Reset Password
Reset Link Sent
| Blogs > drumsinhisheart > Contending for the Faith |
|
Is Vashti a role model for American Christian women? My third entry into blogland. Something on my heart and mind. A perplexity. A conundrum. Even a mystery. And, I basically have to jump in the fire with both feet on this one. No real way to get around it. Hopefully, as long as you know it is serious concern here, and a desire to learn, flamethrowers will keep their torches calm, and some spiritual insights can be gained. The ‘dumbing down of America’ is a phrase many of us are familiar with. If some of my observations thus posted hold true, that means the ‘dumbing down of the church in America’ is also a real probability. This is a ‘box of rocks’ society in many ways. The phrase ‘What was he thinking?,’ is oft used, appropriately so, to describe the choices and actions made that seem to defy all logic and common sense, let alone possible rules of life in one arena or another. I’ve carried that box a number of times in life, so I throw no stones at anyone else. So, here is this web site devoted to matchmaking. The name and phrases all over the place would indicate this is a Christian web site, like dozens of others. Man desires woman, woman desires man. How many people here? Half a million or something? A much smaller number of those just desire some friendship for whatever reasons, but the majority are here to find ‘love,’ an experience created by the God who is love. So this modern era, hi-tech (and this site is certainly one that fits all aspects of that criteria as far as I can tell), prospective spousal ‘candy shop’ for of all ages has page, after page, after page of men and women to possibly catch the fancy of the hopeful eye. CONTACT! The system lords here want me to make contact ever so badly, and remind me constantly and/or instantly of my limited abilities to do so at this stage of my membership. But even in the limited range of perusal I can make here, I have made an observation. I would like some insight into this observation and question. The answer might seem rather easy on the surface, but maybe if folks look a little deeper they might see more. So, let’s do some ‘browsing.’ Age group. Well, I’ll stay in this pretty safe range. Pop in the numbers, and a zillion profiles line up as though this is some kind of Ahasuerus cattle call of finding the perfect beauty in the land. As the story goes, he’s already banned Vashti from his life because she refused to be ‘eye candy’ for him and his guests. Wonderful woman. Guts. Character. Principled. Back to my observation. As I say in my profile, I’m a fairly conservative kind of guy in many areas of life. Just raised that way before conversion (though I had my ridiculous moments), and raised by my heavenly Father that way after conversion. I confess and lament, I have seen enough cleavage at this web site to last me a lifetime. And the thing is, the lower I go in age range, the more cleavage is jumping out at me in picture after picture, it seems. That is not an exclusive observation. The mystery can be seen in women of almost all ages. What -are -they -thinking? Dear sisters, what are you thinking? And it isn't just here. It's at most other Christian sites too. I know the initial answers that may come. Not really converted, or not mature in their experience yet; or desperate to find a mate and fly all flags, at least as many as they are allowed here. But I am looking for a deeper answer. One that speaks to their own sense of self-worth, modesty and decorum. I’ll be honest. I have no affinity for the Moslem religion. But this much I can imagine. Even if you take away the Burkas and covering from head to toe, when the Moslem world looks at these shores and says, “We do not want to happen to our women in our society, as has happened to your women, in your Christian society. Keep it.,” I have to hang and shake my head and wonder what has happened to the nobility of womanhood, and the standards of modesty that once made this nation and the churches in this nation, an example of decency to the world. Think I’m a prude? Maybe so. I can appreciate the female form as any red-blooded male can and should, and will - in the bedroom. I just wonder what is the message going on inside the mind of the one who feels the need to expose the outside, rather than the inside, to find a mate. What kind of man do they hope to find? A pagan queen lays her life on the line to refuse being a ‘trophy’ for a pagan king. In ‘Christian’ America the neckline goes down, hemline goes up, slits get longer and larger, and modesty gets smaller and smaller, year by year. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. Ray |
|||
5/3/2006 3:56 am |
This sounds like some different blog entries I have have posted about modesty and our responsibility to not put stumbling blocks for other believers. We cannot control what the unsaved do, but we as believers should live by higher standards than the lost world around us. Not only does it protect our brethren but also allows us to have an unique testimony for Christ. Bryan
| ||
5/3/2006 4:58 am |
I had come to the conclusion that I was just a prude and an old 'fogie' but I agree with you. I checked out some of the profiles and pictures and was shocked to say the least. Blame it on my age if you wish, but I was raised you need to leave something to the imagination. "Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly....". What does the King think of His daughters of today? I know that God looks on the heart but man looks at the body. But most importantly dressing provocatively causes some men to sin..."but I say to you that everyone who looks on a woman to lust for her has committed adultery with her already in his heart." Romans 14:13 tells us not to put a stumbling block in a brother's way. Sorry, I didn't mean to be a blog hog and take over your blog. Be blessed in Jesus name, Elizabeth  Elizabeth
| ||
5/3/2006 11:16 am |
Sadly you are correct. I feel that the hearts of the church are being pressed on by worldly views. The phrase .... If you got it, flaunt it... seems to have sunk in. I pray for a change to come, with modesty and morality, so that the Body of Christ may be seen from a distance. That when the world looks to us in the church they see we are different. I pray that women today will learn the value of themselves in the Lord. A sister in Christ Cassie
| ||
5/3/2006 11:48 am |
Thank you for the kind comments. To God be the glory. Courage in the Lord, Ray
| ||
|
Sorry If I did not read the whole thing....I do not like long stories. But I picked the matchmaking and seeking for men/women. Myself i do not seek. My friend introduced this website to me and I started in chat just to see how people reason. I got tired of it pretty soon. Then opened a blog and started to read peoples opinions. Huh...Most of the blogs are just meaningless. What comes for spouse hunting, I do not believe I can find anyone here. I am old fashion too and prefer to find someone face to face almost by accident in church, get to know in time and see how it turns out to be. Some seem to find and some keep seeking, fine for them, but not all come here to hunt. Blessings for all of ur days. Personally would like to councel my blog and site if only know how to do it.
| ||
5/4/2006 2:32 am |
Hi Ray Most of the profiles which are legitimate have modest pictures on them. The fake profiles are the ones with the women or men in bikini's, low cut tops or no shirt on the men. These photo's are from Focus International Modeling Agency. I have gotten a few fakers sending me emails with younger guys photo of Focus Models. Supabubba blog has exposed a lot of these fake profiles...they are just scammers. I have gone to a few legitimate profiles were a person is sitting or laying in a chair or bed in a suggestive way. These I pray for. Most of them are young people I believe they feel if they got "it" they will flaunt "it". There are some people who come on here and sign up who are not saved or some very young Christian working out their salvation who have not learn modesty. Now who determines modesty or what it looks like? Yes the word of God tells us to adorn ourselves with things that will last...Christ character  . However there have been times in history that fashion determined how a woman would find a wealthy husband. Being an artist I had to take classes on fashion in art school and in college I took art history. I also like to watch PBS specials on old world culture's about traditions and fashions of the day. There have been times in cultures even in Christendom were a woman exposing her "best" features...her bosomy breast that indicated she would have healthy children. A man's suit tailored to his body to perfection with great details around the crouch area to show his well endow masculinity was a sign he was fertile...yes people fashion is fickled an has played a great part in societies and cultures chastises. Sometimes the ungodly has influence the Godly. Sometimes the Godly has influence the ungodly. Now don't thing those Hebrews were always covered up from head to toe. Remember they didn't start getting God's instructions on everyday rules and regulations until Moses came on the scene. Archaeologist are digging up the remains of people before Noah, after Noah and during Abraham's time. They are finding women as in some cultures still today without clothing or topless. It would do my mind some comfort to believe the dead bodies are of fokes who didn't know the true God but how does one determine that? Blessings Israel
| ||
5/4/2006 7:25 am |
meow, agreed. Is it not intersting the icon for not having a picture in a profile is a bare chested, obviously well put together man? Is there anything wrong with a silhouette in a shirt? Israel, Thanks for your comments, too, today. I will say, if God is the same today and yesterday, His standards are eternal as well, and the Bible says, "Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws." Gen 26:5. While the laws of God may not have been explicity written down, they were known, practiced and obeyed by the faithful people of God. Cleavage of the middle ages and later, and tightly fitting trousers to show male endowment, is typical of ages less into the Bible, and more into human wisdom and popular culture. Hm. Sounds like today, doesn't it? But even in societies on this continent, not considered Chritian or godly in any way, the American Indian, knew enough to cover the female in modest clothing. Courage, Ray
| ||
5/4/2006 1:21 pm |
Ray!!!! Great, absolutely great. Thank you! River
| ||
5/5/2006 4:02 am |
Israel, As a followup, I would make this observation. On my computer screen, when at my home page, there are constantly loading pictures of women at this site. Not one minute after I left here yesterday, and returned home, a picture of a woman with little or no clothing above her breasts, shot taken at arm's length, obviously not a professional picture, was waiting to greet me. This morning, more of the same. Some of it rather glaring. In the interest of fairness, certainly, most of the pictures here are not offensive to someone's more conservative views on this issue. But, honestly, enough of it exists, at this site, others, and out on the streets of professed Christian America, that I hold to my original question? Did Vashti have something to teach American Christian women? Courage in the Lord, Ray
| ||
5/7/2006 8:40 pm |
Ray, thankyou for your wonderful thought provoking blogs. You set off drums in other hearts too. I cannot but agree with your observation of present day 'cultureless' culture - a typical - 'Babylon' - confusion. For those instructed of the Lord, it is indeed sorrowful to see the world and its present state. I have an observation to make too. Regarding indigenous women going nearly topless or fully topless as I've seen in South India and have heard about here in Australia - they are not 'the primitive' as claimed but have degraded from the sublime human beings whom God placed in Eden garden - who were nearly perfect and intelligent - even after being banished from paradise on earth - God's blessings on them and just after a few generations trades and occupations being practised such as music - string & wind instruments, blacksmiths - bronze (alloy) and iron instruments, building cities, keeping cattle; surely 'making garments' must have been well developed by then? Weren't Adam & Eve clothed by garments made of 'skins' designed by God Himself? So all nakedness - in part or on the whole is 'devil induced'? Oh, how low has he brought down man who was created in God's likeness and with a capacity to multiply unlike the angels. Surely he has ruined the minds of the present age fashion lovers - where beauty is dissected & categorised for consumerism right from selling tooth paste (sexy smile?) to selling cars! How superficial and errant is the average person's character as is evidenced by judging from outward appearance! And don't most of the beauty and 'health' industries thrive on just this 'appearance' thing! How aware should God's people be! Clothed rather with modesty and humility. Keep the beacon on and shining, Ray! Rachel
| ||
5/8/2006 6:47 am |
Dear Sister Ophel, may the Spirit of truth continue to shine upon thee. Thanks so much for your thoughts this day. I really appreciate them. Well said, indeed. Courage, Ray
| ||
5/15/2006 7:02 pm |
Okay, I know this is basically a done thread, but ... I have been looking at a red bra now for a a few days (it looks like a red bra) and I don't know who runs the show here, but this is getting kind of ridiculous. Before that it was another few days of "who's new here" and pics of you know what. So, while it may be so to say the majority are modest in picture and pose, to display what I am seeing for days in a row is crazy. I wonder if all the men are seeing these same women.
|
×
×