How should Christian's respond to "Free The Nipples" movement?

[Nathanaelisaac]

There is a new movement sweeping the internet, and that is for the freedom for women to go topless in public. They make an interesting point to the fact that it used to be unacceptable for men to topless in public at one point. Now that it is no longer considered "sexual" or "men shouldn't have to worry about being sexually objectified" when being topless, shouldn't women also have that same right?

Christians should not endorse this movement, but it is a part of our culture. How should we as a people? It may very well impact our society to a point where our daughters may one day wish to go topless at a beach. Thoughts as to how to navigate?

 

[Viligant_Warrior]

Stop worrying about what the world is doing and focus on what Christ is doing to bring more people to Him. The world is lost, and will take care of itself.

 

[kaylagrl]

There is a new movement sweeping the internet, and that is for the freedom for women to go topless in public. They make an interesting point to the fact that it used to be unacceptable for men to topless in public at one point. Now that it is no longer considered "sexual" or "men shouldn't have to worry about being sexually objectified" when being topless, shouldn't women also have that same right?

Christians should not endorse this movement, but it is a part of our culture. How should we as a people? It may very well impact our society to a point where our daughters may one day wish to go topless at a beach. Thoughts as to how to navigate?

Well, Id look at the stats of women being raped and assaulted in this country. Clearly it is very much a sexual issue. Im not fond of men being shirtless in public for that matter. But as a Christian women are told to be modest in dress. A chest hanging out is not modesty with or without clothes on. Its just something else for feminists to grip about. I'll say this,as a married women if a woman walks by my husband without a top on she'll lose her teeth. Its ridiculous and a stupid argument. Besides, the people that want to go nude are always the people who shouldnt go nude.

 

[zoii]

Well, Id look at the stats of women being raped and assaulted in this country. Clearly it is very much a sexual issue. Im not fond of men being shirtless in public for that matter. But as a Christian women are told to be modest in dress. A chest hanging out is not modesty with or without clothes on. Its just something else for feminists to grip about. I'll say this,as a married women if a woman walks by my husband without a top on she'll lose her teeth. Its ridiculous and a stupid argument. Besides, the people that want to go nude are always the people who shouldnt go nude.

Truly??? Youd physically assault a girl if she appeared topless? Girls are often topless on our beaches. Noone really cares.. they might if you assaulted them though. Walking around the streets topless though.... hmmm cant imagine that being popular w girls.

 

[Angela53510]

You are not supposed to post the same thread in more than one forum.

 

[kaylagrl]

Truly??? Youd physically assault a girl if she appeared topless? Girls are often topless on our beaches. Noone really cares.. they might if you assaulted them though. Walking around the streets topless though.... hmmm cant imagine that being popular w girls.

We dont walk around topless here in the US. As a Christian it is a big deal.I think the smiley face in my post indicated my "assault" was meant tongue in cheek. No I dont think women should be allowed to go topless.I have two little nephews and Id be pretty upset if a woman walked by with everything hanging out,or my husband. As a Christian its not even a question to be debated. The Bible talks about modesty.Why did Adam and Eve cover themselves with leaves in the garden? It is a big deal,its wrong.

 

[kaylagrl]

You are not supposed to post the same thread in more than one forum.

I didn't realize there was another thread on this nonsense...

 

[Desdichado]

No shirt, no shoes, no service.

True for men and women. Whatever happen to pride in being a civilized people?

 

[ArtsieSteph]

My dad gave a solid piece of advice when I was a kid. He said if there was a woman in a bikini, where it is his choice is if he averts his eyes or he sits there and stares at her. That is where the man's responsibility lies.

For the woman, she has the option in what she wears. She will attract attention no matter what, same with a guy that doesn't wear a shirt either. You have the choice to not be a temptation to a person. Yes the person shouldn't be ogling you, but also you should take responsibility for your body.

As far as how to treat said person, you have me there. If I saw topless chick I would cover my own eyes as well talking to them.

 

[MarcR]

I think that our most important consideration must be that our response must not compromise the central doctrine of Salvation by Grace.

Our response to those who are saved can center on not compromising our testimony; but our response to the world must focus on their need for Christ and NOT on their behavior.


Our witness to the world should be that God will accept them as they are; but will not leave them as they are.

As a result of accepting Jesus as Lord we must expect our desires to more and more resemble His.


Just as one can NOT expect adult behavior from a baby; it is NOT realistic to expect Christian behavior from the world; and any attempt to force it on them will only compromise our witness.


In short: Get used to it; or don't go out without your wife or (if unmarried) your sweetheart.

 

[Drett]

This girl was banned from school because her dress was too long.

A 15-year-old French Muslim student was told by school officials that her long black maxi-skirt could have been a ‘provocation’

Girl banned from school in France because her skirt was too religious – Women in the World in Association with The New York Times – WITW

 

[Viligant_Warrior]

This girl was banned from school because her dress was too long.

A 15-year-old French Muslim student was told by school officials that her long black maxi-skirt could have been a ‘provocation’

Girl banned from school in France because her skirt was too religious – Women in the World in Association with The New York Times – WITW

And? This has absolutely nothing to do with a woman -- or worse, a girl (i.e., under 18) -- showing her bare breasts in public.

There is an article touting the motivation behind the movement, which is (allegedly) that women don't want their bodies to be "sexualized."

News flash, feministas: The human body is sexual in point of fact, by the very reason we are either male or female, and the "turn on" for many men happens to be the female breast, just as, for many women, the "turn on" is the male posterior, or the view on the opposite side of the body from that particular feature.

For that reason, it should remain a body part revealed only to one's husband in the privacy of one's own home, not flaunted and actually made more sexual by being exposed in public.

It's nature. Get over it!

 

[Bushido8000]

There is a new movement sweeping the internet, and that is for the freedom for women to go topless in public. They make an interesting point to the fact that it used to be unacceptable for men to topless in public at one point. Now that it is no longer considered "sexual" or "men shouldn't have to worry about being sexually objectified" when being topless, shouldn't women also have that same right?

Christians should not endorse this movement, but it is a part of our culture. How should we as a people? It may very well impact our society to a point where our daughters may one day wish to go topless at a beach. Thoughts as to how to navigate?

Sounds to me like the greatest trolling effort a 16 year old boy ever came up with.

SUPPORT FEMINISM!

FREE THE NIPPLES!

 

[skylove7]

Lol...I can't believe this thread was flowing long as it did? I'd rather see Free the Persecuted Christians myself.

 

[Sirk]

We live in a world of unintended consequences. I imagine that rubber necking rear ender fender benders will increase a thousand fold if women are allowed to walk around naked. It would create an unsafe environment for motorists.

 

[cinder]

It probably important to keep in mind here that modesty, what parts of the body are considered sexual or unpresentable (at least beyond those parts you actually need to have sex), and what is considered a part being covered are all culturally defined ideas. I'm not in favor of women going topless around the US, but there are places and cultures currently in the world where women being topless isn't considered at all inappropriate (or where women wearing shorts would be considered exposing more than is proper) and other places where wearing see through clothing is still being appropriately clothed. Doesn't fit my ideas of appropriate, but all the Bible advocates is modesty. It doesn't spell out what is modest and immodest for all people.

 

[Sirk]

Now we will have guys taking pictures with their phones, texting them to their friends....and driving. It'll be like a crash up derby out there.

 

[Desdichado]

This girl was banned from school because her dress was too long.

A 15-year-old French Muslim student was told by school officials that her long black maxi-skirt could have been a ‘provocation’

Girl banned from school in France because her skirt was too religious – Women in the World in Association with The New York Times – WITW

Touching...

 

[AgeofKnowledge]

This is the third thread opened on this topic.

God's holiness and love are perfect and normalize perfectly. They are not diametrically opposed to each other nor are they in conflict. One cannot rightfully discard one for the other.

It is in scripture we find the proper relationship between God's moral law and His agape love. Two equal and opposite dangers must be avoided:

1. Legalism effectively ousts agape love as a dynamic of the gospel and the Christian life by reducing both to obedience or conformity to a set of external commands or rules (after the manner of the scribes and Pharisees in the gospels).

2. Its opposite, antinomianism, ousts God's moral law as a dynamic of the gospel and the Christian life. Antinomianism is heresy that tells Christians it's OK to forget about God's law and concentrate solely on agape love... a course which is a justification for degeneration and immoral licence, such as homosexual marriage, rather than promoting the true Christian liberty (i.e. freedom from sin).

The Gospel of Jesus Christ and God's grace in Jesus Christ frees the Christian from both these erroneous tendencies but only if Christians respectfully strive to follow God's moral law and both practice and realize agape love in their lives.

After the fall, “the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked” (See Genesis 3). They realized their nakedness and intuitively attempted to cover themselves but it was God Himself who covered them using animal skins.

As Houdmann (M.Div.) states:

"With few exceptions, the Bible presents nakedness as shameful and degrading (Genesis 9:21; Exodus 20:26; 32:25; 2 Chronicles 28:19; Isaiah 47:3; Ezekiel 16:35-36; Luke 8:27; Revelation 3:17; 16:15; 17:16). The only passages in which nudity is free of shame are those that describe Eden’s idyllic setting or that deal with marital relations (Proverbs 5:18-19; Song of Solomon 4).

We still live in a fallen world, surrounded by lust, immorality, and perversion. The innocence of Eden is gone. Naturist philosophy ignores the results of the fall. Even in “asexual” contexts, public displays of nudity dishonor God by pretending an innocence that no longer exists. A Christian should definitely not be a nudist or participate in nudist activities."

^ I concur with Houdmann on this issue.