Posted on 08/01/2003 1:56:57 PM PDT by Commander8
While her Mother is busily washing dishes and cleaning up from the evening meal, the teenaged daughter in this family hastily retreats to her bedroom. After securing the door to prevent any interruptions, she flops on her bed and quickly absorbs herself in a romance novel she purchased from a nearby Christian bookstore. As she is avidly following the plot of the story, and relishing the romantic encounters of the young heroine, it does not even occur to this young woman that she should be assisting her Mother in the kitchen and helping to lift the load of her tired parents.
What is so serious about this dereliction of duty on the part of this young woman? Her loathing of anything related to domestic chores, and avid pursuit of a romantic world that does not exist in reality, is preconditioning her for marriage failure.
Being a fundamental Christian does not shield a believer from marriage failure. We are now informed that Christians have about as many divorces as unregenerate folks (about 50%). All is not well in the American Christian home!
Trouble Brewing "Women's Rights" movements may have had their roots in the Abolitionist movement of 1850 - 1860, and even in the godless, egalitarian influence of the French Revolution. The God-given role for women in society began to be considered as "chains" and "shackles" as early as 1905 in America by suffragettes and their sympathizers. The "Roaring Twenties" produced a fuller expression of women's rights, complete with the shearing of long, glorious locks to "bobbed hair," brazen dress and outlandish behavior.
The Arrival of Rosie the Riveter Prior to World War II, most American women, despite the inroads of radical feminists, were still wives and mothers at home, and the family was supported by the working Father/husband. With the advent of World War II, there were not only world-wide crises fomented by the conflict, there were also some serious social pathologies set in motion at home, the bitter fruit of which we are reaping today.
With millions of our men in uniform and a military/industrial complex desperate for workers, it was not uncommon for young American women to lay aside their aprons, sewing and home making, etc., in order to do their part for the war effort. "Rosie the Riveter" became a vital part of our country's military preparedness. However, this experience of dressing, acting and working like a man was not to end with the victory of the Allies over the Axis powers. Many ladies thereafter disdained homemaking, motherhood, femininity and skirts, and vigorously cultivated their new "liberated" role.
Whereas Scripture portrays marriage and motherhood in noble terms (Proverbs 31:10-31), and as a role that is essential for the weal of the home and welfare of children, many modern feminine hearts view this role as demeaning, beneath their dignity and restrictive of their personal freedoms. Fleeing what they perceive as "chains" on their creativity and self-expression, many modern women have avidly sought a "career" to fulfil their dreams and satisfy their needs.
The Happy, Dependent Homemaker This world, the flesh and Satan wish women to be "independent." However, Scripture mandates that a woman is to be "dependent," first on her father, then on her husband (1 Corinthians 7:25-38; Ephesians 5:22-24). A woman created by God to be home-centered (Titus 2:3-5) is ill-suited for the predatory, Machiavellian, and "dog-eat-dog" business world. It is difficult enough for a man to survive in this hostile, wicked environment. She is far better suited to provide an "Elim in the wilderness" for him, a place of respite and peace called his home, where he will be welcomed with warmth and affection. Here, he can bask in the warm glow of domestic felicity, for which she has been made by God to provide.
Contrary to the politically-correct pundits of this age, Scripture nowhere portrays women as being suited for a battlefield. They do well at bearing and mothering children, but carrying a rifle into combat is contrary to their psyche. Of what value is it for a woman to sublimate her maternal, marital and domestic instincts to be chief executive officer of a Fortune 500 company, the leading scorer in professional basketball, or a "million dollar producer" in real estate while her marriage is in shambles and her children grow like weeds?
Filling a plastic, impressionable teenaged girl's mind with unending romantic novels does her a disservice. She honestly believes a gallant young man is going to come into her life by serendipity, who will fawn over her, adore her and meet her every whim just for the pleasure of worshiping at her feet. When she finally does marry, she has already made her husband the prisoner of her expectations. What a shocking and cruel blow she receives when she realizes her husband has less than noble motives and has glaring character deficiencies.
Had this young woman experienced a wholesome, loving family with Mom in her proper role as Queen of the home, and Dad as the loving leader, protector, provider, she would have seen the emptiness and farcical unreality of romantic drivel. She also would have developed a desire to be a wife and mother because she constantly worked alongside her mother: cooking, cleaning, baking, caring for children and attending to the innumerable affairs of a busy household.
Godly Training vs. Worldly Influences Fundamental, Bible believing parents need to take inventory on how we are training our daughters. Of what eternal value is it for a girl to know how to apply layers of paint and grotesque cosmetics so she looks like someone in a French fashion magazine? If we allow her to wear clinging clothing that reveals every contour of her body, then we have taught her 1 Peter 3:3-4 is a lie and that carnal, provocative ways are acceptable. If we allow her to engage in recreational dating, we have undermined her future marriage and encouraged her to make crucial decisions based on feelings, hormones and lusts. If she can "slam dunk" the ball but will put her husband in the emergency room with her cooking, what have we accomplished? If we encourage her to have a "career" and develop an independent spirit, she then may find it difficult to submit to a husband when she makes more money than he does. Or if she finally submits to the sly overtures of the sexual predator in the office, how have we pleased the Lord? If she rejects motherhood, does not care to know about sewing a dress, baking a cake, keeping a house or changing a diaper, our character training and priorities are tragically distorted.
If you are a young woman, please listen to the counsel of one who has worked with troubled teen girls and families for several generations. If you desire a career, then do not marry! Both cannot be successfully done. One or the other will be adversely affected ("No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." Matthew 6:24). A married woman in the labor force has two masters! She is forced to choose and will make the choice Jesus described.
If this developing career woman wants to succeed in her field of endeavor, she dare not displease her master at work, who promises wealth, power, prestige and independence. By way of contrast, her master at home offers the difficult and demanding task of running a household, training up children and loving and serving her husband. This is why many husbands, especially those who seek to retain their God-given place as head of the home, wind up being despised, hated and divorced.
Homemaking is a career, a full-time occupation, and a challenging calling that is not for the weak-hearted. A "keeper at home" (Titus 2:5) is indeed at home, but she is laboring longer than 40 hours per week! One will not find dust balls around the perimeters of her rooms as big as rodents! In her house, you will not find cobwebs that are life-threatening, nor will you find green hairy things growing in her refrigerator. She is not popping chocolates and watching television. She is laboring tirelessly, indefatigably for her household. She does not "go to bed," she falls into bed, and must add a list of unaccomplished chores to tomorrow's already long list. Her unending toil, her ceaseless character training and mothering of her children do not add to her popularity in this world, but they will in the next. Her husband and her children rise up and bless her and praise her, as they realize the rare and precious jewel she is.
Many young women know how to look gaudy, provocative and alluring, but have not any idea of how to be a Godly wife and mother! You may catch the eye of a man with your seductive ways, but what have you accomplished? A Neanderthal Esau will be attracted to your body, but a Godly Boaz will be attracted to your character: "the King's daughter is all glorious within" (Psalm 45:13).
Learn domestic skills instead of how to more artistically paint your face! Learn to be a servant instead of how to compete and be brash and bold. Your fulfillment and contentment will not be found in voyeuristic reading of romance novels, carving out a niche for yourself in the world of business, or squeezing into even tighter clothing. It will be found in being a Godly wife and mother!
by Dr. Ronald Williams, Hephzibah House
508 School St., Winona Lake. IN 46590
Reprints may be obtained from Hephzibah House.
The Scriptures are crystal-clear on that point. Proverbs encourages the young man, "Rejoice in the wife of your youth. As a loving hind and a graceful doe, Let her breasts satisfy you at all times; Be exhilarated always with her love." (Proverbs 5:18-19).
Definately not the words of a sexually repressive religion.....
At the same time, I would affirm here and now: basic modesty is not repressiveness. As a guy, I know how hard it is to keep our minds pure when women dress provocatively. A little consideration for us men sure goes a long way....
My mom, a schoolteacher at a Christian high school, related some interesting conversations. Some of the girls dressed immodestly because they want to attract guys' attention -- but they were dismayed that they noticed them for their bodies, and not their personalities.
Are any of the other Catholics on this thread thinking what I'm thinking.
LOL A Keeper
I do not think that is the point of the women here. As women and mothers we would not favor sexually provocative clothing.....men had best not be like Adam and tell God his sin was "because of the woman you gave me"
I didn't think it was.
As women and mothers we would not favor sexually provocative clothing.....
I'd be more suprised if y'all did.
men had best not be like Adam and tell God his sin was "because of the woman you gave me"
No... men sin because we have fallen hearts. Suggestive clothing only exacerbates the problem. We're responsible for our thoghts. It's just that women could really help us out a little....
We can't know if you don't tell us what they are, can we?
I suppose that one can always make the argument that there is something worse somewhere else. This is the game of hypocrites. I suppose the priest you reference tell themselves that they're not Hitler after all.
The "scandal " of the Bakers was not her make up. It was greed and sexual sin.
The makeup was symbolic of the shallowness and hypocrisy. If ever there was a "painted sepulchre," it was Tammy Faye.
We are surely blessed that God looks on the heart and not the Max Factor
In the parable of the guests at the wedding feast, the ones who were not dressed appropriately were thrown out into the darkness where they would wail and gnash their teeth.
Haven't noticed that as a problem lately. So far my observation of burkas in the United States has turned up exactly zero. Kind of like Eric Idle and his camel spotting in the Monty Python skit.
Immodesty in dress, on the other hand, is an epidemic that surrounds us on all sides. It is a corrosive influence that is destroying any hope of happiness either in this life or the next life for millions of young women. So I think your "on the one hand, on the other hand" approach totally misses the point.
And speaking of burkas, just because Muslims do something doesn't make it terrible, although most people on FR seem to think so. Modest head coverings for women have been a Christian tradition in Western Europe just as much as they have been in the Middle East. Just yesterday I saw some Amish people at a highway rest stop, and the women were all wearing modest clothing and head coverings that would not have made a Muslim woman ashamed. Perhaps we should learn by their example.
Do not be a stumbling block to others. Your callous disregard of men and their desires is un-Christian. How many immodest women have led some little ones astray and would have been better off putting a millstone around their necks?
How very true. I think the point of this article, and the point of your post, is that just going along with popular culture is not going to work with your children. You need to take a position radically contrary to popular culture and all that it entails. This includes the media, dress, education, etc.
This is true. However, a realistic appraisal tells us that failure is inevitable for most parents unless the wider culture is supporting them and directing them into the right paths. There are precious few parents who are capable of raising devout Christian children in the midst of a pagan culture.
1 How graceful are your feet in sandals, O queenly maiden! Your rounded thighs are like jewels, the work of a master hand. 2 Your navel is a rounded bowl that never lacks mixed wine. Your belly is a heap of wheat, encircled with lilies. 3 Your two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle. 4 Your neck is like an ivory tower. Your eyes are pools in Heshbon, by the gate of Bath-rab'bim. Your nose is like a tower of Lebanon, overlooking Damascus. 5 Your head crowns you like Carmel, and your flowing locks are like purple; a king is held captive in the tresses. 6 How fair and pleasant you are, O loved one, delectable maiden! 7 You are stately as a palm tree, and your breasts are like its clusters. 8 I say I will climb the palm tree and lay hold of its branches. Oh, may your breasts be like clusters of the vine, and the scent of your breath like apples, 9 and your kisses like the best wine that goes down smoothly, gliding over lips and teeth. 10 I am my beloved's, and his desire is for me. 11 Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the fields, and lodge in the villages; 12 let us go out early to the vineyards, and see whether the vines have budded, whether the grape blossoms have opened and the pomegranates are in bloom. There I will give you my love. 13 The mandrakes give forth fragrance, and over our doors are all choice fruits, new as well as old, which I have laid up for you, O my beloved.
Don't read this book. It shows a callous disregard of men and their desires.
The Song of Songs is allegorical. And if you're going to bring up Solomon, don't forget that he was conceived in an adulterous union with a woman whose husband was killed by King David. What started the trouble? When King David saw her naked. Later Solomon himself was led astray by the Queen of Sheba and died in a state of idolatry.
This picture wasn't taken in the US, was it? So you are deliberately falsifying my point that the observed number of burkas in the US is zero so far. The "burka problem" that you propose as equally dangerous as the problem of immodest clothing remains non-existent.
In my previous post I already supplied an example of modest head covering worn by Christian women right here in the United States: those worn by the Amish.
It's really time you took a look inward rather than blaming women for the problems of the entire world. You can and are only meant to control yourself, not the entire female gender. The sooner you come to terms with this the better off you will be.
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