As I continue to reflect on the issue of modesty in our society today it becomes more and more clear that Christians may have become like the proverbial frog in the pot. With the frog the water is slowly heated but the frog never seems to notice as he swims contentedly around in it until he boils.The frog could jump out anytime but because it happens slowly he never even tries to escape - until it's too late. In a similar way we are slowly becoming comfortable with our social surroundings - accepting whatever comes off the fashion runway - failing to think about the outcome. Unlike the frog though we may give a little kick now and then and say about these fashions, "I'd never buy that sleazy thing," or "yuk, where'd they come up with those colors," or "that reveals way too much." It's not long though before we're right back in the store purchasing them - settling back down in the water that continually has gotten hotter but we haven't even noticed.
This thought continues to replay in my mind especially in thinking on a startling video I reviewed online awhile back. It was about how the advertising industry for the past 40 or so years continues to mold us into thinking and behaving like that as females (beginning as children) we are nothing more than sex objects. I consider the video pornographic and it is certainly NOT one that I would recommend - other than for the purpose of shocking someone's senses - that maybe they need to jump before the boiling water totally engulfs them. I can only pray they would be of a mind to where it would still actually shock them - as it certainly did me. In the video Jean Kilbourne analyses how the advertising media continues to depict women. In shocking detail, she decodes an array of print and television advertisements to reveal a pattern of disturbing and destructive gender stereotypes. Her analysis also challenges you to consider the relationship between advertising and broader issues of our culture.
The disturbing scenes of it were still fresh in my mind a day or so later when I was browsing through the tweens and teens section of a major department store. Nearly everything I saw and touched because of the fabrics and styles brought back to mind the message from the video. Disgusted with it all I stepped out into the aisle to leave. As I did I nearly bumped into a woman with a beautiful little 4-5 year old girl by her side. Glancing down at her I couldn't help notice that as usual the little girl was also donned from head to toe (hair included) to look like what is now the typical older teenager. As she glanced up at me I also couldn't help noticing a sad look to her eyes. I later remarked to my husband that it all makes me long for the return of the "little house on the prairie look."
Of course I do not know if the parent of that child is a Christian. But the whole incident was only a reminder of what seems to me to be the acceptable norm within the Christian community as a whole. That just as did the proverbial frog we also are becoming comfortable - accepting what ever is the latest fad - considering it as just the social thing to do.
The answer to this whole problem of course is to remember - and follow the command. "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." 1 John 2: 15-16. But have we like the frog in the pot become so adepted to our surroundings in our day to day fashion choices so that we have no desire to jump to freedom?
This thought continues to replay in my mind especially in thinking on a startling video I reviewed online awhile back. It was about how the advertising industry for the past 40 or so years continues to mold us into thinking and behaving like that as females (beginning as children) we are nothing more than sex objects. I consider the video pornographic and it is certainly NOT one that I would recommend - other than for the purpose of shocking someone's senses - that maybe they need to jump before the boiling water totally engulfs them. I can only pray they would be of a mind to where it would still actually shock them - as it certainly did me. In the video Jean Kilbourne analyses how the advertising media continues to depict women. In shocking detail, she decodes an array of print and television advertisements to reveal a pattern of disturbing and destructive gender stereotypes. Her analysis also challenges you to consider the relationship between advertising and broader issues of our culture.
The disturbing scenes of it were still fresh in my mind a day or so later when I was browsing through the tweens and teens section of a major department store. Nearly everything I saw and touched because of the fabrics and styles brought back to mind the message from the video. Disgusted with it all I stepped out into the aisle to leave. As I did I nearly bumped into a woman with a beautiful little 4-5 year old girl by her side. Glancing down at her I couldn't help notice that as usual the little girl was also donned from head to toe (hair included) to look like what is now the typical older teenager. As she glanced up at me I also couldn't help noticing a sad look to her eyes. I later remarked to my husband that it all makes me long for the return of the "little house on the prairie look."
Of course I do not know if the parent of that child is a Christian. But the whole incident was only a reminder of what seems to me to be the acceptable norm within the Christian community as a whole. That just as did the proverbial frog we also are becoming comfortable - accepting what ever is the latest fad - considering it as just the social thing to do.
The answer to this whole problem of course is to remember - and follow the command. "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." 1 John 2: 15-16. But have we like the frog in the pot become so adepted to our surroundings in our day to day fashion choices so that we have no desire to jump to freedom?
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