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Some Questions For Todays Religious World Regarding Extraordinary Feminine Beauty
Is the ascetic religious emphasis that encourages Christian wives to disdain and possibly even divorce their husbands, because they might at times admire feminine beauty other than solely them and theirs, actually Biblical? That emphasis and rejection, often results in grievous barriers and secrecy, and is bringing tremendous pressures and difficulty upon many marriages, and is a subject that is very much on my mind. Is our God, who was so liberal regarding wives, polygamy, and beauty in ancient times, actually pleased with wives now having these possibly self absorbed expectations and rejecting their husbands as this? Yes, some things changed in the Christian era, but did they actually change that much? Concerning our God who allowed the ancient Israelite, who seen a beautiful woman among the enemy captives, to take her as an additional wife, would He now turn about and say that wives should disdain and possibly even divorce her husband simply because he might at times admire feminine beauty other than her, even if he had no intent of alluring another woman or committing adultery, and rather was only admiring feminine beauty at its best and as the Song of Solomon honorably and graphically displays with words (Deu 21:10-13, Song 6:13-7:9)? Concerning the wife who is disdaining and possibly even ready to divorce her husband, because he might at times admire feminine beauty other than solely her, would she rather want her husband to take an additional and more beautiful wife to love as was freely done in old times (2 Sam 12:8)?
Considering whether God would be pleased with wives disdaining and divorcing their husbands for reasons as considered above, the following Biblical issues although possibly sort of shocking to some, should be honestly considered. How do such restrictions of wives about their husbands and beauty, align with how famous Queen Esther replaced another queen that was rejected because she refused to come forth to show her beauty to the King's many guests (note some histories say without any veiling at all (Esther 1:10-19)? How do such restrictions or boundaries align with the numerous Scriptures that reveal extraordinary feminine beauty was quite honored in old times, causing King David after Saul's death to tell the women to weep over Saul who clothed them with ornaments, purple, and other delights (2 Sam 1:24)? How do such boundaries about husbands and beauty, align with those Greek Scriptures that strongly indicate some dances in ancient Israel were very revealing (2 Sam 6:20-22, Song 6:13-7:9), while it simply must be admitted that numerous Scriptures show that public exposure and even nudity was not thought vile or incredible in ancient Israel as it is by many in our present society (Isaiah 20:2-4, 1 Samuel 19:24, Micah 1:8, 2 Sam 6:16-22, Isaiah 32:11, John 21:7). Such restrictive boundaries of wives about their husbands and beauty are strikingly different when compared with how the Israelites sought throughout the whole land of Israel to find the most beautiful maid in the land to help revive King David when sick and about to die, and who likely would have simply been considered another of his wives or concubines (1 King 1:1-4). Regarding these issues, likely some Christians are unawares that famous Abraham the chief o f faith had various concubines, and possibly unawares that no Scripture distinctly and without exception disallows polygamy even in the Christian era, although some ascetic Christians may count such as almost the worst thing possible (Gen 25:5-6). Although some things have changed in the Christian era, did they change so much that women now should disdain and possibly even divorce their husbands for reasons as considered above. How do such boundaries and restrictions about beauty align with how wise and beautiful Jewish Judith by putting on her many adornments and her garments of gladness, allured the enemy captain into her hands to his destruction, and of whom the enemies said, "Who would despise this people, that have among them such women? There is not such a woman from one end of the earth to the other, both for beauty of face, and wisdom of words." (Judith 10:3-4&19, 11:21). Although some religious people might try to teach that feminine beauty should not mean much to the good man, how does that align with the text which reads, "The beauty of a woman cheereth the countenance, and a man loveth nothing better" (Ecc of Sir 36:22)?
Does the religious emphasis that makes wives disdain and possibly even divorce her husband solely because he at times might admire beauty other than solely her, possibly not understand there is a great difference between wickedly coveting and lusting after something and subtly trying to get it, as compared to simply admiring how beautiful various aspects of God's creation can be at their best? Further it appears that seeing the beauty of a rose at it's very best can cause one to more highly esteem roses in general, and even a rose that is past it's best state, as it is still a rose. Does this religious emphasis not realize that it sadly and needlessly turns wives against their husbands and destroys families, because of something that if not abused has the potential of making the husband more affectionate to his wife? How very sad. Regarding these issues, may Christians become aware that in the early centuries of Christianity there was a very false emphasis against feminine beauty and sexuality, which even required women's faces to be veiled, restricted sex solely to reproductive endeavors, and which was very negative about marriage, which emphasis Paul classified with the doctrine of devils, and which religious emphasis had much evil influence on our world and is responsible for various faulty restrictions about beauty and sexuality even in our day (1 Tim 4:1-3). Yes even today, not only are many Priests disallowed marriage, but women in some parts of our world must veil even their faces, while some are threatened with a dreadful death if they adorn themselves or go about without some form of an obscuring head veil. These issues are sadly real in our present religious world. Yet according to the Bible (especially the original Greek) Apostle Paul said, woman's longer hair is an important attribute and glorious covering to woman, and given her for (or instead of) a veil, and said woman who is the glory of man should have power (liberty) on her head because of (or with) the Angels, and said Christ took away the veil and we all should come before God with an unveiled face (1 Cor 11:7-10 & 15, 2 Cor 3:13-18). How many Christians even today are still affected by the ancient religious emphasis that wrongly opposed feminine beauty and sexuality? Will Christians admit their errors any sooner than the Moslems? Will needless pain, conflict, and divorces continue?
Although erring religious people over the centuries have come up with all kinds of religious demands and laws, may we remember that Jesus said that all His Father's laws simply focus on a proper love for God and man, and said the truth will make us free, as His laws are only to protect us rather than to inflict us (Matt 22:37-40, John 8:31-32). Although man's faulty religious laws against beauty and sexuality are very grievous and have caused tremendous pain in our world, yet may Christians not turn to excess nor lose proper sexual law as such also is evil and ends up in difficulty. Note, BiblicalSexuality.com very extensively considers the issues spoken of above. In conclusion may God teach and have mercy on us all, in our sexually confused world,
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