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SpencerMarsh (talk | contribs) (→Specific Questions about Modesty in Dress) |
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<blockquote>Bathing suits which immodestly expose the body, such as bikinis and those with bare midriffs, should never be worn. Swim suits are fashioned for a particular purpose and should not be worn as casual dress for summer, but should be worn only for swimming. While traveling to and from the beach or swimming pools, young men and women should be fully dressed or at least their swimming suits should be covered with outer clothing.<ref>[https://imgur.com/a/dXfKq ''For the Strength of Youth...LDS Standards''] (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1965), 7.</ref></blockquote> | <blockquote>Bathing suits which immodestly expose the body, such as bikinis and those with bare midriffs, should never be worn. Swim suits are fashioned for a particular purpose and should not be worn as casual dress for summer, but should be worn only for swimming. While traveling to and from the beach or swimming pools, young men and women should be fully dressed or at least their swimming suits should be covered with outer clothing.<ref>[https://imgur.com/a/dXfKq ''For the Strength of Youth...LDS Standards''] (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1965), 7.</ref></blockquote> | ||
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+ | The 1990 edition of the pamphlet states that "[s]ervants of God have always counseled his children to dress modestly to show respect for him and for themselves. Because the way you dress sends messages about yourself to others and often influences the way others act, you should dress in such a way as to bring out the best in yourself and those around you. However, if you wear an immodest bathing suit because it's 'the style,' it sends a message that you are using your body to get attention and approval, and that modesty is not important.<ref>[https://issuu.com/vintageldspamphlets/docs/for-the-strength-of-youth-1990 ''For the Strength of Youth''] (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1990), 8.</ref> | ||
:The only other thing that the author can locate that explicitly talks about it is a sent-in opinion from one Shelly Swanson of South Jordan, UT to the editors of the Church-owned newspaper ''Church News'' and published 20 January 1996. Shelley says this: | :The only other thing that the author can locate that explicitly talks about it is a sent-in opinion from one Shelly Swanson of South Jordan, UT to the editors of the Church-owned newspaper ''Church News'' and published 20 January 1996. Shelley says this: |
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Questions about the Church’s standard of modesty have arisen in recent years. This article seeks to be an exposition of everything we should know about modesty and the reasons for practicing it as well as a response to certain criticisms that have arisen about it.
It will first be important to define what modesty is. The Church defines modesty on their website as "an attitude of propriety and decency in dress, grooming, language, and behavior. If we are modest, we do not draw undue attention to ourselves. Instead, we seek to “glorify God in [our] body, and in [our] spirit” (1 Corinthians 6:20; see also 1 Corinthians 6:19)." This definition is echoed True to the Faith: the doctrinal reference for all Church members approved by the First Presidency.[1]
Two important things jump out at us as we examine this definition of modesty:
This definition is important for our discussion moving forward. We're going to turn our attention specifically to modesty in dress, but that should not be taken as an indication that the author believes that modesty in dress is all there is to modesty. The author will also discuss complaints from women about the Church's standards of modesty. But that should not be taken as indication that the author means to single them out in discussion of modesty.
The scriptures are the law to govern the behavior and beliefs of the whole Church.[2] The scriptures include injunctions for modesty in dress that are more direct and some that are more indirect.
Book of Mormon prophets see "costly apparel" very negatively—always framing it as a manifestation of pride.[3] In contrast to costly apparel, the prophet Alma looks positively on those that dress and groom themselves in a way that is "neat and comely."[4] The author of Timothy directs women to "adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided [meaning "braided"] hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; [b]ut (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works."[5] A nearly identical injunction is found in 1 Peter 3:3-4.[6] A revelation given to Joseph Smith in 1831 known as "The Law" commands members to "let all [their] garments be plain, and [the garments'] beauty the work of [their] own hands[.]"[7] A revelation given to Joseph Smith in 1830 told missionaries to “[cry] repentance, saying: Save yourselves from this untoward generation, and come forth out of the fire, hating even the garments spotted with the flesh.”[8] That revelation echoes the words of Jude who similarly argues that evangelists should "others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh."[9]
Other scriptural injunctions that support practicing the virtue of modesty in dress include being a peculiar people so as to encourage interest in the Church and thus success in missionary work,[10] keeping unspotted from the world,[11] abstaining from all appearance of evil,[12] practicing meekness/lowliness of heart/easiness to be entreated before the prophets who have asked us to practice modesty,[13] following the commandment to receive all the words and commandments of the prophet as if from the mouth of God in all patience and faith,[14] and being anxiously engaged in a good cause without God compelling you to do something by explicit revelation.[15]
The scriptures also contain a constellation of words that give us injunctions—some more direct and others more indirect—to practice modesty in dress but also in other facets of life such as grooming, language, and behavior mentioned above. These words (including their derivatives) include those such as "humility," "temperateness," "lasciviousness," "lewdness,” and “sobriety.” Modesty falls under the definition of these words or otherwise overlaps significantly with it. We are obligated to follow those injunctions to practice these virtues. An exhaustive concordance of these words will be placed in the appendix to this article.
So why should we be modest? What are the principles behind it? Let's review the main principles.
True to the Faith, approved by top general leaders of the Church and intended for a general audience, defines modesty in dress this way:
Prophets have always counseled us to dress modestly. This counsel is founded on the truth that the human body is God’s sacred creation. Respect your body as a gift from God. Through your dress and appearance, you can show the Lord that you know how precious your body is. Your clothing expresses who you are. It sends messages about you, and it influences the way you and others act. When you are well groomed and modestly dressed, you can invite the companionship of the Spirit and exercise a good influence on those around you. Central to the command to be modest is an understanding of the sacred power of procreation, the ability to bring children into the world. This power is to be used only between husband and wife. Revealing and sexually suggestive clothing, which includes short shorts and skirts, tight clothing, and shirts that do not cover the stomach, can stimulate desires and actions that violate the Lord’s law of chastity. In addition to avoiding clothing that is revealing, you should avoid extremes in clothing, appearance, and hairstyle. In dress, grooming, and manners, always be neat and clean, never sloppy or inappropriately casual. Do not disfigure yourself with tattoos or body piercings. If you are a woman and you desire to have your ears pierced, wear only one pair of modest earrings. Maintain high standards of modesty for all occasions. Do not lower your standards to draw attention to your body or to seek approval from others. True disciples of Jesus Christ maintain the Lord’s standard regardless of current fashions or pressure from others.[16]
This standard focuses more on behavior rather than the principles behind modesty. But this behavior does prepare one to wear the temple garment in the future. The garment is designed to be covered by clothing that is consistent with standards listed here in the pamphlet. Indeed, as the pamphlet itself teaches, "[y]our dress and appearance now will help you prepare for the time when you will go to the temple to make sacred covenants with God."[17]
In recent years there has been much discussion among women about modesty in dress as it pertains to certain items of clothing.
Bathing suits which immodestly expose the body, such as bikinis and those with bare midriffs, should never be worn. Swim suits are fashioned for a particular purpose and should not be worn as casual dress for summer, but should be worn only for swimming. While traveling to and from the beach or swimming pools, young men and women should be fully dressed or at least their swimming suits should be covered with outer clothing.[19]
The 1990 edition of the pamphlet states that "[s]ervants of God have always counseled his children to dress modestly to show respect for him and for themselves. Because the way you dress sends messages about yourself to others and often influences the way others act, you should dress in such a way as to bring out the best in yourself and those around you. However, if you wear an immodest bathing suit because it's 'the style,' it sends a message that you are using your body to get attention and approval, and that modesty is not important.[20]
It is important to stress the concept of modesty with children at a young age.Later I noticed her playing with her favorite toy – a Barbie doll. The doll's wardrobe included many immodest articles of clothing, including a bikini bathing suit. Following the promptings of the Spirit, I sat down with my daughter and sorted her doll's wardrobe. She helped to decide which items were modest and those which were not. We discarded the immodest clothing and now her Barbie dresses modestly too. We must be more aware of where our children find their role models. It may be in the toy box.[21]
They may notice that they are dressing differently than their friends. My 6-year-old daughter wanted to know why she could not wear a bikini bathing suit like her friend. I reviewed with her the reasons for being modest.
Some criticism has arisen against specifically the Church's standards of modesty in dress outlined in recent, official Church publications. These critics argue that the Church's teachings about modesty in dress are sexist. It will be helpful to include discussion about this.
First we should talk about justice because sexism can be easily defined as injustice inflicted on the basis of sex. To know what is just or unjust, we should define it. We're going to consider a few different potential definitions of justice. It might be frustrating to worry this much about a definition of sexism, but we want to be dealing with the best definition of sexism to review the Church's standards and also to evaluate sexism in the future. We want to be sharp moral thinkers.
We often think about justice in terms of stuff or opportunities to get stuff. For instance, if two children come to another person's door on Halloween and that person can intend to give both children candy but deny giving candy to one of the children when they find out that the other child is a girl. This would be an example of injustice and sexism. Similarly, we can deny one of the genders the opportunity of playing sports and competing for awards. Thus we can discriminate with stuff or opportunities to get stuff. Following these examples, we can define sexism as "belief in the increase or decrease of inherent moral worth between the two genders and/or denying stuff or opportunities to get stuff on the basis of sex." Let's call this definition "DS1" (definition of sexism #1). Important to note is the separation between the belief and the action based in that belief. I can believe that women are inherently of inferior moral worth but still give them stuff out of pity or benevolence. Following this definition, it will be soundly argued that it's sexist for the Church to, for example, limit women from going topless but allowing men to when they go to the beach or swim. Indeed, many argue that it's unjust for society to expect this and protest by going topless.
But let's consider this deeper and go back to our candy example. Say that the two children come to the door and the person simply doesn't have enough candy to give to both of them. They have one piece for one child and no more for the other. They don't have time to go to another store because they have to finish to finish an important paper due by midnight and it's 10:30. It's 25 pages long and they only have 10 done. They live alone and can't send other people to the store. It is not possible, given all the circumstances, for them to give candy to the child that night. Would we say that that person has done something unjust to the girl? We would not. Of course, it does suck; but we wouldn't hold that person morally accountable for not giving that child candy. They didn't have any other option. The author is sure that we wouldn't say that that person has done something unjust or sexist. Thus another way we could define sexism is "belief in the increase or decrease of inherent moral worth between the two genders and/or not giving stuff or opportunities to get stuff on the basis of sex when giving that stuff or those opportunities is possible." We can all this "DS2."
But even DS2 might not be an entirely satisfactory definition of sexism. Let's consider things like scrunchies, bras, or panties for women. We typically provide all those things for women but not for men. Why? Because men typically don't want those things. Or, returning to the candy example, say that all that we have as candy for the children are Heath bars. What if the girl simply doesn't want a Heath bar and refuses us giving it to her? Under DS2, a person not giving the bar to the girl anyways might be considered sexist. Thus we can define sexism as "belief in the increase or decrease of inherent moral worth between the two genders and/or not giving stuff or opportunities to get stuff on the basis of sex when giving that stuff or those opportunities is possible and when that stuff or those opportunities for stuff is wanted." We can call thus "DS3."
DS3 has a deficiency even though minor. Sometimes things are needed to preserve our health or life. Say there are two people, one male and the other female, that are stranded in the desert in need of water to survive. They stumble upon me and I have water to give to them. I give water only to the male and not female. Clearly something we would consider an example of sexism. Thus DS4 can be "belief in the increase or decrease of inherent moral worth between the two genders and/or not giving stuff or opportunities to get stuff on the basis of sex when giving that stuff or those opportunities is possible and when that stuff or those opportunities for stuff is wanted or needed."
There's one final deficiency to account for in order to have a satisfactory working definition of sexism. Philosophers often make a distinction between what we call need-based justice and merit-based justice. Need-based justice is giving everyone equal stuff as it is needed. Merit-based justice is giving everyone equal stuff when it is earned. Our thoughts about justice don't need to be mutually exclusive. For instance, we all agree that, in competitive sports, there is a winner and loser. The winner gets trophies and medals and the loser doesn't. Denying someone an award or medal when they haven't earned it can't be unjust. Thus, DS5: Belief in the increase or decrease of inherent moral worth between the two genders and/or not giving stuff or opportunities to get stuff on the basis of sex when giving that stuff or those opportunities is possible and when that stuff or those opportunities for stuff is wanted, needed, or, when appropriate, merited.
To review:
[Discussion:
[Discussion:
Notes
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