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I found some quotes from David O. Mckay a former President of the church to which I belong. They were originally printed in 1906 in a publication called The Young Woman’s Journal. I really appreciated the candor and courage of his words. I think it is still very relevant today (even with the 1906 language).
He starts off with a conversation:
“A young lady, the other day, was deploring the frequency of the changes in styles, when a young man to whom she spoke said,
“Well, why do you women permit it? You don’t have to adopt every suggestion of the fashion plate.”
“If it were not for you men,” she replied, “we wouldn’t.”
“For us men! How is that?”
“Yes, for you men; for after all, to make an honest confession, one of the reasons for all this style in dress and complexion is to bring forth the admiration of you selfish 'lords of creation.'”
“Yes, men are attracted by beauty, and thousands are ensnared by it. There are thousands of men who look for nothing else, and who desire nothing else but to have their senses pleased or their passions gratified. These, outward adornments will satisfy; and only outward adornment will retain. When beauty fades, the passion seeks for gratification elsewhere. “Beauty is only skin deep,” and when outward adornment is all a girl possesses, the admiration she calls forth is even more shallow than her beauty.”
“But there is a beauty every girl has,–a gift from God, as pure as the sunlight, and as sacred as life. It is a beauty that all men love, a virtue that wins all men's souls. That beauty is chastity. Chastity without skin beauty may enkindle the soul; skin beauty without chastity can kindle only the eye.
"Chastity enshrined in the mold of true womanhood will hold true love eternally."
"Mere outside adornment may please the sense of many superficial admirers; the adornment of the soul and the chastity of true womanhood will awaken in the soul of true manhood enduring love, that eternal principle which some day will redeem the world.”
“True Beauty” article found in the Young Woman’s Journal, Aug 1906, p. 360.
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The principles of modesty and chastity encompass so much. How do you teach your girls these principles? I'd love to know.
That is such a good question and one I have been pondering over. I have twin two year olds and was channel flicking recently when video hits came on. I was mortified by what was portrayed in the dance video - I love modern music but the clip was so graphically hypersexual at 10am in the morning. How do we protect our children from this when it is so accessable and now so main stream and accepted ? How do we maintain their innocence ?
ReplyDeleteI am going to teach our daughter that chastity is a stewardship principle - the stewardship of young men's hearts. Just as a young man in a dating relationship should respectfully and carefully take care of the young lady's emotions that she entrusts to him, a young woman should likewise take care of a young man's passions and not purposely tempt him with revealing clothing, body language, or words.
ReplyDeleteDating is stewardship, plain and simple. You are a steward of each other's hearts and passions, and you are caring for them out of respect for each other's future spouses (even if they turn out to be someone other than you).
People in society today think that if a guy leers at a girl, he needs to control himself better - that he is entirely at fault, no matter what she is wearing - that girls can wear whatever they want and the guys must deal with reigning themselves in. Now, I am not saying that a man shouldn't control himself or am excusing improper behavior on the part of the men, but shouldn't women also bear some of that burden? When your neckline is cut so low that your cleavage plunges lower than your breasts, what are you really saying to men? What are you saying about yourself? What are you really asking for? And what... really... do you expect to be the response from our young men?
The bottom line: if you don't want to be pursued just for your body, if you are serious about being respected for your intellect and emotions, if you value love over lust, then dress likewise. Choose clothes that are stylish, but not overtly sexy. Respect yourself and your brothers with what you wear and how you act.
Kerri,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment, I agree! Hyper-sexuality does seem to be everywhere these days...I'm amazed at how much things have changed just in the last 5-10 years. I know I am more sensitive to it now because I'm raising girls but I have decided that I will no longer "just put up with it". I turn off whatever the offense is now...I want our home to be filled with the good stuff and there are so many uplifting options to us now more than ever before. Home needs to be a haven from all of the filth. We don't have time for that stuff!
Star, as I wrote on your blog, just spot on! I loved this perspective!