Why Petty Rules Are Ruining Christianity

This year I have become a pretty big Duggar fan. From a Christian stand point there is a lot of things I do agree with the Duggar's on. I agree on salvation and most basic principles they believe. But, I also disagree with the Duggar's on their cult-like attitude and their legalistic views. But, my views on the Duggar's are neither here nor there and are irrelevant to this post.

Pants Proud - I happily posted my own pants. 

Moving on, my newly found 'fandom' of the Duggars lead me to find Free Jinger. I love reading the site for a variety of reasons. I love to see how the world views Christians. I love to see misconceptions and I love learning how certain attitudes make the world feel so I know better how to approach non-believers. I genuinely enjoy learning all sides of the spectrum. And, the snark, of course has made me laugh a time or two.

Today I came across a new conversation thread titled, "Pants make women look like men from behind...". Out of boredom I opened the thread and was absolutely appalled by the blog that they were referring to.

The blog that started this thread was about how a woman thought that women in pants looked like men. She proceeded to post pictures of backsides of women as "proof" that the backside of women in pants look like men. This absolutely FLOORED me.

First off, how rude?! Really, imagine that was your backside plastered on a woman's blog telling the world that you looked like a man. Would you be mad? I would be more than upset. But, as if it wasn't enough that she creeped on women to take pictures of their butts, there are comments on the thread mentioning how lovely it was for her to post this topic. Not one of those women took the time to say, "hey, maybe you shouldn't take pictures of someone else's butt... That's a little insensitive don't you think?" (Don't worry I took the time to comment.)

As I sit at my desk, in my heathen Jeggings, I can guarantee every last one of those women would criticize me telling me that I am not honoring God. They wouldn't notice my Bible on my desk, or the Christian books surrounded by me. They wouldn't care about anything other than I have pants on and I am going to church tonight in them.

What in the world happened to that little thing called, compassion?! Or loving another like yourself? Not being a stumbling block to the unbelievers?

I find posting someone else as an example is the opposite of compassion. And I doubt she'd post a comparison of her backside in pants and a skirt because she would be embarrassed. No one wants a picture of their butt and only their butt on display. Especially when a woman is telling everyone she thinks you look like a man! That's very insensitive and not biblical. 

I seem to remember somewhere in the, oh I don't know, Bible telling us to not judge the world on it's outworld appearance but on the inward. Because God doesn't see what the world sees, He doesn't judge us on the outside but on the inside.

It's posts like this that draw people away from Christ. Yes, our body is a temple and yes we should take care of it and honor God in every way and always but it is not our job to slam others for their appearance. It's behavior like this that draws people away from Christ. It's behavior like this that makes us lose sight.

Focusing on petty rules are ruining Christianity because we're drawing people away from Christ. If I were an unbeliever and read this post I wouldn't attend church next week. I would dislike Christians a lot after this. That's so minor and yet treated so major.

Jesus LOVED a leper.  I bet the leper didn't look all so great but yet Jesus touched him and loved him as much as He loves you and He loves me. When we focus on the little petty things we lose sight of what matters. We start making rules out of our personal convictions and preferences but not out of what God has actually ordained.

We need to keep our preferences to ourselves and close relatives and friends and people that care to ask us why we do what we do. Our actions not our words need to speak louder for us.

Also, by banning pants for woman as a whole we limit the amount of light in this world. There are many activities that cannot be done in a skirt or dress. When we limit women to activities we limit the ability for them to be a light in every area of this world. We are called to love the world and tell the world about Jesus.

We're not called to post embarrassing pictures on our blogs and make people feel shameful. The Holy Spirit has the job of making us feel guilty leave it to Him.