Self control is the key

Nancy Reagen wore veil during audience with the Pope

This post is about my curiosity about how women must present themselves in public, whether or not women should cover themselves in public, and the reasons. And about why men, as the 'predator' should not look lustfully at women. I came into the verses Job 31:1-4, as part of the suggested reading by Our Daily Bread today. I did a quick search about the issue of women as the objects of men's lust. I found some comparisons from the perspective of three different historical public/religions' profiles, and put their words in chronological order. I remember this issue was really a hot topic during the debates about "Pornography Bill" a few years ago.




Job:
“I made a covenant with my eyes, not to look lustfully at a young woman... Does He not see my ways, and count my every step? (Job 31:1 & 4).


(Reason for men to control their gaze at women's bodies: because God sees everything, include one's eyes)


Jesus Christ:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. ³⁰ And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. (Matthew 5:27-29)


(Reason for men to control their gaze at women's bodies: because God counts it equal with committing adultery, and as other sins, they could go to hell because of that.)

Muhammad:
"Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty......And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what ordinarily appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms...." (Quran 24:30,31).


"O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters and the believing women that they should cast their outer garments over their bodies (when abroad) so that they should be known and not molested" (Quran 33:59).


(Reason for women to cover their bodies: so that they should be known and not molested. Their beauty could cause them trouble, by the men).


I conclude this post without conclusion, because that would sound offensive. But as for my personal, private preference (which I don't impose anyone to follow), I choose the notion of self-control of the (likely) perpetrators rather than adding the burden of the (likely) victims. I don't like the idea that men cannot control their mind. They could if they want (refer to what Job said in the aforementioned verses). I disagree with the idea that people who cannot control themselves are still allowed to roam free in the streets and do whatever they want, including molesting others who they deem subordinates (adults vs children, males vs females, rich vs poor, strong people vs weak people, etc). Though, if people choose to wear veil for their own personal reason, I do not mind at all, as long as they do it not by others' pressure but by their own choice (I have a lot of Muslim close friends who wear veil and I respect them whatever they chose to wear or not to wear). My point is that no one should force anyone else to follow or to bring the issue to public domain. This is, to me, is purely a matter of personal choice. So that's why I hate those who forced the Pornography Bill into legislation.   





Note: 


I did not put St. Paul's perspective in here, because:


* it is often quoted that Paul's instruction for women to cover their heads during their worship time in Synagogue is the evidence that women were seen as the lower creatures than their male counterparts, and symbol of their submission. However, that was a different context from what this post is talking about, because in those verses, Paul talked about the women "in the Synagogue building", not in public place. Not because women must protect themselves from men, but because it is "similar to women having bald head", which was not polite and modest during the era's standard of modesty. -- in modern Judaism context, that's why Jewish women often wearing wigs to Synagogue to these days (this is still obeserved by some Catholics sects and also Christian denominations like Amish, Quaker, etc. --see the picture above).


* it is also often quoted about Paul's advice for women not to wear excessive jewelry and apply attractive hair styles to Synagogue. This is also a different context from what this post is talking about, because the reason of those verses is the motivation behind the action: the moral message is: "Hey, women, you're going to synagogue to praise and worship the Lord, so do not make something that intends to put yourself at the center of the universe. God is the center, not you." Synagogue and church are not places to exhibit oneself, they are the place to worship, and all attention must be sent to the Lord God only.