By Ireneaus Chongwain Chia
You are what you wear
People, especially the young, crave to be in line with the latest fashion; a logical desire, but staying in line with the latest fashion does not forcefully mean flouting the decency code.
Toeing the line between the decent, indecent and the immoral can be very difficult as trends are dictatorial and many are therefore “forced” to conform to be accepted. But is it right to pick up uncouth conduct and promote non-Christian ideologies only to be accepted?
The renowned African American comedian, Bill Cosby, recently said he is tired of young people who are having their bodies tattooed and therefore making themselves unemployable. Despite his frustration the trend is on the increase and shows no signs of abating anytime soon.
If it were only the tattoos that would have been less disturbing, but the designs themselves smack of the most despicable. What will make a young man; for example, have the image of Lucifer imprinted on a part of his body if his thoughts are not devilish? Is it not said we are what we think?
Last year in the U.S, Senate Bill 228 also known as the “Pull Your Pants Up” Bill, banned students from wearing low-slung jeans that reveal their underwear, clothing that "exposes their undergarments" or "indecently exposes their body parts."
The culture of low-slung jeans springs from the Hip-Hop-influenced trend that is generally associated with violence, disobedience and drug abuse or with homosexual practices among inmates. It is presumptuous to conclude anyone who wears low-slung trousers is twisted, but indulging in such a practice could help in promoting anti-social and therefore deviant conduct.
Most parents are at a loss understanding why despite the efforts they are making to provide a decent education for their children most of them are unquestionably heading down the wrong road. But these children adore violent films, have the terminator as their hero and impersonate their war heroes when playing with their peers in the neighbourhood.
But this is not only about children. Even some widely promoted practices may have a satanic tinge. A renowned retired Catholic exorcist recently spoke out against the practice of yoga describing it as satanic. He questioned who those who practice it bow to.
We are living in a very permissive society and many of our daily practices, even without our knowledge, contradict our Christian ideals. The much-admired D&G label you buy for your child may be apparently innocuous, but could be indirectly supporting the homosexuality the west is forcing down poor countries’ throats.
While we cannot provide an exhaustive inventory of symbols and practices that contradict or are offensive to Christian values, parents, guardians and users have to remain ever discerning when buying dress items or choosing an activity. They should find out more when in doubt for they may be human advertisement vehicles for practices and values that are either unchristian or they do not accept.
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