Purity culture and the idea that women must not dress or act certain ways to “make men stumble” again, how is this not lowering women to a point of we are just here to be used but not valued. Our bodies are just objects that are dangerous…How is this healthy and is it in the Bible? Is this a biblical thing?
The Bibles commands us to not lead others into sin. If a man or a woman is doing something that would lead someone down a path of sin, then that in itself is a sin. I know that Jake has troubles with alcohol. If I opted to put him in a position to fail, then that is a sin. I am causing my brother to stumble. The Bibles does ask us us to remain pure in body, spirit, and mind. If we know that we have a problem with resisting porn, then we should not put ourselves in a position to fall deep into that valley. The Bible says if your right eye causes you to sin, cut it out. I interpret that to mean if Instagram search has scantily dressed ladies, I need to not look at it and even go as far as to delete my instagram account. If something will cause me to die to sin, avoid it.
I see all of that. But i think this is a bigger culture in the church than just keeping people from sinning.
This got me today because Maria shared this post that angered her from someone on instagram that said, “Girls don’t undermine your authority gifting and calling by your clothing choices. Modesty ensures you aren’t a distraction to the greater story.”
Really? Maria went on to tell me that a youth pastor called her out when she was 12 to tell her that her clothes were provocative. She was young and she was chubby and her clothes were tight and she literally didn’t know any better. She just needed clothes that fit better. And she was shamed for provoking men.
It wasn’t like oh Caleb has an issue with porn so maybe I shouldn’t wear a bathing suit in front of him. I remember being in youth group and we had a separate girls only class about all of this and how there were certain ways we needed to wear our clothes to not let men stumble, that men were just these helpless beasts that couldn’t help but lust over our bodies. At a super young age at that. How is that fair to put all of that emphasis on the female being the stumbling block. It wasn’t coming from a place of you should respect and see your body as something powerful and you don’t want others to see parts of you that you value. It was totally a your body is dangerous and you should be ashamed of it.
I might have rambled. But my thing is, why do things like this happen in the church and are just accepted as this is how christians do things. Does it say in the bible that women should hide their bodies and be ashamed of them because men can’t help themselves? There is not equal amount of men maybe you need counseling if all you can see a woman as is a sex object.