Shame Culture. Personal Responsibility.

If the things I read and see on Facebook are true.  The things from various sources.  Many from major news networks and other similar pages.  I don't even know where to begin.  It's still to surreal.  I don't understand.  What the hell is the Trump Administration doing?  I don't even want to capitalize that shit.  I'm not even going to go into all the ridiculousness.  But I sit here in awe of what is taking place in D.C.  And not awe in a good way.

In a private Facebook group we've been having some conversations as of late about the responsibility of a women to dress modestly to avoid men looking at them lustfully.  Many of the people in that group come from some conservative christian backgrounds and there is some adjustment of thinking that needs to happen.   Let me just start by saying,  I've never ever in my entire life heard a man say, I better not wear this because it might cause the ladies to stumble.  Never.  But why do many christian men get so concerned about what women wear?  Men, it's not the woman's fault you can't control your thoughts.  Take them captive (not the women, your thoughts).  Because in reality, it doesn't matter what a woman wears, or a man, you have an incredible imagination.  How a person decides to dress is their decision, not yours.

Men dress to impress all the time.  Almost every day.  But no one says a word about how that effects women's thought life.

I'm going to stop right there for today.  This is a long conversation.  And I think it would be provocative.  I mean productive.   But not this morning.

Never mind.  Lets roll with this verse.  It's often been used to tell women to dress modest so you don't draw attention to yourself.  But really, you know what I think?  It's because they were drawing attention to themselves.  It's because that most likely women thought they had to dress or look a certain way to be seen, noticed or to feel beautiful.  And the writer of 1 Timothy is saying that it's not in your appearance that you get your worth.  It's you character that defines your heart.  How do you treat others?   This isn't a bible verse shaming women who dress elaborately.  If you want to dress nice, great.  Just don't think that it's your appearance that will give you value.


And lets move along with this one too.  This is how many women are treated.  It's their fault that they are in the situation they are in.  While in some cases that maybe true, not only for women but men too, so many times we blame the victim.  If you didn't wear that, if you wouldn't have went there, or if you wouldn't have drank that much.  This mentality needs to stop.   If I walk around and my wallet falls out or is half in/half out of my pocket, it gives no one the right to either keep it or take it.  It's my wallet.