cowgirl:
I got mine done because i’ve wanted it for a long time, and i love how they look.
What I dont understand is that to certain groups of people something as simple as wearing pants and make-up, dying your hair, or certain hobbies might cause shock, or strong moral disapproval.
Dear Rachel,
Welcome to the “real world.” Of course you understand that people are free to like or dislike what you do or wear, but does that give them the right to judge you and make moral assumptions about you? It doesn’t, but they do anyway. This is something you might as well accept because it’s the case. Let me assure you it isn’t just on the outward signs you have listed, you will also be judged for how you pray, how you think (to the extent you reveal it), and whether your opinions match others’ opinions, even though they may be deceitful about their own version of those same opinions.
do we change everything we are to please those people?
That depends on your status and goals in life. If you are in a position where you can essentially tell them to “flip off,” then you can do what you want. If those people are employers or customers, or people whom you otherwise care about what they think, it might pay to be sensitive to their prejudices.
i’m judged all the time based on my faith, do i change that so i wont cause others to sin by judging me? should i really care what society says? do i have to meet a certain dress code(besides being modest) to enter heaven?
These are excellent questions. I don’t know enough about your faith to know what you mean by changing it, but the apostle Paul became like whoever he was around in order to win them. He knew that eating certain foods instead of others was no big deal, but observed the superstitions of those he was around, or conversely ate what he was given, in order to fit in better with those he was trying to win.
Really you could take this either way. If you are open and honest about your catholic faith and hang around a bunch of Goths, for example, you might dress at least somewhat like them at least until you convince them that you don’t judge them, and that may be a good strategy to win their hearts. If you are hanging around your mother and her friends and they are offended by how you look, then you dress that way at your own risk for your own reasons.
does God look at my heart or my face when He sees me? this little piece of stainless steel doesnt hinder my relationship with God, and in most cases people my age are impressed that i can look how i do and still be a strong catholic.
I think what you deliberately do to your face shows what’s in your heart. Perhaps God isn’t interested so much in what you look like on the surface, but your motivation for looking that way. If you decorate yourself a certain way because you honestly think it is attractive, but know it is offensive to some, then you’re going to have to make up your own mind about your motives. If you do it in part to be a nonconformist, consider the fact that nonconformity itself has now become conformity, so it’s not that you are being an individual; it’s just a matter of choosing which group you want to conform to. If your heart is pure then most of the time even the people who are initially offended will get used to it and realize you are the person you are. I said earlier that I find unusual or excessive piercings turnoffs, but I have to admit there is one young girl I see occasionally that is so charming that even her eyebrow piercings don’t gross me out anymore. I still don’t understand why anyone would want pierced eybrows, and I hope my own daughters don’t choose to look like that, but she is obviously a nice girl.
I hope this helps more than it confuses!
Alan
