Quote:
Originally Posted by votivesoul
I hope this was tongue-in-cheek.
There is a MASSIVE difference between the camouflage used by a soldier so that he doesn't get his skull blown out by a sniper, and a person daintily decorating him or herself to look pretty.
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I think you're determined to miss the point here. It was not tongue in cheek. Men paint themselves for war, always have. Women dress nice and pretty, because it is what they do and who they are, and always have done. If men apply war paint because they are going to war, or hunting, there is nothing wrong with their objective. If, however, they are applying makeup to look like a woman, then that is a problem. If a woman applies makeup much as she would other adornments to compliment her attire, and desires to look attractive and presentable, because that is what women do... there is nothing wrong with that. If however, that makeup is applied in order to attract attention, and cause men to desire her sexually, then this is a problem.
You spoke of pride being the only reason that a woman would want to wear makeup... well, let me ask you this... do you just go au' natural? No deodorant, hairspray, cologne? Don't even bother to shave, just let the beard grow? Do you wear a tie, belt, cuff links, or fancy boots? How about that suit? Is there pride involved in wearing or not wearing any of those things? Or do you wear those things to look nice, and presentable?
You see... pride comes in many different forms and avenues. Maybe you don't wear a ring on your finger, but maybe there is an element of pride in your heart because you wear a nice suit to church every Sunday, or drive a fancier car than the family who sits next to you in church. I have no idea and I'm not even going to try to guess what might cause pride in your heart. That is between you and the Lord.
But to use a blanket statement to say that wearing makeup is a source of pride has me shaking my head... especially when men put things on their bodies, just as women do, to be presentable.
Certainly makeup CAN be a source of pride... but to just broad-brush, and say every woman who puts on a bit of mascara has pride... would be like saying that every man who shaves his face has pride too...
You see, if we tried to take away every single thing that "could" be a source of pride, we might as well go live like hermits somewhere, because I guarantee that there is something you own, something you do, or something you love that "can" be a source of pride... but only the Lord God himself and you know what that thing might be.
We certainly do need to be on guard against pride, but we must be careful to not just broadbrush every single thing that "could" cause pride... and say that it does. Each one of us must answer to the Lord for ourselves, and what may cause pride in my life, may not even affect yours.
In fact, ILG described the difference between a principle and the application of the principle above perfectly, and is exactly how I view the issue as well.
Preach the principle, and allow the spirit of the Lord to enable the application.
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