THE MISS USA CONTROVERSY

An Open Letter

I feel compelled to share my thoughts regarding the hullabaloo presently going on about Miss California and the Miss USA beauty pageant. Desperate to have their concerns about traditional marriage espoused in a public forum, evangelical Christians, rapidly becoming marginalized in our society's mainstream, are groping for almost anyone to give a voice for the traditional institution of marriage, one I fully endorse (marriage should be a covenant commitment between a man and a women for life).

The irony of this whole business is that here was a scantily clad woman--this of course can provoke lust in men (Matthew 5:27-29)--who was asked about marriage by a judge who supposedly isn't even attracted to women. She gives the politically incorrect answer and in doing so, alienated the politically correct judges, and forfeited possible victory in the beauty pageant. By giving a correct answer to a loaded question about marriage, and by doing so without hardly any clothes on, Miss Prejean has now become a cause célèbre amongst conservatives and evangelicals for her affirmation of biblically correct marriage.

Admittedly, I at first joined the admiration society of the Miss USA contestant for boldly standing up for her beliefs in a hostile and prejudiced environment, until I realized my disconnect, until I began to think biblically about the whole matter, and recall the scriptural passages condemning nakedness. Instinctively, Adam and Eve covered themselves after sinning (Genesis 3:7). Correspondingly, they became conscious of their sin and their nakedness (By the way God covered Adam and Eve too, Genesis 3:21.). I think of Noah's two sons who saw his nakedness (Genesis 9:18 ff.). I think of the High Priest who was commanded not to ascend the altar lest "his nakedness" be exposed (Exodus 20:26). In other words, in reverence to God, not even the High Priest's ankle and/or calf was to be visible. Then too, I think of the oft repeated command in Leviticus, "thou shalt not expose the nakedness thereof . . ." (Leviticus 18); and that women are to dress modestly so their prayers are not hindered (1 Timothy 2:8-9).

The parade of naked or semi-clothed bodies in our culture indicates our society's desensitization to, if not outright denial, of sin (Remember, when Adam and Eve first discovered they were sinners, they instinctively covered themselves.). Years ago in the middle of the previous century, I had a friend who was a missionary amongst the Stone Age people of the territory then known as Dutch New Guinea. On one of his furloughs in the states, one day he remarked to me that all the while--for reason of the Gospel's penetration into their hearts--the natives were putting clothes on, we in so-called "Christian America" seemed to be taking them off!

I recognize that I am not the last word on the subject. I grew up on the sandy summer beaches of Lake Michigan, and was on the high school swim team. From my football playing days, I know what locker rooms are like. During my teen age and young adult years in the 60s, I witnessed the girls' swimsuits become skimpier and skimpier. I recognize God uses sinners. But I am aware that we sinners can also try to use God. I have no intention of being a self-righteous prude. I had, as with most all other adolescent youth, a problem with lust, something Jesus pointedly warned about. But what really disturbs me as a pastor is observing how easily we Christians accommodate our values to the culture's, to the system called the world, and seemingly without any tinge of conscience. As Christians, we are to use but not abuse the world, and God will be the judge of whether we were users or abusers, won't He?

I can only go by the Word, the Holy Scriptures. It seems to me that one aspect of worldliness involves "the lusts of the flesh" (1 John 2:16). Furthermore, the Bible says, "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regards to its lusts" (Romans 13:14). After their conversion, Paul reminds the Ephesians that, "Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest" (Ephesians 2:3). And the Apostle Peter pleaded, "Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul" (1 Peter 2:11).

The prevalence of nudity and semi-nudity in our culture may help explain--there is no excuse for terrorism--why fundamentalist Muslims, whose women dress in burkhas (i.e., loose garments with veiled holes for the eyes), detest the west (See http://www.frbaptist.org/bin/view/Ptp/PtpTopic2002-01-14).

This whole beauty pageant controversy provides a sad commentary on both the state of the culture and to some extent, the values prevalent amongst Christians today. We have been, and are being, desensitized to nudity. Miss California may be the newest heroine amongst a desperate conservative sub-culture that sees our society sinking into a moral abyss, but this whole business ought to remind Christians how the prevalence of human nakedness serves notice of how far our culture and church are removed from divine righteousness.

Respectfully,

Pastor Larry DeBruyn

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ENDNOTE

[1] Since its release a week ago (4/24/09), and posted by Ingrid Schlueter on the website Slice of Laodicea (http://www.sliceoflaodicea.com/culture-war/miss-usa-controversy-a-pastor-responds) the above letter has generated discussion regarding the subject of Christian modesty, something that has been seemingly ignored by the majority within the contemporary pan-evangelical movement with which Miss California has now become publicly associated.

Dave Welch, a writer for World Net Daily also made citation of the letter in his article, "Is Carrie Prejean Really a Hero?" (http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=96305) Many emails, most supportive of the biblical postion the letter takes, have been received, and have brought to my attention other helpful writings on the subject of Christian attiring. After thanking the pastor for his letter, Dr. Gregory Allen drew attention to John Piper's theologically astute writing on the subject in, "The Rebellion of Nudity and the Meaning of Clothing," April 24, 2009, on the Desiring God website (http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/TasteAndSee/ByDate/2008/2737_The_Rebellion_of_Nudity_and_the_Meaning_of_Clothing) On Herescope, Sarah Leslie has also posted "The Naked Slippery Slope," April 27, 2009 (http://herescope.blogspot.com/2009/04/naked-slippery-slope.html).

There are those within the pan-evangelical movement who remain uninformed, continue to ignore, forthrightly reject, or try to pragmatically mute the biblical teaching regarding modesty. Admittedly, the issue is a sensitive one. My purpose is not to enter into debate with them, but only to declare a cautionary word regarding the incompatibility of nakedness to the virtue of Christian modesty, an issue the Miss USA controversy now raises. I have no desire to be a clothes cop, but only to raise our collective awareness regarding the subject of modesty in a most immodest culture. I believe that under the Scripture's teaching and the Spirit's guidance, Christian believers can come to their own conclusions on the subject as we remember that, "he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no man" (1 Corinthians 2:15).

Amidst the outpouring of support for Miss California we are encouraged to know we are not alone in our convictions regarding the biblical teaching on modesty, and with this in mind, we offered the original letter, slightly edited, above.