouses or short dresses (don't know which). Tell you the truth, it looked ridiculous. Sometimes, I wish the praise teams were behind a curtain or wall and not be seen. It is very hard for me to enjoy the music when I see how they are dressed. Most of them don't know the anointing. They think it is how loud they can sing. Oh well, that is another subject. I am from the old school and I think women should look modest and so as to not attract attention to themselves.

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  4. #3
    Senior Member Cardinal TT's Avatar
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    The pastor and worship leader need to make clear standards of dress. It also applies to some men who try to look too hip
    Worship is not a fashion show.

    Everyone should be given a robe to put on when they enter the building

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    Senior Member Colonel's Avatar
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    They should hand out burkhas at the entrance to those who show up in clothing the naked cowboy would sue them over. Ten sundays in a row in a burkha would teach them some manners.

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    Super Moderator Quest's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pentecali View Post
    http://www.crosswalk.com/blogs/chris...in-church.html

    Here's a portion of the article






    Some women—and I am talking about so-called "mature believers," not lost souls or baby Christians—come into God’s sanctuary on Sunday morning wearing clothes you might rather expect to see them wearing at a dance club on Saturday night. Their blouses cling to their bodies, their necklines dip so low and stretch so wide that they reveal cleavage, and the slits up the sides of their skirts offer more than an innocent glimpse of their thighs. Again, I’m not talking about sinners seeking God or new believers who plain don’t know better. I’m talking about those who claim to be "born-again, baptized, blood-bought" (even tongue-talking) members of the church!
    Paul instructed Timothy that women should “adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation” (1 Tim. 2:9), and he told the church at Corinth that “our unpresentable parts have greater modesty” (1 Cor. 12:23). Regardless of how hot it is outside or how busy we are, there’s no justification for Spirit-filled women to come to church wearing clothes that cause some men to pay more attention to the things of the flesh than the things of the Spirit.
    However, other Christian women think that such a push toward modesty is rooted in shaming the female members of a congregation. Using such slogans as “modest is hottest” makes women feel as if they are the root cause of temptation, rather than teaching them how to view themselves as beautifully made in God’s image. Last year, Sharon Hodde Miller suggested three ways to tackle the problem:
    How do we discuss modesty in a manner that celebrates the female body without objectifying women, and still exhorts women to purity? The first solution is to dispense with body-shaming language. Shame is great at behavior modification, even when the shaming is not overt. But shame-based language is not the rhetoric of Jesus. It is the rhetoric of his Enemy.
    Second, we must affirm the value of the female body. The value or meaning of a woman's body is not the reason for modesty. Women's bodies are not inherently distracting or tempting. On the contrary, women's bodies glorify God. Dare I say that a woman's breasts, hips, bottom, and lips all proclaim the glory of the Lord! Each womanly part honors Him. He created the female body, and it is good.
    Finally, language about modesty should focus not on hiding the female body but on understanding the body's created role. Immodesty is not the improper exposure of the body per se, but the improper orientation of the body. Men and women are urged to pursue a modesty by which our glory is minimized and God's is maximized. The body, the spirit and the mind all have a created role that is inherently God-centered. When we make ourselves central instead of God, we display the height of immodesty.
    I admit I did not read past this first statement, " Some women—and I am talking about so-called "mature believers," not lost souls or baby Christians—come into God’s sanctuary on Sunday morning wearing clothes you might rather expect to see them wearing at a dance club on Saturday night.'

    They may have been Christians for awhile but they are not mature..period.

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  9. #6
    Yeah... and say a word to them and you're "slut-shaming" <rolling eyes>

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  11. #7
    Here's another perspective..(rather than start another thread about the same subject, I'll just drop this right here )

    http://praise1027detroit.hellobeauti...r-this-summer/

    As summer temperatures kick into high gear, concern increases about women’s church attire. In fact, many churches are printing bulletins this very second kindly asking women to be mindful of their hemlines, necklines, and exposed shoulders. There’s certainly nothing wrong with desiring women to observe modest dress during warm weather. Paul’s appeal wasn’t for women to adorn themselves in modest apparel (unless temperatures exceed 70 degrees) (1 Timothy 2:9). But what concerns me is the limited concept most Christians have of “modesty.” Modesty is a virtue involving much more than women’s fashion choices.

    Actually, church dress codes might not even be necessary if more grasped these four lessons in true modesty:

    MODESTY BEGINS IN THE HEART

    Many often quote 1 Timothy 2:9–10 to tell women to “cover up.” But Paul’s appeal is actually deeper than that. He’s asking women to forsake gaudiness and vanity in favor of a spiritual posture that glorifies God, inside and out. Paul is essentially saying that what we profess should be reflected in how we dress, assuming what we profess is sincere. True and consistent outward modesty only springs forth when the heart desires to please God. One could certainly “cover up” for the sake of following man-made rules, but it is hypocritical to clean up our exterior to please man while our hearts remain impure before God (Matthew 23:25–26). When we make a decision to revere Him, modest behavior and dress become personal convictions.

    MODESTY IS A DAILY PRACTICE
    Most women know that dressing like Gomer just won’t cut it for worship service. From my observation, women in general, despite their church-going experience, are keenly aware of the need to cover up and be appropriately attired for church service—even in the dead heat of summer. But what about how we dress for ministry meetings and other events hosted by the church throughout the week? What about how we appear to the world outside of church? The level of care we take to maintain modest dress on Sunday doesn’t seem to translate Monday through Saturday. This may occur because the church often teaches “modesty” as an outward religious practice, rather than a way of life for those who are called to be sanctified and set apart as people of God. For many, Sunday service is where we “officially” meet God. But people of faith should revere God daily, and our hearts, public appearance, and behavior should reflect that.

    MODESTY IS AN ACT OF LOVE
    Men are visual creatures and women definitely know this. To deny this fact is to either be utterly naïve or embarrassingly disingenuous. Genuine concern for our brothers should help us refrain from dressing or behaving in any way that could cause them to stumble. This point is not politically correct, but it is nonetheless legitimate for followers of Christ. We are called to love one another as ourselves and abide by God’s standards, not society’s (Matthew 22:33; Romans 12:2). Jesus makes it clear that any man who so much as looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her (Matthew 5:28). While we cannot be burdened by what men think when they see us, we can choose to honor God by not seeking to intentionally motivate lascivious thoughts and behavior.

    MODESTY ALSO APPLIES TO MEN
    Women are often the burden bearers of modesty, but each point above also applies to men. Modesty is a Christian disposition, not a female characteristic. Men in Christ are also charged to observe decency and propriety and to revere God daily. And just as women should avoid intentionally enticing men with immodest dress or behavior, men must love their sisters in Christ enough to not take advantage of those they assume are “immodest.” Paul is clear that female and male believers must clothe themselves in Christ; walk properly and “don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires” (Romans 13:14).

    Dress codes and guidelines for attire may be helpful this summer, but such policies are only half the battle. True modesty is about physical and spiritual clothing. Churches truly seeking to ensure appropriate attire in the house of God must be equally vigilant in outfitting their female and male parishioners in the spirit of Christ Jesus.

    from “the Urban Truth”

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  13. #8
    Senior Member wheeze's Avatar
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    when i was a teen many decades ago i loved to go to our southern baptist church on sunday morning. i always made sure i sat on the back row. usually like clock work about 10 minutes into the service a couple would come in and she wore a mini skirt with fishnet stockings and a low cut blouse. they would walk down the center aisle and every married man sitting would either lean left or right straining their necks to look. needless to say many wives were not happy including my mom. i loved to watch the drama unfold. the pastor would lose his place which i thought was hilarious!

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  15. #9
    Frozen Chosen A.J.'s Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by wheeze View Post
    when i was a teen many decades ago i loved to go to our southern baptist church on sunday morning. i always made sure i sat on the back row. usually like clock work about 10 minutes into the service a couple would come in and she wore a mini skirt with fishnet stockings and a low cut blouse. they would walk down the center aisle and every married man sitting would either lean left or right straining their necks to look. needless to say many wives were not happy including my mom. i loved to watch the drama unfold. the pastor would lose his place which i thought was hilarious!
    My husband always says that the first glance is reflex. To take a second look and/or linger with that look is choice.

    And he figured that out for himself. He refuses to take that second look ........

    The men in your church should have been slapped upside the head.

    It seriously shouldn't matter what women wear and you can use the argument that men are just being men, but my husband is a living example of a Godly man who refuses to use that excuse.

    And this goes hand in hand with the culture of rape that's so prevalent in the news right now with that swimmer, whatever his name is. He obviously learned his disrespect of women from his father.... but that's another thread.

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  17. #10
    Senior Member wheeze's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by A.J. View Post
    My husband always says that the first glance is reflex. To take a second look and/or linger with that look is choice.

    And he figured that out for himself. He refuses to take that second look ........

    The men in your church should have been slapped upside the head.

    It seriously shouldn't matter what women wear and you can use the argument that men are just being men, but my husband is a living example of a Godly man who refuses to use that excuse.

    And this goes hand in hand with the culture of rape that's so prevalent in the news right now with that swimmer, whatever his name is. He obviously learned his disrespect of women from his father.... but that's another thread.
    they were having 5 or 6 glances...... not to mention a permanent tilt to the left or right...

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