Recently I finished reading a book called “Christian Modesty and the Public Undressing of America” by Jeff Pollard. This little book was an excellent read and it caused me to think about a number of things:
*Who am I dressing to please? Myself, my peers, young men, or God?
*Why do I wear what I wear? Do I dress for functionality, to draw attention to myself, to rebel, to stand out, and to look boyish?
*Or do I dress like a young woman who fears the Lord and desires to draw attention to Him and not myself?
*Have I become desensitized to immodesty because of the American culture? If culture is religion externalized, then I think we are quickly becoming a pagan culture.
*In my attempts to dress modestly, am I turning to clothing designed for young men, and thus hiding my God-given femininity?
*The way I dress is my heart’s character externalized. Is my heart rebellious and ungrateful of my femininity, or do I dress femininely with joy because that is the way that God created me?
This book discusses many issues of modesty in America. It defines modesty according to the dictionary and the Bible; it discusses the purpose of clothing; and it shows the Biblical evidence that nakedness is associated with shame and wickedness. It also discusses the deliberate undressing of America that was perpetrated by the fashion designers over the past 100 years. It was a very purposeful rebellion against modesty as defined in Scripture. It also discusses the change of purpose in clothing from covering the body to showing off the body and the designing of outfits to be more sensual.
The author also discusses the media’s influence on our perception of clothing. I highly agree that the media and Hollywood have a tremendous influence on our thoughts and worldview. And their view on clothing is not at all Biblical.
Pollard encourages Christians to return to a Godly view on modesty and to be “candles among gunpowder.” While I don’t agree with everything in this book, it has certainly caused me to think about how I dress, why I dress that way, and what my heart attitude is. I would encourage you to read it as well and examine your heart. As Christians, we are to reflect Christ in all we do, and that includes how we dress!
4 comments:
Life would be so much easier if we didn't have to wear clothes (sigh). That's another reason to look forward to Heaven.
I agree, it probably would be easier if we didn't have to worry about clothes all the time, Amy! I believe that we still wear robes in heaven, but at least we won't have to think, "What am I going to wear today?" :-)
~Bianca
I've heard of this book before, but your review makes me want to read it. Off to add it to my Amazon wishlist. Thank you:-).
Thank you for your comment, ThyHandHathProvided, and welcome to our blog! I hope that you enjoy the book if you read it. It's rather ironic, but I was reading your blog as your comment came in! :-) You are definitely an inspiration to us as we desire to become more self-sufficient and eat more natural foods.
Thanks again for stopping by!
~Bianca
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