TheLegalist, in my opinion nobody is trying to justify changing the principles of modesty in culture. If you have read any of my posts, you know that I do NOT claim to be a scholar and do not want to get into a debate. I have just recently started studying all this myself. That said, my response is below.
If you read all the "stuff" in other threads and go to some of the links you will see that many believe that Paul was respecting the culture in the Corinthian churches and such. For instance, he spoke against those expecting gentiles to be circumcised and then required Luke, I think it was, to be circumcised because of the "culture" of the area they were going to visit.
So, for some it stands to reason that we need to respect the culture at large that we are visiting and living in. Not to say that we become like the worst of society! I guarantee that my unsaved, smoking and drinking friends know what is modest and what is not modest. (Not according to UPC, but according to the majority of US society.)
They would say that low cut blouses, tight clothing and such are a stumbling block for both men and women. Men know what "turns them on" and so do women. Both know how to dress if they want to get the attention of the opposite sex. ;-)
Now in response to the question for this thread...
Everything goes back to opinion, of course, but I agree that the scriptures they refer to are suggesting that women should not adorn themselves for attention and that trying to change the way God made us to look and the natural aging process that God also caused (due to sin in the beginning in my opinion) is not pleasing to God.
That said, I DO NOT think that we should make heaven or hell issues out of things that God did not make as heaven or hell issues.
We each need to pray and be open to God speaking to us personally about what we should wear, where we should go etc.
I am not sure where to mention this in my post, but it still strikes me funny when we discuss the hair issue and don't recognize what Paul is saying about the veils. Just as these articles are saying, a veil is a covering, a complete covering. So if we are going to get into legalism, we need to forget the hair stuff because it would not be seen. LOL
Also, if Paul were saying that women should always wear a veil, then why mention not braiding the hair and putting ornaments in it since nobody would be able to see their hair? Oops, I guess that would be a question for another thread.
Threaded Mode
