tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7213497123935819288.post4331813807273724276..comments2023-03-24T05:23:13.144-04:00Comments on Piękno: Speaking on Modesty: Choosing Beauty Mashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943998810222103926noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7213497123935819288.post-52387303239983743152014-03-21T07:08:54.206-04:002014-03-21T07:08:54.206-04:00The positive framing of modesty is very powerful; ...The positive framing of modesty is very powerful; it reminds me of how we say virtue is a positive thing, and sin is a negative one. If we find ourselves too much saying, "I oughtn't, I oughtn't," then we're probably not doing it right, or we're at least in a very small place spiritually. Like Chesterton says, the ten commandments are a testament to how much we are <i>allowed</i> to do!<br /><br />Being modest, and integrating the way you dress into an expression of the person God made you to be, is something that needs crafting, I think. As such, we need not be judgmental of those whose skill in the craft are different from our own--either by dressing so dowdy that they are not caring enough for their bodies or by putting too much into it that they are exalting their bodies above God. Hm, am I making any sense here?Christiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18107748184124761940noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7213497123935819288.post-28794718287688036582014-03-14T00:42:46.843-04:002014-03-14T00:42:46.843-04:00Wound up reading this about three times, and reall...Wound up reading this about three times, and really appreciate the <i>positive</i> framing of the question. Modesty is so often little more than a "Don'ts" list.<br /><br /><i>We find clothing and behavior that is ‘good enough’ because it steers clear of temptation – and often, reduces the amount of God’s beauty we are willing to let loose from within us.</i> How truly you speak!<br /><br />Thanks for sharing. :)Jenna St. Hilairehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04474588706124865006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7213497123935819288.post-72540937638327281252014-03-13T07:03:10.829-04:002014-03-13T07:03:10.829-04:00thank you so much...I am so glad to have feedback,...thank you so much...I am so glad to have feedback, especially with the nerves of sharing writing for the first time. You highlighted the woman's work portion of things, which I realized could be a major turn off for some; but your thoughts helped me confirm my own: that it is there, 'residing' as you say - and that it matters. <br />Reflecting further, I think that the net result of working toward modesty could be the same whether coming from love or fear - I can chose this self-presentation as a response of love, or I can count it as passing a series of litmus tests, out of fear/avoidance, and it could be even the same clothing. But intentionality is so important - choices forward, toward something - these scaffold us to a higher or deeper step toward Love; choices from fear aren't going to carry us in the same direction.<br />thank you again for your response, it was a great start to the day :D <br />-kAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7213497123935819288.post-23728375477535718852014-03-11T22:28:02.815-04:002014-03-11T22:28:02.815-04:00"I move toward modesty in my self-presentatio..."I move toward modesty in my self-presentation because I want to move toward Love…It is part of my movement in and toward Him (Love) through relationships with others. It is not just a movement away from something, an omission of sexuality."<br /><br />So, in looking for various points to respond to I found myself in the position of wanting to quote virtually everything (or at the very least, initial sentences. Way to rock the "how to start paragraphs" rule...). But this point in particular I loved. The idea of responding to an invitation, not a rebuke. It reminds me of the Catechism's statement about modesty being ordered toward Chastity, but possibly only because chastity and charity look so similar to my brain. But modesty is also listed as a fruit of the Holy Spirit alongside charity, so I feel vindicated. <br /><br />I get tired of the modesty conversation being solely about "women and clothing" but the sentence "Men must see modesty as part of a woman’s work to glorify God through her innermost and outermost beauty, and join her intentions to glorify Him" really hit me, maybe because "woman's work" is such a beautiful and shied-away-from phrase. The introduction of modesty as work, but joyful and willingly undertaken work, is superb. We want everything to be easy, to come quick and painlessly with little input. Modesty should be as easy as knowing the measurement from collar bone to cleavage and selecting only those tops that fall in the "no-ma's zone" (or something). But to present it as work; as mundane and everyday as dishes, or laundry, or prayer - not always enjoyable, but filled with joy (say the man, who does NOT find his days full of dirty diapers or soiled plates). It grounds modesty in the realm of reality, something that resides in our being, not a whimsy that we chase after, tripping over our ankle-length plaid jumpers. <br /><br />Suffice to say, there's quite a lot of food for thought here, mixed with some mesmerizing imagery ("muse dancing alone"!!) and a fantastic kick-off for this series.<br /><br />-The Neglected HusbandAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com