A youth pastor is apologizing for enforcing a ‘one piece swimsuit’ rule for his female summer camp students.
“I have been a youth pastor on and off for over 20 years, and I have issued the ridiculous ultimatum to my female students at summer camp ‘ONE PIECE SWIMSUITS ONLY,’” the viral Facebook apology from pastor Bryce Brewer says.
“I am sorry to my female students as they desperately tried to search for a swimsuit in the days leading up to camp. I am sorry if you felt sexualized by us telling you to cover up. I am sorry I didn’t teach boys to be men, and laid that responsibility on young women.”
The apology post went viral and has been shared nearly 100,000 times. The full post can be found here:
Swimsuit Issues
For his part, Pastor Bryce Brewer’s lengthy apology seems sincere. He lists five points on which he believes he was misguided, including failing to “teach boys to control themselves” and “[laying] the weight of purity on a girls swimsuit while she was swimming, and not on the boys responsibility to not be gross.”
Still, not everyone agrees that he even needs to apologize. As one commenter put it, “Yes there are males that do not know how to control their urges, but when a young lady runs around almost totally naked and leaving almost nothing to the imagination, then I do place that responsibility on their shoulders. WHAT is the reason for this type of dress if not to draw attention to their bodies?”
Modest is Hottest?
This debate comes during part of a larger reckoning in faith circles over the past few years regarding female modesty and body shaming – reminding some people of other recent examples of male religious figures overstepping their bounds.
Last month, Christian singer Matthew West released a single titled "Modest is Hottest," whimsically wishing in the lyrics that fashion trends for his daughters would be “a little more Amish, a little less Kardashian" and stating that “what the boys really love is a turtleneck and a sensible pair of slacks.”
The music video, deleted by West after facing backlash from angry teens and parents alike, featured lines like: "If I catching you doing dances on the TikTok in a crop top, so help me God, you'll be grounded 'til the world stops."
The backlash was swift and instantaneous. One parent told TODAY that she believed the song was simply sending the wrong message to young girls.
“What a girl wears does not equal her worth," Lyssa Creutzinger stated. "Girls don’t wear clothes because it’s what 'the boys really love.' If you’re comfortable in modest clothing, rock it, and if you want to dance on TikTok in the clothes you love, don’t let people like Matthew West tell you that’s 'bad.'"
Others were reminded of the video of an overweight pastor who declared in a sermon that wives should stay slim and fit for their husbands, always have perfect makeup on, and be available for sex.
As one might expect, it didn't go over too well – that pastor was forced to be placed on leave.
What do you think? Is it time for society to let girls dress the way they want, and to stop blaming their clothing choices for the wayward gazes of boys? Or is modest, as the song goes, truly hottest?
106 comments
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taycomama
If only one-piece bathing suits are allowed, which piece do they want them to take off?
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Lionheart
Great question! I’m glad you’re on this blog. Can we do a survey?
🦁❤️
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Douglas Robert Spindler
The front.
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Alan Maurice Sanders
And a boy's swimsuit doesn't leave a boy almost totaly naked? It sounds like you are the one uncomfortable with young ladies in swimsuits. The boys and girls are going to look at each other, and that goes for the girls as well, It is natural to do so. How we raise them to show respect for each other is what counts and should be part of growing up, not sexualizing.
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Douglas Robert Spindler
Guess you have not seen modern male swimsuits. They can be very skimpy.
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Ealdormon Piparskeggr Robinson
Heck, when I was in high school in the early 70's the Spedos the boys' swim team wore were prettty skimpy
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Douglas Robert Spindler
Spot on, but it continued into the 80s and they are still around today.
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Brien
How about if a boy is gay? What if a girl is lesbian? Religion almost always puts people in a box. At least the pastor has begun to see reality. Peace ☮️
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Dr. Samuel D Goldman, Ph.D. D.D.
Rabbi Samuel Goldman,
I will be brief here. I have listened and read what everyone has said here and everyone has the right to their opinion, and the right to express it wherever & whenever they feel they the need. I do agree with many and do not with some, however, as a teacher my main lesson to my groups and parents as well as many outside groups is, responsibility. For yourself, We can only be responsible for what we say and do, for what we hear, for what we think, for how we act. I can not see through your eyes or hear through your ears, or think/reason with your brain
As to the topic, it does not matter if the boys or girls, men or women are fully dressed, dressed in swim suits of various kinds, or naked, it is up to parents and our various organizations religious, secular, g-dly, or what ever faith based house you live in, to teach our children to learn that we are all responsible for our behavior, we are all responsible for how we treat each other with respect and love as g-has taught us.
Thanks for listening
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John Condron
This is nothing new. Organized (and disorganized) religions have always used shaming, especially around sex and sexuality, to control believers. Of course, as education levels go up, the effectiveness of such shaming is reduced. The harder they squeeze, the more free-thinkers are created!
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Douglas Robert Spindler
Why are American Christians so ashamed of women's bodies and sex? In Europe women go topless and teenagers have overnight sleepovers.
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Thom
It comes from our Puritan roots. You see the British wealthy were having parties and were deep into their sexuality. But the Puritan movement in Britain brought them to a new land. America. To plant new seeds so to speak. What it really did was spread incest, rape, abuse of women and children that was all kept secret.
It was all still here. Humans are sexual creatures. We are all designed to procreate. The puritans were trying to escape something that isn't escapable. And still to this day we are fighting a religious war that must end. Christianity will not win. There are many religions that make up our world and we are all entitled to choose the religions that fit each of our beliefs.
Young people need to be treated differently. Boys need to be taught how to be gentlemen. Taught that it is ok to be different and those who bully are the ones who are persecuted, and have to answer for their actions later either by karma or a god if that is what you believe.
That we can't sexualize either men or women. It's wrong but natural. What we have to do is find the intellectual stimulation with our partners. Our Best Friend in the world is what my grandfather told me the day we said our final good byes to my Grandmother. His best friend in the World he said. I knew that day that when I found my best friend I had found my life partner.
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Amy Varela
Maybe if the bible and the q'uran didn't make women responsible for the behavior of men, this would not be an issue. Boys need to be taught at an early age to keep their hands to themselves. Period.
A god with superior morality would have commanded people to NOT keep slaves and to NOT touch anyone without their consent.
Based on the evidence in the bible, that god is an insecure, immoral, misogynistic, genocidal, racist jerk.
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Isaac Solomon
What bible have YOU been reading, Amy?
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Douglas Robert Spindler
Talking about God being insecure... What are the first three commandments? If that's not insecure what is?
The King James Bible is filled with stories of a God who is insecure, immoral, misogynistic, genocidal, racist jerk.
Maybe the Wicked Bible? (A reprint of the King James Bible published in 1631) It's a good one.
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Isaac Solomon
I always pause for a chuckle when people accuse God of having nasty, human traits. We own those, not God.
The "Wicked Bible" a misprint, not a reprint of the KJV.
God bless!
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Douglas Robert Spindler
Ae you sure? God is all powerful and all mighty and most have wanted it printed that way which is why he allowed it. God could have easily prevented it from happening.
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Isaac Solomon
The Spirit of God works through fallible human beings leaving anything we produce, even if divinely inspired, is subject to interpretation. That's why we continue to engage in scripture study....to refine and distill meaning. Words are imperfect, especially when Aramaic, Hebrew, Greek, and Latin words and phrases have to be translated. Then there are the various cultures that contribute to meaning and nuance. It is my belief that God wants us to read and study scripture in all its majesty from as many vantages as possible and to follow His teachings (most important!) God bless you, my friend!
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Douglas Robert Spindler
@Isaac Solomon Since you study scripture and seem understand it would you be so kind to explain please what God's is teaching us to do in Ezekiel 23:20? "There she lusted after her lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of horses." Thank you
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Isaac Solomon
May I ask which translation you are quoting?
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Douglas Robert Spindler
@Isaac Solomon - New International Version
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Paul David Lee Wedding Services
Satan the tempter!
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Douglas Robert Spindler
Ezekiel 23:20. There she lusted after her lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of horses.
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Isaac Solomon
So much for dessert!
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Amy Varela
The whole "women should be covered" nonsense comes directly from Abrahamic religious traditions. They put women in the position of being responsible for the behaviors of men. It's our fault we get raped because of how we were dressed? That's a load of crap from weak men.
The god of those people is an immoral misogynistic asshole. Had he been moral, the "commandments" would have included "Thou shalt not own other human beings as property", and "Thou shalt not touch another human being without their explicit consent", and would have excluded most of the rest other than the ones about not stealing and not murdering.
An actual all powerful creator would not have had to include orders to worship it. The Abrahamic religions are proof that their god was created by insecure, immoral, misogynistic, genocidal men.
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P. Keith Benefiel
Let them go naked. They will get used to it.
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Isaac Solomon
It might work!
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Bishop William Dusenberry, DD
The definition of a Puritan. “Someone who wants to make sure, that anyone, anywhere, is not having a good time
I can understand trying to prevent females, who don’t want to be pregnant, from making themselves unattractive to their male counterparts, but for clergy-members to categorize two piece swimming suits, as agents of the Christian Devil — is deplorable.
Trump must be outgrowing his sex drive, now that he’s officially become a White Christian GOP Nationalist — who wants every sex act to possibly end up with a baby in nine months.
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Daniel Gray
Why should he apologize? if you dress in a swimsuit that has less thread then a piece of floss and get stared at, then thats you own fault. I am not saying that you need to be covered from head to toe, but dressing like a floozy/goodtime girl does not help you either and if you do dress like that people are going to look like it or not, thats human nature.
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Douglas Robert Spindler
Why are you so ashamed of the human body God created? Women was made for Adam's rib. (Which we now know is wrong. Women as created first, and man is created from male hormones.
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Daniel Gray
Who says I am? But women cannot complain about people looking if they have on less clothing then dental floss. And what about the other peoples rights to not have their children exposed to this? if they want to show that much skin there are such things as nude beaches you know.
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Douglas Robert Spindler
Sounds like you want to have control over women telling them what they can ware and what they can't. They are people too. In America they have rights. If you want to tell women what to wear try moving to Saudi Arabia.
Even in Muslim countries women are wearing dental floss bathing suits or burqa bathing suits, t's their choice. And in Europe people don't have a problem with what women wear even if they are topless at the beach and yes kids are exposed to seeing naked men and women at the beach.
Please tell me why American Christian men are so ashamed of women's bodies?
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Daniel Gray
Nope I am just saying if you dress provocatively then you cant complain about the reactions you get.
Why are people like you so confused?
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Sarah Covert
Learn to control yourself. You're not an animal. Hell, this attitude is lower than an animal. I can put a steak on the floor, tell my dog "no" and he won't touch it. What's your excuse? Male entitlement and self-indulgence. Disgusting.
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Daniel Gray
I can control myself. But you know as well as I do there are people out there that cannot, so why entice them?
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Isaac Solomon
You forgot white supremacy, and global warming, and.........hemorrhoids! Man, I am SO out of control!
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Teej Johnson
You're an idiot. Why is it your business what other people wear. Don't starve at others, my 4 year old nephew can understand that. Although I wouldn't be surprised if you were dumber than a 4 year old.
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Daniel Gray
No YOU are the idiot as your 4 year old nephew had to be looking to even comment on it. And are you telling me your nephew does not look at others? if you are then yes you are dumber then a 4 year old.
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Teej Johnson
He stopped looking when he was told. I know you're slow, but just because you have less self-control than a 4-year-old doesn't mean others do. Bloody moron.
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Daniel Gray
yea right.....and the bloody moron is you as any parent knows that you have to tell a kid more then once to do something before they do it.
Nice spin stupid.
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Teej Johnson
What, you mad that a kid has more self control than you?
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Daniel Gray
yea right tejas, and you are so sure that he isnt looking. Unless you are watching him 24/7 you cant say that with ANY ounce of sincerity. Thats why the thunder you hear is people laughing AT you for your ignorant post.
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Teej Johnson
Ohhh, are you upset? I know being slow is difficult, and it must be really hard going through life trying to justify to yourself why being a little creep is okay, but the fact is that you have less self-control than a 4-year-old. That's the truth whether you like it or not, and no matter how much you try to deny it and insult the other person, it will remain the truth.
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Daniel Gray
you would nkow first hand about being slow and difficult as you live with this condition every day. And its pretty sad when you have to lie and make up stories about your supposed children just to make a point that you are comfortable with
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Teej Johnson
Everything I've said is the truth lol. He stared at a woman, my sister lectured him, and he didn't do it again. Maybe you weren't lectured enough as a child. If you were, you'd have probably learned how to use punctuation properly too. Anyways, say whatever you want to convince yourself of the fact that you're not less evolved than a 4-year-old, and keep being a pathetic, little creep to random women by staring at them. I really don't care, just don't control what they wear.
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Daniel Gray
BS guy, unless you have video of it and can prove it then nothing you say can be taken as fact as all we have is your word, and right now that isnt worth a whole lot.
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Teej Johnson
Denial isn't just a river in Egypt moron. You can keep justifying your creepy behaviours as much as you want to, but it doesn't change the facts. Why don't you go back to pretending you were in the military loser.
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Daniel Gray
the ONLY one here doing any denying is you Tejas. You CANNOT say your child obeys everything you say as then they wouldnt be a child but an automaton. So are you now saying that your child is a mindless robot? Or are you going to stop denying what every parent knows, and that is your child does not follow everything you say to a T. Again prove what you say, lets see the video, or stop whining and lying
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Teej Johnson
What video? Why would I record my nephew getting yelled at and then give it to a random internet stranger who insults purple heart veterans and pretends he served in the military? If you don't want to believe me, that's fine, but it's the truth and it's also the truth that you're a creep and a loser with less self-control than a 4-year-old. You can deny it all you want to, but it still remains true, whether you want it to be or not.
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Daniel Gray
the ONLY way you can prove what you claimed is showing a video of your kid not looking after you told him not to. This isnt rocket science guy, its simply requiring proof other then your say so
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Teej Johnson
Why do you want to see a video of a 4-year-old so badly? The most charitable reason would be that you're in denial about the fact that there are little kids who are more polite, considerate, and far less creepy than you are that can actually control themselves better than you can. The less charitable explanation is that you're a creep and a pervert. I've seen your posts on this forum before, I'm pretty inclined to believe it's the latter. If you don't want to believe me, that's fine, but my nephew getting yelled at was enough to stop him from looking the rest of the time we were at the beach. I was there, I saw it, that's the truth. As for you, you seriously need some mental help.
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Teej Johnson
And I'm not showing you the video of the 4-year-old boy you so want to watch, creep.
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Lyndy Borden
Lmao, this is really creepy man. Why do you want a video of a 4-year-old so badly?
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Daniel Gray
really? Taco was the first one to bring his so called children into this and I asked him to prove what he said. So far all he has done is whine and make accusations, just like you are doing now.
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Lyndy Borden
Why are you acting so creepy? Why do you want a video of a 4-year-old so badly? I can believe him, my 6-year-old knows not to stare because it's bad manners. So either you're the one without kids of your own or you're a terrible parent that can't teach your kid manners. I wouldn’t be surprised about either because you seem like the type of person I wouldn't want within a hundred feet of my kids anyways lol.
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Daniel Gray
whos acting creepy except in your delusional mind. I am asking Taco to PROVE what he says instead of just saying it and then expecting people to believe him. ANY parent knows that as soon as you tell a kid not to do something, they are going to try it anyway to see if they can get away with it, its called testing their limits. So unless Taco can prove his claim with something other then his word, then thats all it is, is his word and from his last posts that isnt saying a whole lot.
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Lyndy Borden
I mean, this is pretty creepy behavior to any outside observer. You know nobody's going to give you any footage of minors, because that would be dangerous. I certainly wouldn't trust someone like you near my kids, let alone with video recordings of them. If you're trying to justify your own behaviors by doing this, that's fine, you can stare at women on the beach all you want to. It's weird, creepy, and makes those women feel uncomfortable, but you're an adult, you can do whatever you want. However, I would certainly be ashamed if any of my kids grew up to be someone like you.
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Daniel Gray
no the ONLY creepy behavior is coming from you and people like you who make judgements without reading the whole conversation. And then you wonder why people are always challenging you
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Teej Johnson
Comment removed by user.
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Lyndy Borden
Lmao, who in their right mind would give pictures of their children (or any other minors for that matter) to you. I read the whole thread, and I think there is a good chance that you're a creep. Most kids are decent enough to learn manners and don't stare, maybe you're just a bad parent (I hope you're not a parent, if you are god help your family).
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Daniel Gray
maybe the guy who brought his kids into the conversation to begin with? I never mentioned his kids until he did. And Anyone can safely believe that you are not a parent or there is something worng with your thinking if you think there is anything other then wanting proof of what Taco said. So I guess the creepy ones are you and taco for your thoughts.
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Lyndy Borden
Maybe you're the one who didn't read the whole conversation. The other guy is talking about his nephew, not his own kids. And just because you can't teach your kids manners, doesn't mean other parents can't. A failing on your part is just that, your failing, not others. And I don't know if you're a creep or not, but I do know that there are creeps and people who aren't creeps generally aren't this insistent in getting videos of little children.
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Daniel Gray
Sorry I DID read the whole conversation as I was part of this from the beginning. You were not. So maybe you should stay in your lane and not speak on stuff you clearly dont know anything about
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Lyndy Borden
You seem nice
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Ilmenheru Terikson
How about because if you leer, jeer, and cat call at a woman no matter her dress you are committing a crime that empowers those women and in fact anyone around to invoke stand your ground laws and end the life of the man comitting the crime of verbal assault and harrassment.
Sooner or later men like you will learn that a woman or any person for that matter is entitled to walk around and not be bothered in any way shape or form by another person, and if someone does approach and bother them or do anything to make them feel threatened they are allowed to kill said pos man.
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Angel
Manditory one piece bathing suit around abunch of horney teenage boys? That's just common sense. No need to apologize, yes boys should control their urges but let's not temp them more.. Sorry but this liberal stance of swinging the pendulum in the opposite direction NEVER works. Girl's, cover that sh@t up a bit. And if it makes you feel better, I have no doubt if boy's ran around at church camp wearing a speddo, they would be asked to cover their junk up to.
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Julie Ann Stemmer
It’s been proven that both teenage boys AND girls have sexual urges, so please explain to me how girls have to control their urges but get blamed when a boy cannot? It’s also been proven that rape doesn’t actually have to do with the clothing the woman is wearing, it’s about imposing dominance over the victim. I believe men and women should be able to wear whatever they feel comfortable and confident in. I also believe every young lady should learn self defense, but that’s just my opinion.
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Ilmenheru Terikson
The idea that boys are tempted by their urges is archaic adn flawed, if a person male or female is lacking self control the blame lay with their parents, who in failing to teach their child has proven they should have never been allowed to have children in the first place, and basically proving while post birth abortion should be an option for children who have become failures of humankind due to failed parents.
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Amy Varela
Boys go swimming without shirts on and the girls don't lose their shit. Wake up. Parents are responsible to teach their sons not to touch anyone without their consent. But if those parents get their morals from the bible, they are already skewed to misogyny. In the story of Lot, he gave his daughters to the mob to be raped. Women are worth almost as much as livestock in the Abrahamic religions.
Boys need to learn early on that they need to keep their hand to themselves. Looking to the bible for morality is like trying to put out a fire with a box of matches.
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Sarah Covert
Or teach your sons not to behave like idiots. MEN CAN AND SHOULD KEEP THEIR DAMN HANDS TO THEMSELVES!!!! You sound like a rape apologist. Quit letting men off the hook for horrid behaviour. It's not on women to cover up or stay separate. It's on men to behave with respect and to face serious consequences if they don't. They need to show some flippin' self control.
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Robert Koenig
There are two piece suits for Ladies that have more coverage than a string. A lot of the one piece suits can be modest...but some are not. Schools have rules on swimsuits, too. Guys in competitive swimming wear skimpy suits, too, though. It does lead to a quandary. I Feel being it is a Church based outing it shouldn't be an 'attraction" but rather just a swimming event. If girls are forced to wear a modest one piece suit, boys should wear a rash guard shirt. they'd be equal that way.
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Alexander Clarke
Oh please! Just the thought of women is all that is needed to distract (most) men.
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Marathuzula
Summer camp is a great time to have sex.
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Isaac Solomon
You may have something there! Ah yes, the summer of '74.....
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Nicholas J Page
Bruce why have you been a pastor on and off for 20 years.Either your a religious follower or not Also get a grip trends and fashion change constantly.I believe you can't make your mind up about anything .Stop worrying about life.Just consentrate on religion.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
What's religion without life? It's just as hard to pave the roads without feeding the people.
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Douglas Robert Spindler
Life sure sucks with religion. That's why the youth of today are turning away from religion.
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Shango MasterExorcist, D.D.
The photographer in the article is as creative as the pastor in the story! She has captured the girl in the one-piece in a more seductive pose then the one in the two piece.
I normally enjoy listening to Rabbis on the Internet as you need to think to listen to them, and I don't usually listen to Pastors as they are almost all boring. But this pastor has 100,000 people pass on his trickster teaching style, to help boys notice that life is better if you don't act gross.
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robert
Now as someone who is more spiritual than religious I must interject that in a religious situation, church if you will, young ladies don’t need to be running around in two piece bathing suits around all the hormone driven teenage boys! Unless of course one wants babies, yes they are still children , having babies, just my thoughts
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Douglas Robert Spindler
@Robert What an old fashion sexist statement? Are you trying to say women don't have hormones, sexual desires or sex urges like teen age boys?
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robert
Ok it’s a two way street! Happy? My point is not to let babies have babies!
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Ilmenheru Terikson
Well if that is your main worry, why not talk about something practical like making vasectomies of boys upon reaching puberty mandatory as that is far less invasive then laws governing abortion. Not only can it be reversed easily later on, but its not even needed to as sperm can be drawn directly from the testes and artificial insemination can be used to procreate. After all if controlling the birth rate among the under age is the goal, this is the only option that will have a 100% rate of success.
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Rev Mark D
Sharia focus ain't just a preoccupation by sex obsessed Muslim doggie boyz, is it? This pastor reminds us why Amy Coney Barrett kept herself looking so hot.
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Rev Mark D
By the way, the psychological principle here is called "projection." Feeling horny and hot for little girls, Pastor? Blame it on the objects.
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flugo
So, it's ok for a gal to wear in public a bikini of 2 thimbles and a cork?!
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
It sounds like flugo is suffering fy senile dementia.
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John P Maher
AVERT YOUR STARE SINNER, GO to YOUR CUBICLE and CRY on YOUR BIBLE, LUSTFUL PERVERT SINNER !
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Angel
lol, they will advert their eyes to the playboy inside their bible,lol.
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Rabbi Francine MacHotka
Youth counselors are responsible for the safety of the kids their parents have entrusted to their care.
With coed swimming nothing good can come of it. Let them swim separately and let the girls wear what reasonably covers them. If it’s a bikini so be it. Let them swim and enjoy the water and their friends without feeling like a piece of meat or being judged for being over or under weight or any other body shaming. Before they go swimming, they should have a lesson or two about loving whatever body type they’ve got and to be sensitive not to bully other girls who have eating disorders or any other condition that makes them uncomfortable in a bathing suit.
Rape, murder, kidnapping, abuse are real threats for kids at camp or anywhere. Conversations are vital to ease their minds about what to do to stay safe for example buddy systems, drinking from sealed bottles, not hanging out with people they don’t know, avoiding illegal activities with “adults” and their parties etc...
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Ilmenheru Terikson
Ah yes seperate men from women rather then teach young men to behave in a civil and social manner with women without behaving like a junkie high on their own bodies chemicals.
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Rev. Dennis
Lust will still be there no matter how much "modest" apparel you put on. In countries where "modest" clothing is worn and very little is showing, the amount of sexual assault is no less (and sometimes higher) than the amount of the same in "less modest" societies.
The problem is not the apparel, it is the lack of wanting to educate and learn how to change behaviors and have control of thoughts and especially actions.
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Philip Joseph Ryan
Would you care to share your sources of information on sexual assaults being at no less a level than Western countries? Any man doing that would be facing a death sentence, and would probably be stoned to death, along with the woman. Women have few, if any, rights in Arabic countries
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Ilmenheru Terikson
Wow talk about an ignorant broad brush. Arabic countries include a lot of very modern ones. Maybe you should of said insular muslim contries practicing Sharia Law, which btw do not punish men in cases of rape, only the rape victim.
The issue entirely lay at the feet of patriarchal society and mysognistic ideas of a mans rights being based on feelings and so called needs, and women being made by a god purely to serve these needs.
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John P Maher
HEAL THYNSELF PHYSICIAN ???
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Rev. Forrrest
Unless a church founds itself on democracy rule, it and it's leaders determine their rules and practices based on whatever doctrine they follow. There are many references in the bible to modest dress. The "distracting the boys" argument may have not been the best way to state it, but even so, there is a basis for that in the bible as well.
It is important, as someone stated in the thread, that kids be allowed to be kids. More and more, girls are sexualized in television, advertisements, and worse. I see nothing wrong with requiring young girls to wear one-piece bathing suits, and not just because they might distract boys. They need to know and understand who they are before being pressured sexually. There's nothing wrong with protecting their childhood while we can.
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James Hanley
Let's consider the fact that we are hard-wired to reproduce; therefore most of us are attracted to the opposite sex regardless of the costume (or lack of one). Like several of the commenters, I have lived in Europe and Asia and the prevailing attitudes about acceptable dress and conduct vary by region, religion, and culture. Public nudity under certain circumstances is far more common in some countries, but after the initial shock wears off (I'm an American) it becomes routine and less "distracting". This does not imply that all the opinions expressed here are right, wrong, or sincere but misguided.
The best we can do is try to understand the arguments expressed here and refrain from condemning the commenter, or for that matter the "overweight minister". I know that my own opinion about appropriate beachwear might apply to the majority, but can be very different when applied to my own teenaged offspring!
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Stephen Mitchell White
So just a simple question. If I see a woman in panties and a bra it is so very wrong. If I see a woman in a bikini I, as a male, am expected to oggle. Would someone with some sense of life tell me the difference? Is not a bikini just a bra with panties?
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Douglas Robert Spindler
Panties and bras usually cover more than a bikini.
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Amber Fry
Of course not. What needs to be banned is idiots thinking clothing or lack their of gives someone else the right to judge or handle another. A person has the right to decide for themselves what to wear or not wear as a fashion statement. They don't have a right to tell others what to wear or not wear unless it's a matter of public health and safety. Don't like something, don't wear it and look away. Focus on conducting one's self instead of worrying about what others are doing or not doing.
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Bing Cote Eagle
Some really great discussion points here. I have always had an issue with the original sin concept that placed the woman front and center for the woes of the world. This guilt and shame set the stage to legitimize the abuse of women and keep them in the role of scorn and as a group to be controlled. So now we come to the age old bias as to what is appropriate for women to wear. As a therapist I have dealt with the damage caused by assault in all its forms. I feel that religion is one of most common defences posted by those who have abused/assaulted women. The real issues of power and control never to be uttered by the one with their fist raised. So when will we cut the crap and let people enjoy themselves at the beach without shaming them for the clothing they wear? It seems to me there are greater issues to focus on than just fashion. Every age has their fashion wars; using this as an excuse to carry forward their own agenda. You know what, 50 years from now No one will even care what the fashion was as they will have gone on to something new. And so it goes. Oh, one last question what about the cruelty and abuse of those who cannot defend themselves?
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Bishop William Dusenberry, DD
The Christian God created females, then made sex without being married (which, the Christian God said, only authorized priests could perform) a serious mortal sin; then arranged to forgive such sins against the “Holy Ghost” if the sinner gave enough money to his church.
Christianity (and most other medieval-based religions) relegated all females to be subordinate to their male counterparts - not only in this life, but for life ever-after.
It’s little wonder, that observant Jewish males, recite a prayer to their Jewish God every morning— thanking this misogynistic Jewish God, for arranging for them to have born a male, rather than a female.
No female should belong to any religion - that punishes females, because their God wanted it that way,
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Paul David Lee Wedding Services
It's still not good to have her breast and butt jiggling down the road. The devil knows that if he can get your eyes on the flesh you won't have your eyes on God!
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Paul David Lee Wedding Services
There are bikini's, then there are two piece'er's. Woman would go nude if allowed, and do with G-String Bikini's, this leaves NOTHING to the imagination and testosterone levels HIGH!! How can a man NOT give place to the devil when a near naked woman sachets right past him? The flesh is the weakest part of our armor, and he KNOWS that. The only way to defeat the flesh is prayer and Bible study to start your day. The pastor should have taught that, young people can't learn without Bible tools! Pastor Paul
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Robert Downard
Women and men should be able to choose what they are comfortable swimming in, one piece two piece topless or nude. We were all created by the same God. WOMEN.WILL NEVER HAVE EQUALITY UNTIL THEY ARE FREE TO CHOOSE WITHOUT FEAR, one piece two piece or nude. WOMEN and men should be able to choose.
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Lyndy Borden
Am I Cool?
The two piece swimsuit is not the problem because if it is then you also need to tell the boys to wear a shirt when swimming because topless boys can be just as distracting as a girl in a two piece swimsuit if this is your mentality go back to the 1800's. Girls can be just as dirty minded as boys. Some swimsuits may make the public less offended by covering more but your not looking at the daily heat logs. When the temperature rises the more covered you are the more likely you will have to get overheated and end up in the hospital. It should be more important to look at health and safety issues over sexualization of others.
Then there are those with foot fetishes too, Ruth. So, they better wear shoes, too. Must we be responsible for what goes on in the minds of others? Isn't it responsible enough to live with a guilt-free conscience, and not worry about what others are thinking about us? Personally, I love lusting for pretty women in bikinis on the seawall and beach in Galveston every summer, and don't give a damn if anyone's God doesn't like it! I'd also hate to ever go to Christian Heaven! It sounds like a terribly dreary place to be.