I recently posted a question concerning Christians in sports and how Christians are to dress in public. And no doubt there are contradictions to what many say they believe about the attire Christians are to wear and also Christians' participation in certain sports which causes them to wear such attire (or lack thereof). Seems that many have chosen to stay away from this very important question, so I'll ask it again. Beloved does participating in sports excuse a woman from having to dress modestly? Is it improper for men to wear no shirt in public (which some sports demand that they do)? Bikinis cover about the same or much less than underwear. Yet people think it crazy if someone takes their dress off and walks down the street with her braw and pannies on, yet if she goes just one block away and strips down to what is termed a (swim suit) revealing much less, this is Ok. Is there not hypocrisy here?
A woman can stand in front of her house with a braw and pannies and someone will call the cops. Yet the same woman can put less on and swim in the olympics before millions viewing the same as those neighbors and she's applauded. Huh?
Is it right for a pastor to wear a 3 piece satin suit while members of "his flock" are wearing 29cent hand me downs from the thrift shop at best?(Kudos to those who gave away thier 3 piece suit to the bumm(for lack of a better term) on the corner and chose to wear there old cloths!)
We are told if we are going to fallow the law to please God then we must fallow it 100%.I'de rather put my faith in God's perfect pleasure in His Righteous Son!
Maybe if people were'nt busy Sunday morning rushing around pressing pants,putting on makeup,shining shoes,they might actually remember all those things to be thankful for and you'de have pews overflowing with people in tattered jeans overwhelmed with thankfulness for God and His Gift of His son!I can remember being so stressed out to get to church the "right" way that by the time I got there I was too burned out to even smile let alone muster up any thankfulness.So I end up sitting there just trying to catch my breath and here I'm being beatin about the head about not giving God my all in another area.
Not having to worry how to dress might keep a person mindful of God and be convicted in thier heart by the Spirit and decide all on thier own what God would have for them.
But back to the specific question...If the Olympic panel agrees on the attire and the individual agrees to wear it and does so without conviction then let them.We are a better example by our own actions than we are by our righteous indignation.
Maybe a sermon on why you don't watch the Olypics might reach a few parishioners into changing thier own minds about what they watch and what they allow thier children to wear.If enough people turned it off for those reasons the Olympic panel would soon change the dress code since they are all about glitz.glamor and ratings!But I know were you are coming from,it's frustrating watching right become wrong and wrong become right!
"Beloved does participating in sports excuse a woman from having to dress modestly? "
I always hate it when someone answers a question with a question, but I am about to do that here. Sorry! How modest does one have to dress to be considered modest? Is a modest dress for a woman to the knees, below the knees or to the ankle? Long sleeves and a high neckline? a burka? Who determines what is modest? You? The Pope? or Society?
Your question was specifically related to participating in a sport. My opinion is that most sports settings are not a sexual setting. A woman in a two piece swim suit at the Olympics is not considered sexual or provocative to most people in today's society. She is dressed in a way that helps her achieve maximum results and win. I think, typically she is simply considered athletic. Conversely, the women in a wrestling ring who dress in a swim suit or similar garments and just walk into the ring holding up a sign to announce the round, could be considered immodest. I guess what I am saying is that it goes to setting, motive and intent. The women in a wrestling ring seem vain wanting to arouse men (and women), where the women in the Olympics only want to win.
Another question for you: why would God give Christians a special talent where maximum benefit is achieved in a public setting and dressed in a swim suit? (There is only one God and He is not me or you.)
"Is it improper for men to wear no shirt in public (which some sports demand that they do)?"
My answer again is that the setting and motive matter.
"Bikinis cover about the same or much less than underwear. Yet people think it crazy if someone takes their dress off and walks down the street with her braw and pannies on, yet if she goes just one block away and strips down to what is termed a (swim suit) revealing much less, this is Ok. Is there not hypocrisy here?"
It would also be inappropriate in most places for a woman to walk down the street in a swim suit, even a one piece that covers more of her body. At the beach a swim suit is deemed appropriate by society. My southern upbringing teaches me that if someone in a swim suit leaves the beach (the place where they "swim") to goes into a store they should wear some type of a cover-up.
I do not think it is hypocrisy nor immodest to dress appropriate to the setting and activity. (Again, how modest do you have to dress to be considered modest?) It is immodest to reveal more of the body than is necessary. For instance, thong bottom swim suits in public are, in my opinion, immodest. We do not need to see the cheeks of someone's behind. I do not know of one reason other than vanity that someone should or would wear a thong swim suit in public. Now, if they want to tan those cheeks, in my opinion, they should do that on their own property out of the sight of the public.
Good thoughts from both of you. Perhaps we should bring some scriptures into this discussion. This passage is written for NEW Testament believers. This applies for us today.
1Tim 2:5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,
6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,
7 for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle�I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying�a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
8 I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting;
***9 in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing,
10 but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works. NKJV
Then let's look at this next passage and consider it's application to this topic.
Rom 14:21 It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine NOR DO ANYTHING by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak. NKJV
"NOR DO ANYTHING" by which your brother stumbles or is made weak.
So how do we apply these scriptures relating to this topic?
Great scripture brother.It summed up what I said.Don't cause your brother to stumble.If he eats meat and you do not,eat meat in his home so as not to cause him to stumble.So when you are on the playing field,dress as your brother/sister and cause him/her not to stumble(be offended).Sometimes the questions within us though about others,are not so much about others as much as they are God showing us our own thinking!
Luk 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
Mar 7:21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
Mat 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
Mat 15:18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
So if I buy my Harley Ultra Glide this summer and a brother in the Lord buys a rice burner would I be causing him to stumble because he really wanted a Harley instead? Would I be provoking him to jealousy? LOL
Hey...I have Harley fever like nobody's business. LOL
Since the 2 perform the same task and one usually better than the other and at usually a much lower price,not the Harley,whom has the more precious gold?
Face it Bro,a Harley is not a need,it's all WANT!
But I once took up to sell my Harley for a good cause(as he puffs himself up for a moment of self righteousness).
interesting to note that Adam and Eve were naked in The Garden. It was only when they had sinned did it become necessary to clothes them.
Beauty is in the Eye of The Beholder. What God Created (The Human Body) is Perfect and Beautiful. If you cannot look upon a person's body -- without sinning -- then Stay Away From Those Situations!!
Immature boys will giggle and point -- Mature Godly Men should know better and Be Better. I agree that Morals are becoming "looser" and looser, but that is for God to Deal with -- I can only control what I feel and do.
I second that. The problem is not people wearing too few clothes, the problem is rather people not controling their lusts when seeing unclothed people of the other gender (or sex? I'm always confused when to say gender and when sex in English...).
Here in Europe it's no problem for Christians to go to the sauna, and yes, we go there all naked and think nothing about it, at least not more than if we saw the person clothed. Beauty is also visible with clothes on anyway. Except maybe if we introduce full body covering like in islamic countries (for men and women because it's not a one way road, is it?).
Would this be what people are after? Or is the solution in controling our thoughts rather than other's clothes?
I second that. The problem is not people wearing too few clothes, the problem is rather people not controling their lusts when seeing unclothed people of the other gender (or sex? I'm always confused when to say gender and when sex in English...).
Here in Europe it's no problem for Christians to go to the sauna, and yes, we go there all naked and think nothing about it, at least not more than if we saw the person clothed. Beauty is also visible with clothes on anyway. Except maybe if we introduce full body covering like in islamic countries (for men and women because it's not a one way road, is it?).
Would this be what people are after? Or is the solution in controling our thoughts rather than other's clothes?
