Modesty

So, I really have a heart for young girls and I wish that they could see what they are doing to themselves. I understand why girls do what they do, but it's still hard for me to sit back and watch. Especially girls I care about. Iwas looking at some myspace's with pictures of girls that claimed they were Christians, that were completely innappropriate (or what I thought was inappropriate by God's standards) and I thought what if I did this (as a youth minister) what would they think, which led me to, it shouldn't be any different for me than it is for them. If you say you are a Christian you need to be willing to live that life. You are just as important in God's kingdom and just as much a reflection of his Kingdom and I am. To a non-Christian we are all the same, minister or not. I started off asking the Question:

Should Girls (or guys) that call themselves Christians post pictures in the underware in a public place where everyone can view them? And, is it different for bathing suits? and is it different for people in a pastor or minister position.

I recieved varying opinions and was glad to see what people thought. These opinions are those of girls aging from 16-25 so everyone is young...

One of the biggest things I would like to point out is that I do think a major factor in this is your heart. Why were you really posting the picture. I have seen some married mom's that don't have the greatest body put up a picture of them in the pool with thier kids playing while, of course, wearing a swim suit. This is NOT what I'm talking about. They aren't posing for the camera, they are simply just showing what thier life is like and how they spend it with thier kids. Most of them really don't WANT to be seen in thier bathing suits, but at the same time aren't opposed to putting up cute "playing" pictures just because they are in thier bathing suits in a pool. I'm talking about the young women that are posing in thier bras or posing for the camera in thier bikinis just to get attention. I obviously can't say for sure or not what the heart of someone is when they post these kinds of pictures but I would say almost 100% of the time it's for attention, and usually you can tell by the picture.

Here was one response that I recieved: I believe that it is not ok to put pics of yourself in underware on there page because if you truly are a Christian, you will be more modest in a swim suit then you are in your underware. No one except your spouse should see you in your underware. But thats just my take on it. So here, they beleive that if you put up pics in your underware it's not, for any reason, okay, but that a bathing suit can be appropriate if it's modest, and that if you are really glorifying God in your dress at all times, your bathing suit will reflect that. I think this is a good view. I also believe that only a spouse should see you in your undies...I don't think this is something that should be revealed to the world to see and I feel like your future spouse, or current spouse, may not like the fact that the world has seen you this way...

Another response:i dont think it is ok for anybody to put pictures of themselves on the internet in their underware. a bathing suit is totally different they are meant to be worn in front of other people so i think that is ok. i think that a pastor or minister can put their picture of them in a bathing suit were the want but not them in their underware. Here again, this person does not feel it's okay for ANY reason to have pictures in your underware. However, I do disagree that any bathing suit is okay. I think there are some bathing suits that cross the line and it would almost be better to see someone in thier underware than thier bathing suit.

Response:honestly it depends how skimpy the underwear are if its a sports bra and boy shorts no big deal just like a bathing suit but if were talking see thru not real proper. and for a leader of a church i feel the same as i just said goes for anyone in my opinion. This response throws me... I understand the view point but, I don't think it would be appropriate for any one to see me in my sports bra, I don't even take pictures in Cami's. Maybe it all depends on how revealing it still is. Different body types will show more. But I still can't see it being okay ever for the leader of a church to post pictures of themselves in any kind of underware. And I also disagree that any bathing suit is okay which i feel like this person led to.

Response: i think it may cause their brother to stumble or lust after them.... If they have a doubts they probably shouldnt do it.a pastor.......I don't think It should change. all Christians are supposed to be striving to be christ-like. Christ would want to cause others to stumble.I think you also should think about the true reasons you are posting...is it to build up other people and is it to glorify Him?- Ohh I love this response. Obviously you can't control what other people are thinking, and if you are in clothes that aren't showing anything and others are lusting after you and you aren't doing anything to provoke that, than you can't help it. But if you are posting revealing pictures, really in anything, even clothes, that could attract the "wrong kind" of attention you are causing your brother or sister to sin, and the Bible says it would be better to tie a millstone around your neck and throw yourself into the sea...(Matt 18:6, Mark 9:42, Luke 17:2). I also LOVE the point here made that no matter what your position as a Christian is, pastor or otherwise, it doesn't matter. Just because you are a pastor you aren't held to a higher standard according to the Bible, necessarily, We are all to follow Christ and to Glorify and worship Him in all that we do, even our dress. And here again she says that motive is a huge part of your decision. Why are you doing what you are doing? Is it bringing Glory to God?We should always be pointing each other back to Him.

Response: I think that God wants us to be modest, and thats definitely not modesty, and as a pastor or minister, the person should try to set the best example possible for the people of his or her church. if you call yourself a Christian you should want to please God and you should follow what God says, and I dont think bathing suits are any different than a bra or underwear, because either way you are showing skin. I like that she says either way you are showing skin.. Good point.

Response:No underwear or some bathing suits becuase even bathing suits can be inappropriate, and posting something immodest is not good, as said in the bible in 1 Timothy 2:9.Also, in a sense I think it's worse for a Pastor because then their "attendee's" would think that it would be okay. But in another sense it would be different for a Pastor because they have a higher role in a church other than an attendee I guess that's what I'm trying to say. I disagree with just the end of this response I don't think it is any different for a Pastor or Minister becuase we are all held to the same standard in modesty as Christians. I think it's the "world" that holds Pastors and Ministers to the higher standard and really they are just people too that struggle with the same things as everyone else.

Response: it just all depends on what can be seen and the context of the photo. putting sexy poses in your underwear all over, or even just one picture, is different. but just showing stomach, or where you can't even tell unless you look at the previous picture, isn't bad. bikini, isn't bad. its just like going into public in a bikini.that's just my outlook on it.luckily there's no wrong or right answer to this. I disagree that there is no wrong answer. I think anything that would cause someone to lust after you and is almost made for that purpose is wrong and letting the whole world see it as you are posing for the camera is wrong. Granted if you are at the pool in your swimsuit and hanging with your friends and pics get taken and you post them, that is different, (as long as stuff isn't hanging out everywhere) but when the intent is to be sexy and get attention it's wrong no matter what you are wearing. However putting up pictures in your undies, why? The Bible to me is BLACK and WHITE... WRONG or RIGHT... there is no middle ground which means there is an answer to this.

Pretty Eye Opening Response: If i ever saw a youth pastor in their bra on myspace i think i would be totally against going to that church and hearing anything the pastor had to say. AND there is no difference, i would hope someone who called themself a christian would be a good example and NOT put a picture in their bra, or bathing suit top or whatever. its called a shirt duhhhh. they were invented for a reason. yeah. i dont think god honors anything like that.obviously its not right! Most of you know that I am a youth Minister and to hear that someone wouldn't even listen to me if I did this makes you think there has to be something wrong with it,but I love how she points out it doesn't vary that ALL Christians adhere to the same "code".

Similar Response: I don't think you should do this ever. It just makes you look cheap and desperate in my opinion. And the fact that it would be a person who is supposed to be telling people of God's love and kindenss makes it even worse. There are really no excuses for doing this but even less as a person who would be looked up too. I'm sure this person would not like thier congregation to do this. And if they think it's ok they need a serious reality check.

Response: for someone that calls themself a christian, showing there self in their bra for other non-christians would think hey that's okay to do. i agree with you, i think it's wrong on so many levels for a christian to post pictures in bra's. Here is another great point. Forget about what we are supposed to do as Christians, What are we teaching the world about Christians. There is supposed to be a difference between CHristians and the World, and I don't see that when we are acting exactly like them!! 1 Peter 2:11 "Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul." Here it shows us that we are to be so different that we look like aliens in this world and we aren't when we are acting just like them.

So I wrote this to make a point, But I didn't want to be the only one doing it. I wanted people to see what other girls are thinking and how they feel. I'm not condemning anyone I just hope that we are careful about what we put out there for everyone to see.