Modesty is for Everyone!

In her article "Too Much Skin is Unflattering" fellow Modestly Yours blogger Mary O'Hayes posed the question of why religious communities tend to emphasize modesty.

I certainly cannot speak on behalf of all religious people, or even on behalf of all religious Jews. That said, religious Jews dress modestly both because we have a tradition of doing so, and because it's part of our code of ethical behavior.

We cover up our bodies so that we can better express our souls. Overexposure of flesh is not only distracting, it is does not befit a "daughter of the King." This does not mean that the body is considered bad or impure. The body is a necessary and beautiful vehicle for the soul. But the Jewish tradition considers the light of the soul to shine primarily through the face, whereas the rest of the body does not emanate the soul with the same intensity.

Intuitively, we all know this to be true. Isn't the way to relate most deeply to another is by focusing on the light in her eyes, or the depth of her facial expressions? Emphasizing the light of the face belongs to everyone, regardless of spiritual tradition. Who doesn't want to be seen foremost for what is inside?

I think modesty is for everyone!

Comments

[Laura]

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints also teaches modesty in dress and behavior. We are taught that our bodies are temples in which the Spirit of God can dwell. The Spirit of God, however, does not dwell in unholy temples. If we defile our bodies, the Spirit cannot dwell therein. Some of the ways we defile our bodies includes: tattoos, body piercing, drugs, alcohol, casual sex, and immodest dress.

The human body is beautiful and sacred, and we should treat it as such.

I like the Jewish attitude on modesty: the primary focus should be on the face, where the soul is most apparent. I don't know about you, but I want my future husband to find me internally and externally beautiful.

[shelley]

my daughter is soon to be 13 and in a critical time in her walk w/Christ. we are discussing the 1or2 scriptures that discuss women's dress. some believe it was an old testament law that now is taken out of context. some believe that pants are for men only and an abomination for girls while others believe that though modesty should always be considered first then there's nothing wrong w/pants or jeans. didn't they all just wear robes then anyway?

[Blakeney]

I agree that the primary focus should be on the face (this is something that needs to be taught to sons, as well as to daughters).

I believe we should dress modestly as far as not wearing revealing clothing. But, provided they are not skin-tight, I see nothing wrong with women wearing pants. I don't see pants as a particularly "male" piece of clothing, anymore that I would see a shirt or a hat. They are items of clothing that can be styled either for men or women.

[Emily]

well goodness yes! i'm cognizant of the fact that religious lessons are simply manifestations of the cultural variations of explanations (expialidocious!) of some universal truths.
there's some skimpy-dressin' africaners, though, with modesty aplenty, that give the lie to modesty being about whatchawear. its all about where the eyes are permitted to go...

[Kimberly]

I'm a proud Christian, and also a very proud modestly dressed young woman. Before I was Christian I dressed modestly, but I think it was much more frequent and modest when I became Christian. If I'm saving myself for marriage, I can't let anyone see any little bit of inappropriate part before my husband!

[Julie Winters]

In the modern orthodox Jewish world in which I was brought up we were always taught that the way one conducts themselves also has to do with modesty. That is NOT to say that a woman need be shy and timid but rather (and this is true for men too) the language one uses,both lingual and body language is part of modesty. While modesty is certainly about how one dresses, it is the manner in which one conducts oneself.
Maybe once upon a time pants were for man but since today they are cut for women I really can't see that being an argument. How many women do I know who wear pants and behave modestly and women who wear the skirt and inappropriately flirt or wear clothing that is too tight?

[Edyta Tehrani]

To me, modesty is about self-respect. I did give in a few times into the pressure to be "sexy" as a young girl, and I didn't like the disrespectful response that I got from adult men! It was the end of the story. I left the "sexy" world for good.

But it wasn't until God came into my life through Yeshua that I truly understood the deeper meaning of modesty.

The outward beauty will be all gone someday, but the treasure of the inner beauty will last forever just as true love will last forever.

Nothing of lasting value can be built upon lust.

[Modest Costumes For Girls]

Quite true. And it's kinda annoying that each Halloween, girls tend to wear less and less clothing.

[George Carty]

According to Germaine Greer in her 1985 book "Sex and Destiny: The Politics of Human Fertility", traditional feminine clothing is a celebration of motherhood:

"Women who wear cortes or huipiles or saris or jellabas or salwar kameez or any other ample garments can swell and diminish inside them without embarrassment or discomfort. Women with shawls and veils can breastfeed anywhere without calling attention to themselves, while baby is protected from dust and flies. In most non-Western societies, the dress and ornaments of women celebrate the mothering function. Ours deny it."

Perhaps religious people are more open to modesty because the major religions all promote patriarchal (and to some extent natalist) values -- values which made a lot of sense in the pre-industrial era when those religions came into existence.

Following on from this, I wonder if the overpopulation panic which began circa 1970 (with works such as Paul Ehrlich's "The Population Bomb" etc) helped expedite the rise of androgynous-ideal feminism.

[Rocky]

I also come from a Christian background, Christian Science specifically, and my choice to dress modestly is motivated by the idea that we are all spiritual expressions. Each one of us is a reflection of divine Love, Spirit, which is not based in sexuality or even a physical manifestation. A much as possible, I want my physical appearance to express my spiritual nature than is not bound by sexuality; and as others have said, I want people to first be attracted to my spirituality rather than my sexuality. This, of course, is achieved when modest dress is accompanied by behavior that is modest and that expresses divine Love.