Politics and Teen’s Fashions: What Do They Have In Common?

Earlier this week, I heard a top-rated conservative talk show host speak despairingly about the political situation in our country. Among many other thoughts on the subject he generally seemed to be wondering how it was that so many conservative people in our great nation did not realize the seriousness of the hour - enough to even show up at the voting booths. I wanted to tell him that the answer is the same as why so many Christian parents do not realize the seriousness of the hour and show up in the voting booths, so to speak, when their children are making choices - especially about what they will wear or not wear.

It seems clear that just as it has happened to so many people as it relates to politics, it has also happened with parents as it relates to what is happening with their children. Both groups are being lulled to sleep by what they see and hear on TV.

With political issues, the mind-bender is primarily the media, including the news. They news media no longer just presents facts as they happen. For years now the news networks have worked to compete with the entertainment channels. The name of the game is who can get the highest ratings. Which of course means - money. All the while viewers are getting their thinking reshaped into whatever the Media Monguls behind the scenes choose for them to think. And so it is bit by bit, pic by pic, sound bite by sound bite - people’s thinking is changed to believe what they are told to think. They are persuaded to believe that there are no real problems, or if there are our Government will take care of it. And mingled with all that muddling of our thinking are all the other programming and advertisements that feed our weak consciences and convince us that all we are hearing is perfectly okay.

It’s not that different with the issue of today’s teen’s, particularly, with what they are choosing to wear or not wear. Parents are as captivated with our current media trends as their youth; And both are experiencing their minds being bent as millions of targeted scenes and messages flash before them.

According to the reportedly largest consumer mental health website, providing comprehensive information on psychological disorders and other matters, by the time a girl is 17 years old, she has been subjected to 250,000 advertisements, many of which depict fashions and models that leave negative effects on the developing minds of girls. This site reports that, “Fashion models and the media have a negative influence on the girls by placing strong emphasis on sexuality, physical attractiveness and ultra-thin body ideals.”

They report as well that this type advertising also effects the boys. All of which according to their findings can lead young boys to want to participate in excessive weight training and abuse of steroids and the like. Such false ideals also are proven to lead many of the girls and boys to develop unhealthy eating patterns and form smoking habits - all for the purpose of meeting the “standards” that their minds have been made to believe are what they need to meet if they are to be acceptable to their peers.

As reported awhile back as well, “Sexualized images can have lasting effects on the young girls who see them. An APA taskforce found that sexualization by the media affects how girls think about femininity and sexuality, promoting ‘appearance and physical attractiveness’ as key values….

An associate professor of psychology at a leading university states, “The research clearly shows that the fashion industry affects girls and women’s images of themselves and their self-esteem if they do not meet the industry ‘image’ that is currently in vogue’…. Even the very young are quite conscience of media images of what is ‘pretty’ and desirable.”

Where are the Christian parents who are allowing this to happen? Many are so caught up in having their own minds shaped by the pop culture that has crept into their homes and churches through the media’s influence, they have not even noticed the gradual decline of standards. Then other parents who may still be a little slow in bending all the way in their thinking - and may even fret about it some - still go along because they just cannot say “no” to their Darlings. After all, “don’t they just look adorable dressed like that?”

So here we are. Our country is sliding into the abyss morally, as well as many other ways, all while Conservative folk fail to be concerned enough to show up to vote. And our young people are sliding into the abyss morally, as well as many other ways while their parents who seem clueless to what is happening fail to show up to vote in their child’s decision making. It seems that while there still is time we need to realize what is happening and why - both in our country - and even more in our homes.

We need to awake to the urgency of the hour and pray that our minds will be renewed. “That [we might] put off concerning the former… which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of [our] mind, And that [we] put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Ephesians 4: 22-24
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“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of [our] mind, that [we] may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:2

Because it seems clear that all the while negative things are happening, in both issues much of it can be blamed on our having allowed the media to reshape our thinking - and to lull us to sleep. The Devil in the meantime being very much awake is having a victory dance, because.our politics and teen fashions do have something in common: No one cares enough to show up to vote.

Modesty: What a Relief To Men

"What a relief that would give us men." This surprisingly quick and candid response came from a friend as I shared with him about my blog. He smiled sheepishly as he went on to express the problem he has in simply signing in at work. His sign-in sheet is at a desk where, as he bends over to write, there sits across from him a young woman who in his words is continually "falling out of her clothes." I know him to be a very sincere Christian man. But as he talked it was easy to understand that Christ-centered thoughts were difficult to maintain at such moments.  And this was a continuous problem because of the immodesty of all the women he encounters each day.

Let's face it. Everywhere you look you see skin. A Hollywood or TV star or some singer needs only appear in some latest nothingness one time and before you know it everywhere you look - even in church pews you see the same thing being copied. Fashion designers seem fixed on the idea that less is more. And it is. It is more money in their pockets as everyone blindly follows along with the nudity flaunting pied piper's trends.

As an observant blogger writes, "to speak of modesty or standards of modesty today is to risk branding oneself as naive, impractical, out-of-date, and a prude-and even worse-a meddler." But as Christians shouldn't we be careful who's example we follow and who may stumble or be helped by it all?

We hear some say, "well, just look the other way if you don't like it." But that is hardly an option. So with the New Year upon us and considering how you might do something worthwhile - how about including the gracious idea of simply considering others who have no choice but be effected by what you choose to wear, or not wear. Gracious modesty is a gift anyone can give that everyone can appreciate and benefit by - and what a relief it gives to men!

Why Do We Let Them Dress Like That?

Someone may recognize the title of this as the same as Jennifer Moses online article published awhile back where she also did a live interview. Every parent should read and hear her comments. Nothing else seemed to express my thoughts better than her question because it is the question I keep asking myself as well: Why do we let our daughters dress like tramps?

An amazing addition to all this - that raises even more questions in my mind - is that the woman asking these questions is apparently not a professing Christian. All I can think is that there is something definately missing in the puzzle. What's missing are all the many Christian voices who speak loudly about how to gain wealth and enjoy living - but are noticably silent in expressing any concerns or teaching about how Christian's should deal with the serious issues relating to today's fashions.

As this article's subheading says, "Women of a liberated generation wrestle with their eager-to-grow-up daughters—and their own pasts." Which brings me to the question as it did this author, "Why do so many of us not only permit our teenage daughters to dress like this—like prostitutes, if we're being honest with ourselves—but pay for them to do it with our AmEx cards?"

She goes on to express her theory relating to them dealing with their past - which I believe is correct in many cases. She then adds, "So here we are, the feminist and post feminist and postpill generation. We somehow survived our own teen and college years (except for those who didn't), and now, with the exception of some [more accurate would be few] Mormons, evangelicals and Orthodox Jews, scads of us don't know how to teach our own sons and daughters not to give away their bodies so readily. We're embarrassed, and we don't want to be, God forbid, hypocrites....

"As for the girls themselves, if you ask them why they dress the way they do, they'll say (roughly) the same things I said to my mother: "What's the big deal" "But it's the style." "Could you be any more out of it?" What teenage girl doesn't want to be attractive, sought-after and popular?

"And what mom doesn't want to help that cause. In my own case, [and I think most moms can relate] when I see my daughter in drop-dead gorgeous mode, I experience something akin to a thrill—specially since I myself am somewhat past the age to turn heads."

But the truth is as her Wall Street Journal article reveals, promiscuity has hit new heights and it includes preteens, teens, as well as college and young adults. Obviously because of the constant stream of semi-pornography from about every media source. So it's past time to take notice and begin making some serious changes in the direction we are going - much less the slimy pit we're allowing our children to slide into?

It is somewhat blunt and crude, but the final comments in this woman's article should awaken everyone. "It's easy for parents to slip into denial. We wouldn't dream of dropping our daughters off at college [or our preteens and young teens at a friend's overnight party] and say: "Study hard and floss every night, honey—and for heaven's sake, get laid!' But that's essentially what we're saying by allowing them to dress the way they do while they're still living under our own roofs.' "

It's time to think seriously, why do we let them dress like that? It's time to come to grips with the answer - because the end results may not be so pretty. More important - we will answer to God for the results it brings.