Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Contradiction and peasant blouses

So here we go again with yet another offering from the Christian sub-culture. (Which, BTW, is big business!)
My wife got a catalogue in the mail from a religious/educational company established by the Hopkins family today. The things people think it would be great to teach their kids! No wonder so many of them are completely confused by the time they're "ready" to face the world on their own. There's no way to paraphrase this effectively, so I'll just type the write-up on this book verbatim.

"Secret Keeper: The Delicate Power of Modesty." Young women want to dress in style, but with that desire comes a huge responsibility to use femininity to bring glory to God. Written in a hip, big-sister style, this very straight-forward Christian book gives much-needed insight into what guys actually think when confronted with immodesty. Understand the intriguing, alluring power source that God has entrusted to every young woman for the holy purpose of creating a family someday. Take the "Truth or Bare" fashion test to see if your clothes are truly modest. My teenage daughters wish every girl could read this eye-opening book. Paperback, 78 pages, for age 12 and up.
Let's scrutinize this a bit, shall we?? (since it's so easy to do so!)
First, for ages 12 and up? Sorry Mrs. Hopkins, but if you're waiting until your girl is 12 to teach them about modesty, chances are you've already lost the war.
Second, point well taken-- don't let your daughter dress like a prostitute-- but if that's your message, shouldn't you avoid an allegory like "Truth or Bare?" Is this test one of common sense? Somehow, I bet not.
Finally, you're telling girls to be modest, but then, in your own words, you turn around and suggest they "use femininity to bring glory to God" and "understand the intriguing, alluring power source... for the "holy" purpose of creating a family." In other words, "If you got it, flaunt it, but not in those slutty clothes, girlfriend!" Oh yeah, and since when did having a family have to be of divine design? Whatever happened to having kids because you want to???

I've got a better idea. Why don't I keep my $8.95 plus shipping and handling, toss your catalogue into the circular file, and use my brain while teaching my daughter to use hers?

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