Post from VSN Discussion about Modesty

I realize this post is old but I figured I would comment on it anyways. I think one of the biggest struggles for teens is to "fit in". We all want to belong and be a part of the crowd, at least for the most part. Today's culture is telling us sexy is in and modest is out.

All the movies and TV shows are showing women with their mid drifts showing and tight pants and shirts. It also shows guys not respecting women and their commitment to their spouse (Desperate Housewives, and other shows).

I think the stumbling block for women doesn't really have anything to do with how guys dress, but how they react. I don't know for sure, seeing how I'm male and not female, but it seems that girls would like the attention from the good looking guy in math class. One way to get that attention is by a combination of dress and attitude.

I think for a lot of guys our view of women is becoming jaded by "the media". Hugh Hefner has made a fortune exploiting women and turning them into objects rather than human equals. While Christian guys may not directly view women as such, their personal views are still challenged at school and elsewhere.

It seems the pressures of sex and sexiness are being sought after at a younger age. I think parents also play a big role in modesty. When children are young the parents are usually the ones that dress them. I'm seeing more little girls wearing two pieces and clothes with suggestive wording.

So, as a society we are causing some of the problem for the younger generations. We are telling the media that is okay to display women and men is a sexually charged situation (Bachelor, Big Brother, Sex and the City, and other shows). In fact some of these shows get such high ratings that the produces take the events even further.

If we aren't aware of what our children/teens are watching then we are contributing to their lack or reduction of modesty. I think one thing parents really need to do is not take anything for granted.

My kids can't use their cell phone for anything bad. Guess what, wrong. Almost every new phone comes with a camera. What happens when you get teens with hormones off the charts and a camera? You can get pictures that lead to embarrassment (sexting), plus criminal charges.

So I think the whole modesty issue has a lot more than just clothes. It includes our attitudes and reactions to the actions we get. For guys I would suggest reading the book Every Young Man's Battle, there is an updated version coming out on the 18th of August. For girls there is the book, Every Young Woman's Battle. The links are below, I also have a copy of the older version for men.

But again, modesty is more than just how we dress, it encompasses our entire being. It is our actions, our words, our dress, our reactions, our beliefs and a lot more.

This is a topic that we could spend a year covering. It has so much depth and different angles. Theresa I haven't been involved with youth group lately but have they covered this area much since February?

That is all for now, feel free to respond. The message board seems to be pretty empty, lot of topics, little discussion. Lets get talking.


http://www.amazon.com/Every-Young-Mans-Battle-Strategies/dp/0307457990/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1249494823&sr=8-1


http://www.amazon.com/Every-Young-Womans-Battle-Sex-Saturated/dp/1578568560/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1249494823&sr=8-4