Why Are Fundamentalist Obsessed By Appearance?

Point well taken, John Wells! I agree.

Diane

 

Argh. BAD pun.

Consider yourself dressed down....

 

The question Why are Fundamentalists Obsessed By Appearance?

What about the Amish, Mennonites, Pentecostal, Nazarenes?

What about all those who wear makeup and do their hair and paint their nails?

What about all people who have closets full of clothes and shoes?

What about all people who routinely get their haircut every six weeks?

What about those who won't leave the house unless they look nice?

What about those who never let their children get dirty?

The list could go on and on...Who really has a problem with appearance?

 

What about the Amish, Mennonites, Pentecostal, Nazarenes? Even the Amish and Mennonites wear dresses that accentuate their chests and waist. I know Pentecostals who wear pants!

What about all those who wear makeup and do their hair and paint their nails?You mean there are some who DON'T?

What about all people who have closets full of clothes and shoes? Depends on the size of your closet. I'm 52 and I don't throw out clothes when they go out of style. The styles always come back and my size has stayed about the same for 25 years. I am NOT a person who has lots of clothes tho. cheep, cheep


What about all people who routinely get their haircut every six weeks?What? I cut my own hair but this is a weird question! Would you have a person never look decent?

What about those who won't leave the house unless they look nice?Forget about leaving the house! I fix myself up for my husband as soon as I get up and shower!

What about those who never let their children get dirty? Dirty children are a sign of WHAT? I see lots of kids in the stores around here that are filthy and have green snot dried on their faces. That sure doesn't speak much of their mother to me. How can that mother be in submission to her husband and God if she is not taking care of her family?

The list could go on and on...Who really has a problem with appearance? EVERYONE! Those who are dresses only as just as guilty of judging as those who look down on people who can only afford Dollar Store blue jeans. Turn your eyes on Jesus! That what I think!

 

Actually, Diane, I don't know, but I think you missed the point of what Walls was trying to say. It isn't only Fundamentals who emphasis outward appearance. There are many other denominations, and in fact, even the lost world puts much emphasis on hair, clothing, make-up, etc. Anybody who has a closet full of clothes, makes a regular appointment with the beautician, wears make-up and jewelry (or not), etc. etc. is concerned with how they look.

Julia

 

hutterites:

http://collections.ic.gc.ca/prairie/images/ethnic3.gif

mennonites:

http://www.umo.com/images/Mennonites.jpg

amish:

http://www.galenfrysinger.com/~galen/regional/amish20.jpg

i don't see any immodesty here. also note they all wear headcoverings, obeying 1Corinthians 11.

[edited for image size - links remain]

[ July 23, 2003, 01:02 PM: Message edited by: Clint Kritzer ]

 

timothy; nice pics, but they are too large. Picture size is to be no larger than the BB logo located on top left corner of this page...

Blessings,
Sue

 

yes, you're right i was ignorant of that rule. i should have used links instead, but unfortunately it's too late to edit it now.

regards,
tim

 

1Th 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

1Sa 16:7 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.

Joh 7:24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

2Co 5:12 For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart.

2Co 10:7 Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's.

 

Don't be discouraged about the 50% as you put it., It comes in waves. Sometimes this topic or a variation of it is 50%...sometimes it's 1%. Fundamental Baptists are not confined to discussing Biblical subjects on only this forum.

You might want to visit the Baptist Theology & Bible Study forum. That's where many fundamental and other types of Baptist discuss those other topics.

 

Well I guess that some Fundamentalists like myself continue to believe that women should look like women and men should look like men! And yes we should continue to fight this "unisex" movement in our country and keep it from entering our churches! God's cares just as much about our outward appearance as our inward condition...He cares about everything in our life!

 

Oh Scott, I disagree! Wearing blue jeans won't send me to hell! Not accepting Jesus Christ as my personal savior will!

BTW... I'm guessing you're quite young compared to me! Did you know that men would NEVER wear pastel shirts or even printed shirts not that long ago! It was considered 'feminine'! A 'real man' didn't wear jewelry other than a watch and ring. Men wore suits to work and to church. Just thought I'd share that for no real reason.

Diane

 

That should have said Sean. I must have our oldest son in my mind today..... Sorry Sean!

Diane

 

We are not nitpicking on what not to wear or wear, the point is the you should dress appropriate. Your body should be covered. I am not saying head to toe, but skirts below the knees, long dress, skirts, no sleeveless tops. Men should be in dress slacks, dress shirt and a tie is preferable. Not all the men in my church wear ties, but I also know that the Pastor will not call on any men to either collect the offering or to pray for the service if he is not dressed appropriatly. I agree, too many women I have seen walk in our church and others and look like harlets.

No man should see a womans body but his wifes. Summer, men should wear long shorts and ladies coulots. I wear skirts to church but everyday life at home I wear capris. I do not wear shorts out in public, only in my own house. And all my shirts have sleeves.

I know I don't want to see a man in my church dressed in jeans, flannel shirt, leather vest, long hair etc... And I don't want to see a lady dressed like a hooker either. The reason the dress code is so strict is because the flesh is sinful. Man, and woman will always be tempted for sinning. Don't show off your body and give them more of a reason to be tempted!

 

#1 Shame on your Pastor if he really feels this way. #2 what is tempting about a flannel shirt.
Murph

 

Flannel shirts? Everyone male in this town owns at least two. LOL And their wives borrow them, especially in fall. Blue jean skirt with a flannel shirt, perfect for apple picking time! Unless you're like me and you climb the trees. Skirts just don't work for that! Either do coulottes, the legs get caught in the branches!
Gina

 

If God speaks to an issue it is important. Man looks on the outside, but God looks on the heart is true. However, we are not to give unnecessary offense to men (for the truth will often offend). Even the secular world recognizes that the inward will flow out. "What does your car say about you?" "You are what you eat." If a person is rebellious in clothing it is most likely that he/she is rebellious in the heart, not always, but most likely. If they are immodest, they probably have some other moral issues going on inside.

Counselors will tell you that outward expressions are often windows to the soul or ways of creating attention or even passive rebellion. I can't tell you where to get off, but I will make my appearance such as you will get the message or leave me alone. Appearance is important.

Most everyone here will say that immodesty is wrong. Trouble is no one can agree on what modesty is anymore because we have compromised on so many issues that our judgment is no longer clear.

The designer of the mini-skirt said it was designed to tell men that the woman was ready for any man, any time, any where. Yet, how many Christian ladies wore them in the 60's and all the times they came back into fad and did not find them immodest? Their very intent at creation was immorality and immodesty.

Sex still sells and the majority of store fashions are designed to make the women look sexy and attract men not to the woman's mind or character but to her body. Yet, Christian women flock to the fads. They either want men to lust after them which is a character flaw or they are immensely ignorant and need education that they will not receive in their hearts or mind if given to them. So, if you refuse instruction is that not a character trait spoken about negatively in Scripture?

Indeed, there are ten things that have happened in every major revival in recent history and one of them is that Christians change their attire. It seems that when we get slack in other areas we get slack in our clothing and appearance. Hence it is an important subject that we wish to ignore and pish posh. Any wonder there is no revival? If we won't give up external folly what makes you think any conviction about inward issues will be heeded?

Maybe it is because others are obessesed with improper attire that Fundys appear to be obessed with proper attire.

An example in history. A young lady was seeking to be filled with the Spirit and She felt convicted about a rhinestone hair pin, but thought that such a little thing could not be what was holding back the filling. She struggled for quite some time because she liked the hair pin and could not see what could be wrong with it. Finally, she was so desperate to be filled that she threw it in the trash can and the filling came immediately.

Two lessons from this, we should obey even when we do not understand and indeed it is the little foxes that spoil the grapes. Those that balk at the appearance and attire issue may just be both vain and rebellious both important issues that reveal themselves externally.

 

Real men still don't wear pastels! Even the lost guys would have beat up a guy in pink when I was growing up. We are helping to promote the effeminate ways of homosexuality by men wearing pastels, ear rings and neck laces. Look up the word androgny and you will see what is going on in the world and the Church is participating.

Your jeans won't send you to Hell, but you would be embarassed and angry if you knew what men were thinking when they see you in them. I've been in three branches of the Service, across both oceans and worked with men from all edcuational, ethnic and economic levels and not much changes between them. They all like women in pants and it doesn't matter your age, weight or what you think about yourself. There is a bunch of men who are excited to see you and make rude remarks about you and imagine bad scenarios.