TRADING ASHES FOR BEAUTY IN CHRISTIAN DRESS

Fundamental Baptist Information Service ^ | April 25, 2006 | David Kidd

[Full Court]

It is a good chance to let Christ light shine. You never know who or how the Spirit will introduce Himself.

I totally agree with that. However, I can remember as a young teen seeing people I knew from church at the movie "Up In Smoke" by Cheech and Chong. It through me for a loop because I thought they were different, I thought that Christians didn't go to movies about drugs.

So sometimes I think we do have to consider what our actions and dress say to a lost world.

Are we just like them? Or no?

[Full Court]

I remember when the style of shoes were "Candies"... those high heeled shoes with just a strap across the toes to hold them on. They were quite the rage on campus... I NEVER understood it. They were shoes that off campus truly had a sleazy connotation... at least among older teens young adults in those days. I never did understand the appeal - but that sort of defined "being in the world - but not of it" for me when I refused to wear them.

I love it!!! I remember those things very well.

[Full Court]

Look at the young people in your church. Do they look worldly and aloof? If so there is a serious and possibly fatal spiritual problem in your church.

Thanks for an excellent observation.

[Full Court]

As the mother of two sons, I appreciate people who dress their daughters modestly. :-)

[Full Court]

Another poster said "I am pro-homeschooling, but not pro-bigot. I'd rather not be pinged to Full Court's legalistic threads in future if it's okay with you.

dave said"I was pinging it as much for discussion as I was for content. I don't believe I make a habit of pinging these sorts of threads, but I'll try to exclude your name from any future ones.

Dave, I want to reassure you that I do not believe in legalism. I believe in salvation by grace along, through faith in Jesus Christ.

I totally reject any form of legalism including salvation through works, baptism or sacraments.

[Full Court]

I think that heavy metal music is about as Christian as beer, and one could draw similar analogies

I totally agree with you. Check out this article if you get time. Dr. terry Watkins has some very in-depth research regarding that sort of music here. http://www.av1611.org/crock/crockex1.html

[Corin Stormhands]

They wear that because rebellion, and catching attention appeals to them. Double-takes and concealed shock appeal to them. That's what I worry about.

Teenagers have rebelled and sought attention since the dawn of time. Parents have always worried.

It's what we do.

[Corin Stormhands]

I think that heavy metal music is about as Christian as beer...

"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to prosper."
~ Benjamin Franklin

;-)

[blue-duncan]

"God punished most of those long haired Christians by making them bald."

And giving them kids and then making them grow old. By the way what are we doing on this thread? This is for grownups who have forgotten adolescents.

[blue-duncan]

"adolescents."

That's adolescence. It was the christian beers fault!

[Corin Stormhands]

I think there's a dividing line, however vague, between finding your own identity and rebelling just for the sake of rebellion.

I think it's all part of the same thing. Finding your own identify often comes by rebelling. Sure there are varying degrees, but it's all part of that horrible process of morphing from a child to an adult.

[JenB]

Beer, and music styles, are value neutral. It's what you do with them that makes them wordly or not. I guess that goes for hairstyles too... baggy pants may not be evil but they are idiotic so that might make them sinful.

[jude24]

I think there's a big difference between the problem of modesty and trendiness.

I think you are absolutely correct.

Now, I'm not exactly the trendiest guy. My closet consists of suits for work, kakhis and collared shirts for school, and t-shirts and jeans for weekend wear. Somewhere between college and law school, my wardrobe got conservative. Of course, losing 100 lbs. in 18 mos. helped force me to buy all new clothes, and at my stage in life, they have to be business casual or professional. But it didn't use to be this way. In high school, I liked baggy pants and gelled hair. In early college, I bleached my hair (briefly). Dumb, stupid stuff I'd never do now. It was a harmless phase, albeit stupid.

There's a world of difference between baggy pants and shorts and letting them sag so that your boxers are visible to the world; a difference between a girl wearing jeans and wearin skin-tight jeans; girls wearing shorts and wearing short shorts. Modesty should not be confused with conservative dress. Bell bottoms are modest, but they look ridiculous. But, anyone who wishes to wear them may do so since it doesn't impact any moral issues.

One aside: I really wish girls knew better just how sexy modesty is. Girls flashing cleavage are a dime a dozen now. Summer on campus is a difficult time to try to keep one's eyes to oneself, but at the end of the day, looking at them is a cheap thrill. The girls who wear feminine yet modest dresses, blouses, and pants are absolutely beautiful. There's just some je ne se qua about them that the girls wearing scanty clothing just can't show.

[jude24]

Plus, whatever independent surge in teenagers shouldn't include rejection of God.

My own independant surge as a teenager turned me into a legalistic hyper-fundamentalist. Boy did that screw me up. I think I'm still trying to find my equilibrium after that.