Nursing Mothers

It would make me kind of uncomfortable. It would be kind of odd to me to see a baby being fed with a bottle in a service. Not that it's wrong or that I think it's wrong but I've never seen it before.

 

Who put you in authority over her?

According to the plain teaching of Jesus, she (or any other woman) is not to blame if a man decides to lust.

Therefore, in this matter at least, she is not in rebellion against Jesus.

If she is not in rebellion against Jesus in this matter, where does that put you when you accuse her? Seems like you might be the one in rebellion.

These statements (and others like them) are shockingly arrogant considering that Jesus clearly and explicitly taught that lust is in the imagination of the person lusting, not in the actions of others.

"freeatlast" admitted plainly that it is not whether or not a woman is uncovered, but rather that "a mans' immingation(sic)" is the issue.(see post #25)

Jesus taught that those who have given themselves to lust must take strong and decisive action to avoid it (Matthew 5:27-30) and no where places the blame on the victims of lust.

Jesus is uses the extreme idea of plucking out one's own eyes to put the responsibility back on the man who is lusting after a woman than the usual "religious" habit of blaming the woman. (If you care to do it, you can review my earlier response regarding this matter in post #29.)

What is clear to me is that some of our self-appointed spiritual authorities here don't understand that disciples of Jesus can be free of lust. It doesn't happen immediately, and it is rarely easy, but it can be overcome to an extraordinary degree through entering into a discipleship arrangement with Jesus and cooperating with the Holy Spirit in transformation.

 

I guess I've probably never noticed it or just don't remember.

 

Maybe the mothers have been so on top of their game I just didn't notice, or maybe it's because I don't have a child....until October.

 

Congratulations!!! :wavey:

 

See, it's attitudes like this that MAKE women want to rebel. Where is the humbleness, the admission of a man's struggle with a certain sin? I'm not just picking on Aaron here--several male posters here have demonstrated a lack of humility in expressing their opinion about this issue.

You know what? If a man humbly admitted his struggle WITHOUT BLAMING OTHERS and kindly begged the church to help him conquer the sin in his life, I'd be the first one to go the extra mile for him. But the attitudes I see here have less to do with wanting to overcome sin and more to do with male dominance, judging, and throwing stones at perfectly moral women. I don't believe public breastfeeding is sinful, but show me true Christian love and I'd be willing to possibly change my behavior, if not my opinion. (Although in this case my breastfeeding days are over.)

With all the fuss made here, you'd think we were discussing nudity within the church sanctuary. We're not! We're discussing godly women feeding their children in a quiet, covered, discreet manner. Sorry, but my opinion will remain unchanged until I see true humility, true repentance, and a display of godly Christian love towards the sisters in Christ. Guys, sometimes it's not just what you say, it's how you say it!

 

I guess it's time for me to make a serious post, being that I'm a woman and all and have gone through the nursing process with my kids.

I used to think that nobody should be offended, but the plain and simple truth of it is that some people are offended regardless of whether that area is being used in a utilitarian manner or not, some men are turned on just knowing it's out there. And probably some women.

That's enough to make me want to keep me to me. Come on now. EW Just think about some of the people right here on the thread. They aren't figments of the internet's imagination, they exist in real life and in your church and in your towns and cities and everywhere else. Do you REALLY feel comfortable with them possibly leering at you or your daughters and getting all bothered (or possibly adding to a struggle they have internally) when the issue could be solved by walking into another room?

Even if scripture doesn't say it's wrong, in our culture we know what anatomical parts are seen in what ways. It's probably logical to just refuse to make it an issue by stepping into the other room to nurse. It's easy and prevents a whole lotta hassle where none has to be, right?

 

So, you appeal to feminism instead of proffering the evidence for your position, or demanding mine.

I think I've made my case.

 

Not sure. If the leering man sees a woman with a baby leave the service, get up and go to the nursing room they're going to be able to imagine what is going on. Or if they see a woman with baby sitting in the nursing room before the service they will know what is happening. However, if the woman sits near the back of the congregation and discretely nurses the baby, who would ever know?

 

This is absolutely right.

As it has been stated early in this thread, it is not about seeing anything, it is about knowing it is happening. It is an issue of imagination.

Therefore, there is no real way for women to prevent perverted men from lusting. This just underlines the truth of the teachings of Jesus regarding lust which has been apparently ignored by many in this thread.

 

Seeing it vs not seeing it does make a difference, according to men on this forum. The majority of men asked on this forum say they are visual.
Why would anyone assume a woman was leaving to nurse? Maybe it was a dirty diaper or a need to use the restroom.
Whatever the case, my point is that nursing in public honestly bothers a number of people and since it isn't a must, there's really no good reason to not step away. If it seriously inconvenienced a woman then it might be different, but it doesn't.

Besides, no drinks in the sanctuary, right?

Seriously, there are bigger fish to fry. I used to strongly believe it was ridiculous to expect women to not nurse in public and it wasn't that long ago. It's been the men who have convinced me that we're better off not doing so. That and a stronger sense of personal privacy now intensified from having children that have passed the age of puberty and teaching teenagers in public schools. (and showering men in nursing homes) Kinda opened my eyes having my eyes to how men think, and it never really changes all that much from school age to middle age to old age.

Put it all together and I'm starting to think that maybe the Muslim garb is a pretty darn tootin' good idea. :laugh: